Capital One's $35.3 billion deal for Discover Financial Services crossed its final regulatory hurdle today, getting the green light to form the country's largest credit card issuer.

• Why it matters: The deal's a huge win for Capital One, not just in terms of its new scale, but because it will no longer have to rely on someone else to process its cardholders' payments.

Zoom in: Discover has its own payments network. Though it is dwarfed in size by Visa and Mastercard's, using it is expected to save Capital One a whole lot of money down the line.

• "The combined entity will be the largest U.S. credit card issuer in terms of loan volume, but the crown jewel is the Discover network," says Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at Bankrate.

Between the lines: Rossman notes that Capital One has already been taking a page out of American Express' playbook, moving beyond its subprime roots to target more affluent, high-spending travelers.

• "Playing both sides of the lender/network continuum," is another example of Capital One following that Amex model, he notes.

What we're watching: Regulators said their approval was conditional on Capital One agreeing to comply with a consent order leveled on Discover this week related to overcharging on payments fees.

• The deal is expected to close on May 18.

🇨🇳 🇺🇸 Ford Motor has stopped shipping certain U.S.-made pickup trucks, SUVs and sports cars to China to avoid escalating tariffs. (WSJ)

🚙 Volvo is planning to lay off as many as 800 workers at three U.S. facilities over the next three months due to market uncertainty and demand concerns. (CNBC)

🏛️ President Trump is "studying" whether he can fire Fed chair Jerome Powell, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told reporters today, as the president continued to call for the Fed, an independent agency, to slash interest rates. (Bloomberg)

• Worthy of your time: Can Trump fire Powell? Here's what to know.

Easter is coming Sunday, and the potato industry is again making its pitch.

• Easter eggflation is striking for the third straight year with prices elevated by the ongoing bird flu outbreak.

By the numbers: The average wholesale price of a dozen eggs was $3.13 today, up 2% from $3.08 on April 11, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

• This is down more than $5 a dozen from the Feb. 21 national wholesale average of $8.15.
• Retail prices, which typically trail wholesale, are beginning to drift downward but bigger declines are expected after the holiday.
• The USDA report said demand for shell eggs increased ahead of Easter Sunday but was "driven more by holiday family traditions than price."

Threat level: Easter is traditionally the second-hottest demand period of the year for eggs, and only trails the winter holidays, Brian Moscogiuri, a global trade strategist at Eggs Unlimited, previously told Axios.

The intrigue: The high prices are again leading some to break egg-based holiday traditions.

• 49% of consumers say the sticker shock is changing how they celebrate the holiday, according to a Ziff Davis shopping seasonal survey of 1,144 consumers.

🥔 In come the spuds: Soaring egg prices in 2023 sprouted the idea of a budget-friendly Easter alternative, like painting potatoes instead of eggs.

• Potatoes USA, the national marketing and promotion board representing U.S. growers and importers, even has a guide on how to paint the oval alternatives.

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