Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Robotaxis are here! And yet, they’re not. That contradiction neatly captures Waymo’s current reality. Anyone walking around San Francisco could reasonably declare that robotaxis have arrived. But arrival, ev...
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Robotaxis are here! And yet, they’re not. That contradiction neatly captures Waymo’s current reality. Anyone walking around San Francisco could reasonably declare that robotaxis have arrived. But arrival, even at scale, doesn’t guarantee permanence. Such is the dogged threat hanging over every company trying to commercialize autonomous vehicles. Waymo paused operations in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio because its robotaxis are struggling to deal with heavy rain and flooded roads — and specifically knowing when not to enter them. As I prepared to send this newsletter, we learned the company extended that to Austin and Nashville as well. It’s been a persistent problem for Waymo, which prompted the company to issue a recall last week. In the same week, Waymo halted robotaxi operations on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami as it works to improve performance in construction zones. For now, the arrival of robotaxis is conditional. That doesn’t mean this conditional status will last forever, but it’s a reminder that launching commercially is not mission accomplished. Waymo — arguably the leader in commercial robotaxi ridership and fleet size — is in the thick of that process. For every new city it enters or capability it unlocks, a new edge case is discovered. Situationship or corporationmaxxing? I’m ditching my “Little bird” section this week to dive into SpaceX, its IPO, and the situationship in the Elon Musk business universe. I typically don’t dedicate too much space in this newsletter to space. Heh. But the SpaceX IPO filing dropped this week, and the man at its helm is also deeply tied to Tesla. So, here we are, talking about space and, more specifically, how Elon Musk uses resources from one company to service another. The interconnected nat...
In this article IMAX DIS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Still from Disney's "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu." Disney Walt Disney's "The Mandalorian and Grogu" jettisoned into theaters Friday, marking the first time in seven years that a new Star Wars film has launched on the big screen. Sunday estimates indicated that the film, based on the hit Disney+ show "The Mandalorian,...
In this article IMAX DIS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Still from Disney's "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu." Disney Walt Disney's "The Mandalorian and Grogu" jettisoned into theaters Friday, marking the first time in seven years that a new Star Wars film has launched on the big screen. Sunday estimates indicated that the film, based on the hit Disney+ show "The Mandalorian," surpassed initial box office projections, tallying $82 million in domestic ticket sales through its first three days in theaters. Official numbers will be released on Monday. While "The Mandalorian and Grogu" outpaced the $80 million that most box office analysts predicted, it has so far tallied less than 2018's "Solo: A Star Wars Story," which at $84 million was the previous lowest-opening Star Wars project in the era of Disney Star Wars releases, according to data from Comscore. Analysts foresee the film exceeding $100 million domestically for the four-day Memorial Day holiday weekend. Internationally, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" snapped up around $63 million in ticket sales. The film benefited from premium large format screenings like IMAX and Dolby Cinema, as 41% of tickets were sold for these upgraded, more expensive showings, according to data from EntTelligence. Standard tickets for the film averaged $16.01 apiece, while premium tickets cost an average of $19.43 each, the data company reported. However, the film's box office isn't the only metric that Disney will be keeping an eye on. The company's strategy doesn't just rely on ticket sales — it has other avenues for revenue growth, including merchandise, its streaming service and theme parks. Star Wars generates more than $1 billion in retail sales each year, even without a new title arriving in theaters. Additionally, "The Mandalorian" series is the most-watched original show on Disney+, with more than 1.3 billion hours watched globally. Viewership of the series and other Star Wars titles have gotten a bump on th...
The Iran war, the Trump administration's policies on immigration, energy-price volatility and economic uncertainties have added wrinkles to travel plans for many consumers in 2026. Yet BI's proprietary survey data show resiliency in discretionary spending, at least for now, despite shifting preferences for how they plan to spend on travel and leisure activities. There may be some caveats to this i...
The Iran war, the Trump administration's policies on immigration, energy-price volatility and economic uncertainties have added wrinkles to travel plans for many consumers in 2026. Yet BI's proprietary survey data show resiliency in discretionary spending, at least for now, despite shifting preferences for how they plan to spend on travel and leisure activities. There may be some caveats to this in airlines, gaming, hotels and other segments of leisure. Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Credit Analyst Jody Lurie joined Christina Ruffini and David Gura on Bloomberg This Weekend to discuss what's in store for the rest of the year for UK and US travel. (Source: Bloomberg)
The Social Security Administration intends for all future retirees to claim benefits when they reach their full retirement age (or FRA) of 67 years old. But that's not your only option. You can file for Social Security retirement benefits as early as 62 years of age. Just know that filing before you reach your FRA will cost you. How much it will cost you depends on how close you are to your FRA. T...
The Social Security Administration intends for all future retirees to claim benefits when they reach their full retirement age (or FRA) of 67 years old. But that's not your only option. You can file for Social Security retirement benefits as early as 62 years of age. Just know that filing before you reach your FRA will cost you. How much it will cost you depends on how close you are to your FRA. The table below details the reduction of your monthly benefit payment compared to what you would have received by waiting. Claiming at Age... ...Reduces Your Benefit By: 67 No benefit reduction 66 6.67% 65 13.33% 64 20% 63 25% 62 30% You aren't limited to claiming in your exact birth month, however. The reduction is fine-tuned to adjust for any number of months after reaching the aforementioned ages that you file. The Social Security Administration can supply you with the exact amount of your payment, if you've got a specific date in mind to claim your retirement benefits. By the way, postponing your benefits once you've reached your FRA adds to your monthly payment, and by quite a bit. Claiming at Age... ...Increases Your Benefit By: 67 No benefit increase 68 8% 69 16% 70 24% Again, you don't necessarily need to wait a full 12 months after reaching your full retirement age to secure bigger payments. The increase is gradually improved for every month you wait after the month you reach your FRA. Specifically, if you're going to claim in between your exact birth month for the years in which you reach these ages, add 0.66% per month to your expected payment for every month you wait. Just for the record, there's no additional upside in waiting beyond the month you turn 70 to claim. There's good reason to file as soon as you do, in fact. The Social Security Administration will only pay you a maximum of six months' worth of benefits missed because you didn't claim when you turned 70.
Jeff Spicer/Getty Images Entertainment Disney’s ( DIS ) long-awaited return to the Star Wars big screen generated an estimated $102 million over the four-day holiday weekend, making The Mandalorian and Grogu the top domestic release and giving Hollywood another boost in a franchise-heavy summer box office season, Bloomberg News reported Sunday. The debut met industry expectations, though it ranked...
Jeff Spicer/Getty Images Entertainment Disney’s ( DIS ) long-awaited return to the Star Wars big screen generated an estimated $102 million over the four-day holiday weekend, making The Mandalorian and Grogu the top domestic release and giving Hollywood another boost in a franchise-heavy summer box office season, Bloomberg News reported Sunday. The debut met industry expectations, though it ranked among the softer openings for a modern Star Wars film since Disney acquired Lucasfilm more than a decade ago. Even so, the performance underscores the enduring drawing power of recognizable intellectual property at a time when studios are leaning heavily on established brands to drive theater attendance. For investors, the film’s launch offers another signal that major media companies are increasingly dependent on franchise ecosystems spanning theatrical releases, streaming, merchandise and theme parks. A successful run could support Disney’s broader efforts to strengthen engagement across Disney+, consumer products and its entertainment division, while reinforcing Wall Street’s focus on scalable blockbuster properties in an uncertain consumer environment. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film expands the story of bounty hunter Din Djarin and Grogu, the breakout character widely known as Baby Yoda, from Disney’s streaming series The Mandalorian . Disney ( DIS ) positioned the project as a more cinematic evolution of the television franchise, with larger-scale action sequences and enhanced visual effects designed for IMAX ( IMAX ) screens. Critical reaction has been mixed. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes showed moderate approval from critics, while audience scores were significantly stronger, suggesting fans responded more positively than reviewers. The release also arrives during a summer crowded with revived entertainment franchises. Studios are betting heavily on sequels, superhero films and familiar animated brands, including upcoming releases tied to Toy Story , Spider-M...
Key Points Microsoft is doing well as a business, so the stock sell-off is valuation-related. The company's stock is following a regular pattern. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft › Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock hasn't had a great 2026. The stock is down 13.3% since 2026 began, which sets it apart from most other big tech companies that are up by double-digit percentages in 2026. With that ...
Key Points Microsoft is doing well as a business, so the stock sell-off is valuation-related. The company's stock is following a regular pattern. 10 stocks we like better than Microsoft › Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock hasn't had a great 2026. The stock is down 13.3% since 2026 began, which sets it apart from most other big tech companies that are up by double-digit percentages in 2026. With that kind of share-price performance, investors may be wondering whether Microsoft stock is a buy at that discounted price. So, is Microsoft a steal right now? Or was the sell-off warranted? Let's take a look. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Microsoft stock rarely gets this cheap First, let's look at its recent financial results to see if there are any cracks in its business that investors should be aware of that could explain its poor stock performance. In Q3 of fiscal year 2026 (ending March 31), Microsoft's revenue rose 18% year over year, with net income rising 23% year over year. Considering Microsoft's size and maturity, those are two healthy figures that are hard to find a flaw in. Microsoft also noted that its artificial intelligence (AI) business surpassed an annual run rate of $37 billion, up 123% year over year. Another major beneficiary of AI is Microsoft's cloud computing platform, Azure. Azure saw 40% revenue growth during Q3 -- another strong figure. Microsoft's business is clearly doing well, so why is the stock down so much? It could be tied to its valuation. Before Microsoft's sell-off (which began in October 2025), it was trading at a relatively high valuation. Every time Microsoft's share price has risen to about 30 times operating cash flow, the stock has promptly returned to a lower level shortly thereafter. We've seen this pattern multiple times in Microsoft's history, an...
Bringing the weekend to a close will be Olivia Dean, who will play her first ever UK festival headline set from 20:45 BST. The London singer's appearance will bring a close to one of the city's biggest music events in recent years.
Bringing the weekend to a close will be Olivia Dean, who will play her first ever UK festival headline set from 20:45 BST. The London singer's appearance will bring a close to one of the city's biggest music events in recent years.
As the race to send humans back to the moon heats up, China has been fine-tuning its plans. On Saturday – the day after the US company SpaceX successfully launched its largest and most powerful Starship – the China Manned Space Agency unveiled further details about its plans to integrate its crewed and uncrewed lunar landing programmes into a single mission. The purpose was “to fully leverage the ...
As the race to send humans back to the moon heats up, China has been fine-tuning its plans. On Saturday – the day after the US company SpaceX successfully launched its largest and most powerful Starship – the China Manned Space Agency unveiled further details about its plans to integrate its crewed and uncrewed lunar landing programmes into a single mission. The purpose was “to fully leverage the technical foundations and practical experience accumulated over decades through crewed space programmes and the Chang’e lunar exploration missions ”, agency spokesman Zhang Jingbo told a press conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Advertisement Zhou Yaqiang, a senior engineer at the China Manned Space Agency, told reporters that the process of “combining experiences and expertise” from the various missions was “progressing smoothly”. When asked about the US-China moon race, Zhou reiterated the official Chinese position, saying that the country was committed to the peaceful use of space. Advertisement “We carry out the project of crewed lunar exploration under the established plan. We are not competing with other countries in space. Our crewed lunar programme is also not subject to interference from any factors,” he said. “When Chinese astronauts land on the moon in the future, this will be a great feat for all of humanity. It will help increase our understanding of space.”
WEST PALM BEACH, FL / ACCESS Newswire / May 24, 2026 / Management Celebrates Friday Trading Momentum of 7.96% and States That Growing Worldwide Awareness of ELEKTROS Represents a Paradigm Shift for the Company's Expanding Global Shareholder Base. ELEKTROS States That Growing Global Awareness Surrounding the Company Represents an Exciting Milestone for Shareholders and Supporters Worldwide. ELEKTRO...
WEST PALM BEACH, FL / ACCESS Newswire / May 24, 2026 / Management Celebrates Friday Trading Momentum of 7.96% and States That Growing Worldwide Awareness of ELEKTROS Represents a Paradigm Shift for the Company's Expanding Global Shareholder Base. ELEKTROS States That Growing Global Awareness Surrounding the Company Represents an Exciting Milestone for Shareholders and Supporters Worldwide. ELEKTROS continues focusing on hard rock lithium exploration and development opportunities in Sierra Leone, Africa, positioning the Company within one of the world's most strategically important supply chains supporting electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and industrial electrification. The importance of lithium to the future of transportation and clean energy has been repeatedly highlighted by industry leaders worldwide. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, previously stated: "It is definitely true that the fundamental enabling technology for electric cars is lithium-ion as a cell chemistry technology. In the absence of that, I don't think it's possible to make an electric car that is competitive with a gasoline car." In addition, Musk has publicly emphasized the importance of expanding charging infrastructure and improving charging efficiency to support mass EV adoption globally. In parallel with its lithium initiatives, ELEKTROS holds United States Patent No. 12,522,100 B1 related to advanced electric vehicle charging technology designed to significantly reduce charging times and improve charging efficiency for EV users globally. The Company believes that fast-charging infrastructure may become one of the defining components of the next generation EV ecosystem as consumers increasingly demand reduced charging times, improved convenience, and enhanced vehicle usability. ELEKTROS further announced that on May 5, 2026, the Company delivered a cease-and-desist notice regarding activities involving a major global automotive manufacturer whose identity the Company has elected not to pub...
AbbVie (ABBV +0.56%) and Pfizer (PFE 0.19%) are two top healthcare stocks, and they're investments that can generate a ton of dividend income for your portfolio. AbbVie, which yields 3.2%, has been a dividend growth beast for decades and has been doing a good job of growing its business even after its top-selling drug Humira lost patent protection. It has proven to be a good long-term dividend inv...
AbbVie (ABBV +0.56%) and Pfizer (PFE 0.19%) are two top healthcare stocks, and they're investments that can generate a ton of dividend income for your portfolio. AbbVie, which yields 3.2%, has been a dividend growth beast for decades and has been doing a good job of growing its business even after its top-selling drug Humira lost patent protection. It has proven to be a good long-term dividend investment to hang on to. Pfizer offers a higher yield of 6.7%, but it's a bit riskier, given that it's still in the midst of trying to get back to growth and is facing some daunting patent cliffs in the near future. For investors, the pressing issue is whether the business is on the right track and if its dividend is indeed safe. Below, I'll look at which of these dividend stocks is the better option for income investors right now. Is Pfizer's dividend really safe? The biggest question for income investors when analyzing these two stocks may come down to the safety of Pfizer's payout. Regardless of the yield, if the dividend is in danger, what percentage Pfizer pays today may be meaningless, and thus, AbbVie's stock would be the better option by default. The problem, however, is that you can't just look at Pfizer's payout ratio, which is over 100%, because there has been so much noise in its earnings in recent quarters. The company has gone through restructuring, and one-time expenses such as impairment charges have weighed on its bottom line. Expand NYSE : PFE Pfizer Today's Change ( -0.19 %) $ -0.05 Current Price $ 25.90 Key Data Points Market Cap $148B Day's Range $ 25.76 - $ 26.15 52wk Range $ 23.06 - $ 28.75 Volume 22.3M Avg Vol 37.3M Gross Margin 65.16 % Dividend Yield 6.64 % Its free cash flow has totaled $9.5 billion over the past four quarters, which is a bit lower than the $9.8 billion the company has paid in dividends during that time frame. But with Pfizer trimming costs and looking to become leaner, that shortfall may not be terribly concerning, at least not yet,...
Starlux, EVA Air retain Skytrax five-star status Two of Taiwan’s international carriers, Starlux Airlines Co (星宇航空) and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空), have retained the five-star airline rating awarded by international airline review organization Skytrax. Starlux was awarded the distinction for a second consecutive year, while EVA Air received it for the 11th straight year, Skytrax said in statements re...
Starlux, EVA Air retain Skytrax five-star status Two of Taiwan’s international carriers, Starlux Airlines Co (星宇航空) and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空), have retained the five-star airline rating awarded by international airline review organization Skytrax. Starlux was awarded the distinction for a second consecutive year, while EVA Air received it for the 11th straight year, Skytrax said in statements released yesterday and on Thursday last week, respectively. The five-star rating is considered one of the airline industry's highest honors and is awarded following professional audits of airline product and frontline service standards, Skytrax said. The ratings are based on in-depth assessments using unified global quality standards rather than customer review scores