Max Knoblauch
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headlines & graphics contributor @clickhole and writing @ Vested Interest newsletter. insta/tok: maxknobs
Articles by Max Knoblauch
WSJ: DOJ approved the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal even as investigators were leaning toward suing to stop it
The Justice Department’s approval of Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of rival Warner Bros. Discovery Friday came as a surprise to the agency’s antitrust investigators, according to Wall Street Journal reporting. Per the WSJ, a team of lawyers who’d scrutinized the merger were leaning toward recommending a lawsuit to block the deal, but hadn’t gotten to make their final recommendation, before they were told that it had been approved on Friday.
Electronic Arts launches a platform to put more ads in its games
Video game publishing giant EA launched a new platform on Monday designed to make the process of selling immersive ad space in its popular games easier. The company says the platform, called EA Advertising, allows brands to “integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content.” More so than other studios, EA has incorporated advertising into its most popular titles.
Trump says he’s called off impending strikes on Iran, sending stocks higher and oil plunging
President Trump on Thursday afternoon said he is calling off upcoming planned strikes on Iran. In a Truth Social post, Trump said “discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved.” Stocks broadly popped, with the S&P 500 moving from roughly flat to up 1.4% on the day, and oil plunged on the news.
Chinese EV makers sink to 52-week lows as regulators warn about price war
Several US-listed ADRs of major Chinese EV makers are trading at fresh lows, following reports of domestic sales continuing to stagnate and Chinese regulators warning the companies about their price war. XPeng, BYD, and Li Auto each hit 52-week lows on Thursday morning. According to CnEVPost, Chinese regulators summoned automakers suspected of taking part in “irrational” competition on Thursday, warning them to comply with price laws and regulations.
Lucid trading at fresh all-time low following departure of engineering and software SVP Emad Dlala
Lucid is continuing to sink to all-time lows, hitting a fresh bottom on Wednesday afternoon. The luxury EV maker is on track to close below the $5 per share mark for the first time and is down about 54% so far this year. All-time lows are nothing new for Lucid, which is down more than 99% from its early 2021 peak. Dragging the stock lower Wednesday appears to be the voluntary departure of long-tenured exec Emad Dlala, Lucid’s senior vice president of engineering and software.
Cracker Barrel soars, on pace for its best trading day ever after earnings beat
Country-themed restaurant chain Cracker Barrel is soaring on Wednesday, on pace for its best trading day ever following an earnings beat on Tuesday afternoon. The chain, known for its rocking chairs, little peg games, and various memorabilia featuring the American flag/Route 66/wagon wheels, reported Q3 sales of $797.4 million, beating Wall Street expectations of $776.7 million.
Rivian dips on R2 launch day, as shoppers point out “out of control” lease prices
Rivian is sinking on Tuesday, the launch day of its highly-anticipated R2 SUV. The EV maker’s shares are down more than 7% on Tuesday afternoon, erasing a chunk of the gains they raked in during their recent 10-day winning streak. Aside from a broad market selloff and some selling the R2 launch news, online chatter also reveals some customer disappointment with lease prices for the new model.
Paramount reportedly offers concessions to resolve multistate antitrust investigation
Paramount has reportedly offered up some concessions in an effort to prevent an antitrust lawsuit by California and about 10 other states, according to Bloomberg reporting on Monday. Reuters first reported on the potential suit from a group of unnamed states last week, which could throw a wrench in Paramount’s plans to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood megamerger.
The IATA expects a $98 billion jump in fuel costs to halve airline profits this year
The IATA released its latest financial outlook for the airline industry over the weekend, forecasting a $98 billion jump in the sector’s collective fuel bill. The world’s largest trade group representing airlines expects the oil spike to halve profits by 49% from last year to $23 billion. The group also expects profit margins to halve year over year, falling from 2025’s 4.2% to 2%. Still, revenue is expected to climb to $1.17 trillion from $1.07 trillion.
One year into the Switch 2, we might’ve seen the top of the console market
(Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) The Switch 2 launched on this day in 2025. Amid a rough year for consoles, Nintendo has logged a good one. Nintendo’s Switch 2 could be the last console of its kind. One year in, the handheld is the fastest-selling console in history, with 19.9 million units moved as of Nintendo’s most recent quarter.
GM has reportedly rehired more than 100 former Cruise employees, 18 months after shuttering the robotaxi unit
GM has rehired more than 100 employees it let go early last year when it shuttered Cruise, its former robotaxi business, according to reporting by The Information. The hiring spree, which also includes employees from Nvidia and Uber, is geared toward ramping up GM’s plans for personal-use self-driving vehicles and not robotaxis. The former had been the focus of Cruise, prior to GM shuttering it in 2024.
Rivian is on pace for its longest winning streak ever ahead of R2 deliveries next week
EV maker Rivian is climbing for the tenth-consecutive day on Wednesday, putting the company on pace for its longest winning streak ever. The stock has climbed more than 40% in the two-week stretch, as the company prepares to start customer deliveries of its highly anticipated R2 SUV on June 9. The EV will launch at nearly $60,000, with a lower-priced variant in the $45,000 range due to release late next year. Rivian has implied it expects to deliver up to 25,000 R2s this calendar year.
GameStop’s collectibles business just keeps booming, as “Pokémon” cards continue to fly
(Daniel Perron/Getty Images) Collectibles revenue grew 65% year over year in its latest quarter. “Pokémon” cards and other memorabilia like Labubus and “Magic: The Gathering” cards propelled GameStop’s collectibles business to another huge quarter.
With gas prices soaring, the humble sedan is making a comeback
Recent US sales data reveals a “sedanaissance” among major automakers like Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota. Americans appear to be rediscovering the sedan. May sales data from automakers including Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and Hyundai shows an unmissable recent surge in sales of sedans across the US, revealing some possible SUV fatigue creeping into the American market. Like commercial trucks driving 4% slower or longer lines at Costco, the trend appears to be an effect of higher gas prices.
Beta Technologies climbs after Transportation Sec. Duffy posts a “Love Island” meme about his flight in electric aircraft
Air taxi maker Beta Technologies climbed by 5% in premarket trading on Wednesday after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted a video about his recent flight in the company’s electric aircraft.
AMC, Cinemark climb on record May movie theater attendance
Shares of movie theater chains AMC and Cinemark are surging on Monday, following impressive May attendance tallies for both companies. AMC logged 25.5 million moviegoers last month, the company’s best May since 2019. Cinemark said it achieved its highest May US box office tally ever. Both companies cited the success of popular horror titles “Backrooms” and “Obsession,” which were each born out of the minds of popular TikTok creators.
Chinese EV makers’ sales mostly rebound in May, with Nio deliveries surging 62%
Several Chinese EV makers saw deliveries rebound in May, with Nio logging its best month of 2026. Nio delivered 37,705 vehicles in May, up more than 28% from April and more than 62% from the same month last year. It launched its Onvo L80 electric SUV on May 15 and its ES9 SUV last week. Its US-listed ADRs were up about 3% in premarket trading on Monday. XPeng ADRs climbed more than 4% premarket as it reported 3.7% month-over-month delivery growth from April.
The Trump administration is reportedly planning a 50% made-in-America requirement for USMCA tariff relief
Qualifying for USMCA-related lower tariffs may soon require more US-made vehicle components, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal. The Trump administration is reportedly planning to introduce a 50% US content requirement for vehicles covered by the trade pact to receive lower tariffs. The content would be measured by cost, according to the WSJ.
Best Buy surges on better-than-expected Q1 sales, earnings
Best Buy is on pace for its best trading day in more than a year in premarket trading Thursday, following Q1 earnings that beat Wall Street’s expectations. In its first quarter, the retailer reported: Adjusted earnings of $1.28 per share, compared to estimates of $1.23 per share from analysts polled by FactSet. $8.94 billion in sales, versus the $8.82 billion consensus estimate. Best Buy reaffirmed its full-year guidance and said it expects comparable sales growth of 1% in Q2.
US regulators reportedly appear likely to approve Paramount’s Warner Bros. acquisition
US antitrust regulators appear to be leaning toward approval of Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of rival Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a Semafor report. The DOJ’s apparent positive analysis of the Hollywood megamerger follows a Tuesday meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ staffers including acting antitrust chief Omeed Assefi. Per Semafor, that meeting included a significant number of questions about the would-be streaming giant’s theatrical release priorities.
Take-Two’s “GTA 6” forecast feels absurdly conservative
Take-Two issued a 2027 net bookings forecast about $1 billion below Wall Street’s estimates. The stock is falling on Friday. Take-Two Interactive pared its immediate post-earnings gains on Friday morning, dropping into the red as the market reacted to the company’s conservative net bookings guidance. Shares were down about 5% midday Friday, after having risen about 4% after-hours Thursday in the wake of its Q4 earnings release.
Imax surges on report it’s approached entertainment companies for a sale
Imax is on pace for its best trading day since 2021 following a Wall Street Journal report that it’s exploring a sale. Shares are up more than 15% in premarket trading on Friday. The premium screen company has reportedly approached entertainment companies for a deal, though talks are early and may not come to fruition. Imax has been boosted in recent years by its higher ticket prices — a K-shaped trend in movie theaters — and last year accounted for more than 5% of domestic box office sales.
Take-Two reaffirms November release for “GTA 6,” reports better-than-expected Q4 net bookings
(Chris Delmas/Getty Images) Take-Two reported its highly anticipated fourth-quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday. Gaming giant Take-Two Interactive reported its fiscal fourth-quarter results after markets closed on Thursday. Shares climbed 4% in after-hours trading. More than any specific line item, investors were focused on any and all updates about “Grand Theft Auto VI,” the long-awaited follow-up to a franchise that hasn’t seen a new entry in 13 years.
Spotify is on pace for its best trading day ever, after announcing upbeat revenue guidance and a new AI remix tool
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Spotify) Spotify announced the deal with UMG at its investor day Thursday. Spotify is on pace for its best trading day ever, as investors pour into the stock following updates from the company’s investor day. At the event, the streamer forecast annual revenue growth in the mid-teens through 2030. For perspective, analysts polled by FactSet are currently forecasting 10.6% growth for this year, 14% in 2027, and 12.7% in 2028.
Nio posts better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and forecasts strong Q2 sales
Chinese EV maker Nio posted Q1 results before markets opened on Thursday, reporting earnings that beat expectations and strong sales guidance for the second quarter. Shares of the company climbed more than 4% in premarket trading. For the first quarter, Nio reported: Adjusted earnings of $0.00 per share, compared to the $0.05 per share loss that Wall Street analysts polled by FactSet expected. $3.7 billion in revenue, compared to the $3.74 billion consensus.
Airlines and cruise stocks surge as oil prices plunge
Travel stocks are surging on Wednesday, with West Texas Intermediate crude futures down 5% as of 12 p.m. ET, largely on commodity traders’ hopes of a resolution to the US war with Iran. The decline comes despite the US Energy Information Administration reporting a record plunge in US crude inventories last week.
Nintendo climbs for third day as China ramps up its memory production
Nintendo shares are climbing on Tuesday, marking the company’s third straight session of gains — something it hasn’t done since early March. The Mario maker’s US-listed ADRs were up about 4% in Tuesday morning trading.
Spotify expands its anti-AI verified badges to podcasts
(Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images) Spotify introduced verified badges for musician profiles in late April. Audio streamer Spotify on Tuesday announced that it’s expanding its “Verified by Spotify” badges to include podcasts. According to the platform, podcasts with the verification badge have sustained listener activity, are in good standing with Spotify rules, and have “verified audience authenticity” (listenership is not driven by fraudulent bot farms).
Jury rules against Musk in lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman
Jurors in Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and OpenAI found the defendants not liable on all claims on Monday. In a unanimous verdict reached after less than two hours of deliberation, the Oakland jury found that Musk had waited too long to bring his case, exceeding the statute of limitations.
Ford’s energy rally revs up again on five-year supply deal with EDF
Ford’s energy rally — which last week saw it log its best trading day since March 2020 and add about $10 billion in market cap before paring gains on Friday — appears to be kicking off again. On Monday, the company’s energy business announced a five-year supply deal with a subsidiary of EDF. Under the deal, Ford will provide EDF power solutions North America with up to 4 gigawatt hours of battery energy storage systems (BESS) per year for five years beginning in 2028.
Netflix is staffing up an apparent AI animation studio called Inkubator
According to several public job listings, streaming giant Netflix appears to be building a GenAI animation studio called Inkubator. First reported by journalist Janko Roettgers in the LowPass newsletter, Inkubator seems to have launched in March and aims to “develop feature-quality content in a creator-led environment.” As LowPass reports, Inkubator appears focused on AI-generated shortform animation, but listings imply ambitions toward longer-form content.
Take-Two climbs on reports that “GTA 6” pre-order dates were leaked by a Best Buy email
Gaming publisher Take-Two is up about 6% in premarket trading on Thursday following reports that the pre-order date for “Grand Theft Auto 6,” its juggernaut title 13 years in the making, was accidentally leaked overnight. According to several accounts on X, an email purported to be from Best Buy to affiliates has revealed May 18 as the pre-order date. “GTA 6” is currently set to release on November 19.
Ford surges on bullish options activity, Morgan Stanley praises its battery business
Ford is on pace for its best trading day in seven months as bullish options activity propels the stock. More than 226,000 call options have changed hands as of 11:25 a.m. ET on Wednesday, roughly 4x the 20-day average for a full session.
AI is giving life to a resurrection economy
When singer-songwriter Blaze Foley was shot and killed in Austin, Texas, in 1989, he had released only two singles and one little-known studio album. Over the years and decades following his death, friends and fans would continue to champion Foley’s legacy, elevating him to the status of a cult icon — a musician’s musician — with songs like “Clay Pigeons” covered by artists including Willie Nelson, John Prine, Michael Cera, and the Avett Brothers, among others.
Nintendo brings back the $500 Switch 2 bundle before the console’s September price hike
The Switch 2 bundle has returned, about five months after it reportedly ended production. Nintendo on Tuesday announced a “Choose Your Game Bundle,” launching at select retailers beginning next month and continuing “while supplies last.” The bundle method has proven lucrative for Nintendo thus far. The company’s $500 “Mario Kart World” bundle was available at launch but ended production amid tariffs and memory prices last year.
Netflix says it’s spent more than $135 billion on films and TV over the past decade
Netflix on Tuesday announced that it has spent more than $135 billion on licensing and original film and TV over the past decade.
Air taxi maker Archer reports narrower-than-expected Q1 loss, expects operations in US cities to begin this year
Air taxi maker Archer Aviation reported its first-quarter earnings after markets closed on Monday afternoon. The company’s shares climbed over 4% in after hours trading. For its first quarter, Archer reported: An adjusted operating loss of $172.5 million, in line with Wall Street estimates of -$173 million. Archer had forecast a loss of between $160 million and $180 million for the quarter. A loss of $0.28 per share, compared to the -$0.31 per share consensus from analysts polled by FactSet.
Air taxi maker Archer reports narrower-than-expected Q1 loss, expects operations in US cities to begin this year
2 hours ago President Donald Trump heads to China this week for to meet with President Xi Jinping, and some of America's top business leaders will be tagging along. Loading audio narration... Apple CEO Tim Cook and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, will be part of the US delegation to China, according to a …
Texas sues Netflix, accusing streamer of spying on children and collecting user data without consent
The state of Texas filed a lawsuit Monday against streaming giant Netflix, alleging that the company has built a “behavioral-surveillance program of staggering scale.” The suit alleges that Netflix is “deceptively designed” to be addictive, using features like autoplay to get viewers hooked, “mining those users for data, and then converting that data into lucrative intelligence for global advertising juggernauts.” “When you watch Netflix, Netflix watches you,” the lawsuit reads.
Higher prices, lower sales: Video game giants forecast the impact of the memory crunch
(Nikos Pekiaridis/Getty Images) Video game console makers addressed the memory pricing surge this quarter. “RAMmageddon,” also known as “the RAMpocalypse,” or, more simply, the memory crunch, continues to plague the video game industry, pushing prices up and tamping down sales.
Nintendo falls, will hike Switch 2 price amid memory crunch
Gaming giant Nintendo reported the results for its fourth quarter, which ended in March, on Friday morning. Its US-traded ADR fell nearly 4% in premarket trading. Most notably, Nintendo announced it will raise the price of its Switch 2 console in the US by $50 to $499.99 in September.
Used car prices dip in April but remain at 2023 levels as gas prices surge
Used car prices ticked down in April, the first drop in 2026, according to fresh data from Cox Automotive. Cox’s Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, which tracks wholesale prices, dipped 1.6% in April from March, but remains around highs not seen since 2023 as shoppers react to surging gas prices. “Affordability remains front and center, and that’s driving some increased demand for older vehicles...
Whirlpool tumbles on Q1 earnings, says war is causing “recession-level” decline in US appliance demand
Shares of home-appliance giant Whirlpool Corp. are tumbling on Thursday following its Q1 earnings and stark warning about consumer confidence. According to Whirlpool, the war with Iran “resulted in recession-level industry decline in the US as consumer confidence collapsed in late February and March.” The company’s Q1 sales were down about 10% year over year. In April, Whirlpool issued its “largest price increase in more than a decade,” with costs for consumers rising 10%.
Hertz climbs on announcement it’s expanding its car sales to eBay
Rental car giant Hertz is up more than 4% on Tuesday morning, following an announcement that it will list more than 8,000 vehicles for sale on eBay (soon, possibly, to be Ryan Cohen’s GameStop’s eBay). Hertz, which operates dozens of physical car sales locations across the US, partnered with Amazon last year to sell its used vehicles on the Amazon Autos platform.
Joby reports narrower-than-expected Q1 loss
Air taxi maker Joby Aviation reported its first quarter earnings after the bell on Tuesday. Its shares ticked up a bit on the results. For Q1, Joby reported: An adjusted loss of $0.12 per share, compared to Wall Street’s estimate of a $0.20 loss, as compiled by FactSet. $2.5 billion in cash (and short-term investments), up from the $1.41 billion it reported at the end of 2025.
Xbox CEO overhauls leadership team with Microsoft AI execs amid sales declines
Microsoft is continuing to shake up Xbox, with gaming chief Asha Sharma (who took over the division suddenly in February) announcing an executive overhaul. According to an internal memo seen by CNBC, Sharma is bringing four leaders from her former CoreAI group into the Xbox fold, as they have “consumer and technical expertise [Xbox does] not yet have.” “Right now, it is too hard to ship impact quickly.
Frontier sinks as high fuel costs dampen record Q1 revenue, weigh on Q2 earnings guidance
Budget airline Frontier reported its first-quarter results before markets opened Tuesday. Its shares fell more than 5% in premarket trading. For Q1, Frontier reported: An adjusted loss of $0.30 per share, compared to Wall Street estimates of a loss of $0.36 per share, per analysts polled by FactSet. $1.07 billion in revenue, compared to the $1.05 billion consensus. $268 million in fuel expenses, up 13% from last year. Like the rest of the industry, Frontier has been rocked by higher fuel costs.
Paramount beats Q1 earnings estimates, maintains full-year revenue guidance
Paramount delivered its first-quarter results after the bell on Monday. Shares of the entertainment company rose about 5% in after-hours trading. For Q1, Paramount reported: Adjusted earnings of $0.23 per share, compared to Wall Street estimates of $0.15 per share from analysts polled by FactSet. Revenue of $7.35 billion, compared to a $7.28 billion estimate. 79.6 million Paramount+ subscribers, compared to the 79.9 million consensus.
Take-Two climbs on BofA note that “GTA 6” will likely come out with an $80 price tag
“Grand Theft Auto VI,” Take-Two’s hotly anticipated sixth installment in its “Grand Theft Auto” franchise, will likely release at an $80 price point, according to a new Bank of America note. After attending the Entertainment Software Association’s iicon event last month, BofA wrote, “What we heard leads us to believe GTA 6 will cost $80, rather than our previously assumed $70 per unit.” Shares of Take-Two are up about 4% on Monday, good enough for one of its biggest trading days of 2026.
Ford’s April EV sales climb from March but make up less than 2% of its total sales this year
Ford sold 22% more EVs in April than in March, but the category makes up just 1.7% of the automaker’s total 2026 sales through April. At the same point last year, EVs were about 4% of sales. The company released its April sales figures Monday morning, with EVs climbing sequentially but still down nearly 25% from last year. Its more popular hybrids were down 5% from March and about 33% from last year. Overall, Ford posted a 14.4% drop in sales in April from last year.
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