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Hello! I’m filling in this week for Charlotte, who’s off tallying her losses from the recent stock market dive. Here’s what you need to know in business news.
MAY 12-18
What’s Up?
Now You See Me
Now you definitely don’t. At least, not if you’re an artificially intelligent machine in San Francisco. The city’s Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to prohibit the use of facial recognition technology within city limits. It’s a somewhat symbolic move: The police there don’t currently use the stuff, and the places where it is in use — seaports and airports — are under federal jurisdiction and therefore unaffected by the new regulation.
Brought to You by the Letters T and V
The major television networks tried to sell their fall advertising slots in an annual pageant known as the upfronts. In a week of star-studded presentations, skits and boozy mingling, representatives of major advertisers flocked to New York to see what the networks have in store. Even though traditional TV is losing market share and relevance to newer streaming services, it remains one of the few places where advertisers can reach millions of people in real time.
The Chips May Be Down
The Trump administration has called Huawei a tool for Beijing’s espionage, and now, Washington has barred American companies from doing business with the Chinese telecom giant. That means component makers like Broadcom, Intel and Qualcomm will no longer be able to sell their parts to Huawei, and Google’s Android operating system might be pulled from Huawei’s mobile phones.
may 19-25
What’s Next?
A War of Words …
Stocks will continue to be a barometer for anxiety around President Trump’s worsening trade war with China. The two sides, which had appeared headed for a deal, are once again far apart, and it’s extremely unclear how they can de-escalate. The next juncture for Mr. Trump and China’s leader, Xi Jinping, to find common ground could be a scheduled meeting of Group of 20 leaders in Japan in June.
… or Just a Conventional War?
Compounding the market jitters are fears that the United States could be on the brink of conflict with Iran. Mr. Trump has sought to signal that he doesn’t want war, even as his administration reviews its plans for just such an event. Analysts will parse the situation this week at the International Petroleum Summit in Houston, and forecast whether the tensions will translate into higher oil prices.
Boeing Still Ain’t Going
With Boeing’s 737 Max jets still grounded after two fatal crashes, the Federal Aviation Administration will host a gathering of air regulators from around the world in Dallas on Thursday. The goal: restore their confidence in both Boeing and the agency. Last week, the acting administrator of the F.A.A. defended the company on Capitol Hill, but safety experts remain unconvinced the jets in question are ready to return to the skies.
What Else?
The landmark Trans World Airlines terminal at Kennedy International Airport reopened as the lobby of a fancy new hotel, giving travelers a visitable monument to the 1960s — the golden age of air travel. Condé Nast sold Brides Magazine to Dotdash, which is owned by the company that runs OKCupid and Tinder; the new owners plan to end the print edition. And Amazon announced a program that will pay people to get into the competitive business of last-mile package delivery.
