1/15/2020 The Highlight

You may finally be able to get your hands on the Popeye’s chicken sandwich. The chain launched arguably the hottest food item of 2019 with its own chicken sandwich, and it quickly became a viral sensation.

Popeyes has announced a partnership with DoorDash to offer a free chicken sandwich combo to customers who place an order of $20 or more through the app. Get ‘em while they’re hot–the deal lasts through January 19th.
Here’s your weekly highlight. 

Economic News

• U.S. Fiscal Deficit Tops $1 Trillion: The U.S. fiscal deficit surpassed $1 trillion in 2019 for the first time since 2012. The deficit increased 17.1 percent in 2019, one year after seeing the deficit increase 28.2 percent. According to CNBC, rising corporate tax revenue is responsible for the slower pace of increase in the budget deficit.

• China No Longer A Currency Manipulator: The United States removed China from its list of countries considered currency manipulators. The decision comes just two days before the U.S. is expected to sign its “phase one” trade deal, according to the Treasury Department.

• Underemployment Hits Record Low: The U.S. added 145,000 jobs in December, ending 2019 with an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent and underemployment hitting a record low according to NBC News. Over 20,000 jobs in the construction sector were added in the month, but the country saw a loss of 21,000 jobs in manufacturing, logging, and mining.

Market News

• Tesla Zooms Higher: The California-based automaker stock has been on fire recently, with shares passing the $500-mark for the first time ever. Tesla shares have nearly doubled within the past 6 months and the company is now worth more than General Motors and Ford combined.

• Lululemon Hits All-Time High: The yoga pant-pioneer continues to be the hottest apparel company in the industry. Lululemon shares hit a new all-time high, gaining 5 percent on Monday after raising its fourth-quarter sales forecast. Lululemon shares are up over 76 percent in the past year.

• Netflix Leads Oscar Nominations: The streaming service is looking like an Oscar favorite this year after receiving 24 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards, more than any other Hollywood studio. “The Irishman” received a whopping 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Director, and Actor in a Supporting Role. Netflix shares gained over 3 percent on Monday.

Alternative Investing News

• Plaid Back In Fashion: Visa has announced it is buying Plaid in a deal worth $5.3 billion. Plaid’s API software works in conjunction with Venmo, Robinhood, Coinbase to connect users’ accounts to their bank account. According to Plaid, 25 percent of people in the U.S. with bank accounts have connected to the company’s software through its API.

• Casper Set To IPO at $1 Billion Valuation: The mattress company released its S-1 IPO filing last week and is set to hit the public market with a valuation of $1 billion. The IPO announcement was met with mixed reviews after a rough year for high profile, yet unprofitable companies hitting public markets in 2019. Interestingly, the company listed social media influencers as a potential risk factor in its business.

Finance Education

• A Side Gig For Everyone: Side gigs have evolved big time. Whatever you’re into, it’s likely that you can turn it into a source of income. Check out some top side gigs plus how much side hustlers make on average in 2020, The Year of the Side Gig

• Retirement Moree Attainable Than You Think: 40% of people with no retirement savings say it’s because it is not a priority. While it may seem like it should be everyone’s priority, it makes sense if you have to prioritize are food, gas, and rent in order to live. To see how to stretch your money further, see Turn Your $50K Salary Into A $1M Retirement Fund