Eating places add protein, fiber for weight reduction drug customers

A mini burger, mini fries and mini beer, Clinton Hall’s “Teeny Weeny Mini Meal”, is pictured next to a regular-sized combo on Dec. 8, 2025 in New York City. Approximately one in eight American adults are currently taking drugs from the class of GLP-1 agonists that are now popular for weight loss, according to a November poll by the non-profit health policy tracker KFF. Some in the restaurant industry are taking note.

Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images

The cost of GLP-1 drugs is falling, and pill versions are hitting the U.S. market. For restaurant chains and snacking giants, higher adoption of weight loss and diabetes treatments poses a threat to their sales — or an opportunity.

GLP-1 drugs slow digestion, suppress users’ appetites and increase satiety. For many restaurants and packaged food manufacturers, those reactions will likely mean weaker sales. Adults who use GLP-1s consume 21% fewer calories and spend nearly a third less on grocery bills on average, according to KPMG. JPMorgan estimates the growing use of the medications could wipe out $30 billion to $55 billion in annual sales for the food and beverage industry as soon as 2030.

About one in every eight U.S. adults is currently taking a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic or Zepbound, according to the KFF Health Tracking Poll conducted from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2. That number doesn’t include consumers who have discontinued their use of the drugs; 18% of respondents said that they have taken a GLP-1 medication at some point.

Those numbers are expected to keep climbing, especially after Novo Nordisk launched its Wegovy pill in January and Eli Lilly prepares to roll out its own oral drug this year. By 2030, more than 30 million Americans could be on a GLP-1 treatment, up from 10 million in 2026, based on J.P. Morgan estimates.

Michael Siluk | UCG | Universal Images Group | Getty Images

But the shift also presents an opportunity for restaurants and food and beverage companies.

With new protein- and fiber-rich options, many businesses are hoping to win over GLP-1 consumers and mollify investors’ concerns about how the treatments will affect their bottom lines.

“Whether it is labeling as GLP-1 friendly, decreasing the serving size, emphasizing protein content, or even when you shift over to the beverage world, because hydration is certainly a concern, there are a number of players that are starting to react to this,” said Don K. Johnson, principal of strategy and execution for EY-Parthenon.

Skipping snacks and breakfast

About half of GLP-1 users report consuming fewer calories while taking the medications, according to UBS Evidence Lab. But the effects aren’t even across the industry, and “certain categories are more impacted than others,” Johnson said.

Snacking, once one of the fastest-growing grocery segments, has taken the biggest hit. About 70% of GLP-1 users who report consuming fewer calories said that they are snacking less, according to a survey conducted by EY-Parthenon last spring.

“I think it is about the specific type of snack, but I do think they’re also snacking less … Having said that, we do see that there is a shift to healthier foods, and that certainly will include healthier snacking,” Johnson said.

Think more yogurt, nuts or fruit, and fewer chips or pretzels.

Since GLP-1 drugs lead patients to lower their caloric intake, every calorie consumed means more. Protein intake is more important to prevent muscle loss. So, too, is fiber to support gut health and digestion. And staying hydrated helps mitigate some of the drugs’ side effects, like nausea and headaches.

The effects of eating less extend to restaurants. About 60% of those respondents to the EY-Parthenon survey said that they are dining out less frequently.

The shift could also hit full-service restaurants where diners order a drink with their meals. Roughly 45% of survey respondents who are eating and drinking less said that they are drinking less alcohol.

Surveys conducted by Bernstein indicate that the frequency of restaurant visits among GLP-1 users can fall by as much as 45%, depending on the category of food and the nature of the occasion, analyst Danilo Gargiulo of Bernstein wrote in a research note published on Tuesday.

The pullback in restaurant visits isn’t spread evenly across times of day, according to Dana Baggett, executive director of restaurant client strategy at RRD, which works with more than 200 restaurant brands.

Lunch, so far, hasn’t been impacted, she said. But breakfast has taken a hit, particularly from high-income GLP-1 users, who represent a bigger percentage of current patients, she said. In practice, that means fewer sugary coffee drinks and doughnuts, although options like Starbucks‘ protein cold foam could encourage those consumers to return.

A commercial for GLP-1 drugs during the Super Bowl LX broadcast on television screens at a bar in Los Angeles, California, US, on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.

Jill Connelly | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Dinner, especially at fast-food restaurants, has taken the brunt of the damage so far.

Dinner traffic has fallen 6% among consumers who have been taking the medication regularly, according to Baggett; in other words, overall restaurant sales during dinner hours have declined about 0.4% due to GLP-1 use, she said. But as the number of consumers who use the drug consistently grows, so too will the pressure on restaurant traffic.

And snacking isn’t confined to grocery store aisles. For limited-service restaurants, like McDonald’s or Taco Bell, snacking accounts for 12% of spending, according to Bank of America Global Research.

Even so, threats to those large restaurants chains may only be gradual, which gives them time to adapt.

“I think there shouldn’t be this panic out there in the marketplace, but this is a trend that’s not going away,” Baggett said. “This is an amazing opportunity for brands to start repositioning themselves and focusing on what consumers want: less sugar, higher protein and that focus on fiber.”

How Big Food is evolving

If recent earnings conference calls are any example, restaurant and food executives also think that it isn’t time to panic just yet. For some companies, the trend offers a chance to reach new customers through healthier options.

“I think there are more opportunities than threats, but there are both,” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta told Wall Street analysts on the company’s earnings conference call in early February.

In recent months, Pepsi has released protein-packed Doritos, relaunched Gatorade and unveiled fiber-rich varieties of SunChips and Smartfood popcorn. Those moves are part of the company’s broader strategy to modernize its portfolio and boost sales by appealing to health-conscious consumers, but they also align with Laguarta’s assumption that GLP-1 medications will be adopted more broadly.

Domino’s Pizza CEO Russell Weiner sounded unshaken when he told analysts last month that the pizza chain hasn’t seen GLP-1 drugs affect its sales yet.

“Dinner, for us, is a sharing occasion, so perhaps that’s why we’re not seeing any impact, but we’re going to continue to watch it,” he said. “But if there needs to be menu innovation around that, we will do that.”

RRD’s Baggett told CNBC that she thinks portions and snack sizing will be key for restaurants to attract consumers who are on GLP-1 treatments.

When asked about the drugs on McDonald’s earnings conference call last month, CEO Chris Kempczinski touted the burger chain’s existing protein options. But he added that the preferences of GLP-1 users are also being considered as the chain creates new menu items.

“We’re also seeing changes around maybe less snacking, changes in some of the beverages that they drink, less sugary drinks, and so all of those things are factoring into some of what we’re out there experimenting with and testing with,” he said.

Other restaurant chains have already launched options that appeal to diners on GLP-1 drugs, even if the medications weren’t the key impetus. For example, Chipotle launched grab-and-go protein cups in December, aiming to cash in on the protein and snacking crazes as its restaurant sales struggled.

And Olive Garden, owned by Darden Restaurants, released a Lighter Portions menu last year, downsizing a handful of its classic entrees at a lower price. Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said that the chain introduced the new menu to give all of its customers more options.

“It just so happens to benefit the consumers that might want smaller portions that are on GLP-1 medications, and we have a lot of options like that in all of our menus,” Cardenas said on the company’s earnings conference call in December.

Marketing to GLP-1 users

Other companies have explicitly appealed to GLP-1 users, particularly when it comes to innovation.

In 2024, Nestle led the pack when it launched Virtual Pursuit, a frozen-food brand targeting GLP-1 users. While the packaging initially didn’t call out that it was “GLP-1 friendly,” the food company updated it later to include it prominently, boosting sales.

“It’s a big initiative for Nestle,” Nestle USA CEO Marty Thompson told CNBC at a media event earlier in March. “There will be those things that are designed for GLP-1, and there will be those things that will be sort of a companion to GLP-1, clearly calling out protein and fiber, but not necessarily designed portion-size wise or whatever for GLP-1.”

Nestle’s focus will extend beyond food, too. Thompson said that the company plans to expand into beverages and listed protein shakes as one potential way to appeal to GLP-1 customers.

Even food companies without much exposure to GLP-1 users are broadening their portfolios to reach them.

Close-up view of Dippin’ Dots ice cream cup in a person’s hand, Santa Cruz, California, June 22, 2024.

Smith Collection | Gado | Archive Photos | Getty Images

For example, Dippin’ Dots and Icee owner J&J Snack Foods makes most of its sales in stadiums, theme parks and malls. Because of its “experiential” focus, CEO Dan Fachner told CNBC that he thinks that J&J is more insulated from the effect of GLP-1 drugs compared with its snacking peers.

“I still think that in most cases, even people on GLP-1 drugs will still use those occasions for snacking,” he said.

Even still, more than a year ago, Fachner presented employees with a challenge for the company’s grocery business, which accounts for 13.5% of annual sales.

“Take the core products — pretzels and churros and Icees and Dippin’ Dots and frozen novelties — tell me how we can make them more GLP-1 friendly as it continues to grow,” he said.

This year, J&J has a number of new products hitting the freezer aisle. Protein has been added to its soft pretzels, now available in a smaller portion size. And Luigi’s Italian Ice, traditionally sold in a cup, will come in a “mini pop size,” with a formula that includes more antioxidants or helps hydration, according to Fachner. If the new products succeed in grocery stores, then J&J plans to take them to the company’s food service customers, as well.

J&J’s new products also have the benefit of appealing to a wider audience than just consumers who are on GLP-1 medication. For example, Fachner expects the new Luigi’s mini pops will appeal to health-conscious moms as a snack for their kids.

Uptake could change strategies

For restaurants and food suppliers, current data on the eating and drinking habits of GLP-1 users are informing their efforts to appeal to those consumers. But that behavior can still fluctuate.

About 5% of users lapse in taking the medications, due to cost, side effects or hitting their weight goal. After quitting, they tend to maintain the same eating habits for a couple of months before eventually returning to a higher caloric intake.

“I think that we don’t spend enough time talking about the fact that there may be sort of a cycle of behaviors — people going on and off of the drugs — that will have sort of an interesting impact on manufacturers of food because there’s no ‘before’ and ‘after,'” EY’s Johnson said. “It’s a process.”

And a whole new group of consumers could soon be taking daily pill versions of GLP-1 medications. It’s too soon to tell if oral GLP-1 drugs will result in more consistent usage or higher quit rates and to know who exactly is trying the pill version over the injectable.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but my guess is from our survey that the folks using the oral version of the drug will be a new set of people, because one of the barriers to trial was — as can be expected — a lot of people don’t like to take shots of injections,” Johnson said.

There is one prediction that is widely accepted: the pill version will mean much higher adoption of GLP-1 drugs.

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Amanda Peet shares her breast most cancers analysis

After returning to Los Angeles, the Her Friends and Neighbors star shared children Frances19, Molly15, and Heinrich11, with husband David Benioff— learned that her illness was fortunately “hormone receptor positive” and “HER2 negative,” which for a brief moment made her feel “happier than I had been before the diagnosis.” Her MRI later revealed a second mass in the same breast, which ultimately proved to be benign and did not require chemotherapy or a double mastectomy.

Amanda concluded her essay by describing her bittersweet farewell to her mother – who was battling Parkinson’s disease – and comforted her in her final moments.

“The morphine took forever to kick in and she was looking at the ceiling and whimpering, so I climbed onto her rented hospital bed to get into her line of sight,” Amanda remembers. “We looked into each other’s eyes and she calmed down, and then she and I continued to stare at each other for what felt like several minutes.”

As Trump seems at Cuba, I bear in mind how various things was

Cuba suffered a widespread power outage on March 16, 2026, according to the national electric company, amid a serious crisis on the island caused by the US energy blockade.

Yamil location | Afp | Getty Images

The White House has cut off Cuba’s oil supplies and threatened a “friendly takeover” of the communist-ruled island amid military operations in Venezuela and Iran.

US President Donald Trump hinted that the country was his next target, saying: “Whether I liberate it or take it, I think I can do whatever I want with it. They are a very weakened nation at the moment.” The lack of oil is bringing Cuba’s economy to the brink of collapse. But I’m reminded of the time not long ago when it briefly looked as if the two nations were normalizing their relations after decades of hostility.

I first landed in Havana in March 2012 to report on the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. to report. The airport was small. I had to repeatedly explain to the immigration officers that we were there as journalists, that we had permission and that everything had been arranged in advance. I was grateful that my team spoke Spanish to assist with the process.

Parts of the city seemed strangely familiar to me from the pictures I’d seen of faded pastel buildings and old American cars, somehow still in patched together pieces.

Cuba and the United States have been geopolitical enemies for more than 50 years. Cuba became communist when the 1959 revolution brought Fidel Castro to power and the island nation just 90 miles from Florida cemented its ties with the Soviet Union. In response to a growing U.S. embargo, the Cuban government confiscated U.S. property and American-owned businesses. In response, President John F. Kennedy imposed a complete embargo in 1962. Supplies of food, fuel and consumer goods quickly became scarce.

But once I was there, I felt something start to change.

CNBC’s Justin Solomon, field producer in Cuba, with correspondent Michelle Caruso-Cabrera

CNBC

Between 2012 and 2016, I traveled 10 times and produced on-site for CNBC with international correspondent Michelle Caruso-Cabrera. Almost every visit seemed to be accompanied by something significant – moments that felt like they could mark a turning point. But at the end, that momentum suddenly felt unsteady.

On my first visit, Havana tried to appear ready for a pope. Parts of the Malecón were covered in fresh paint that was still drying in places along the route the pope was expected to take. In a country marked by communism for decades, his presence felt like more than a religious event. It felt like a subtle but unmistakable signal that Cuba might be opening up.

After that things progressed quickly.

Less than a year later, the government invited a small group of journalists, including us, to take a close look at the so-called “reforms.” We spoke to the governor of the central bank and to small business owners who are trying to navigate a system that is changing, but not all at once.

We left the official itinerary and headed to Hershey, Cuba, a town founded by Milton Hershey in the early 1900s to secure sugar for his chocolate business. It was one of several reminders of Cuba’s American past before its revolution. A former Coca-Cola factory was converted by the state. A Western Union building housed the country’s telecommunications company. A Woolworth store became a local discount store.

In July 2015, President Barack Obama announced the restoration of diplomatic relations. We quickly left New York, drove to Miami and then boarded a charter flight to Havana. There was real excitement on site. But it wasn’t unguarded. People were hopeful but cautious.

A month later, the US Embassy reopened for the first time in more than 50 years. I watched the flag being raised from the balcony of a dilapidated apartment building across the street. For younger Cubans in particular, it felt like a turning point: more opportunity, more access, more choice seemed within reach.

Obama’s visit the following March only reinforced that feeling. Travel restrictions on Americans were eased and limited trade began to resume. The embargo still applied, as enshrined in U.S. law, but was slightly relaxed.

US President Barack Obama (l.) and Cuban President Raul Castro meet at the Revolutionary Palace in Havana on March 21, 2016. US President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro met at the Revolutionary Palace in Havana on Monday for groundbreaking talks aimed at ending the standoff between the two neighbors. AFP PHOTO/ NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP / NICHOLAS KAMM (Image credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)

Nicholas Comb | Afp | Getty Images

This week there was a Rolling Stones concert and a Major League Baseball game, the first on the island in years.

Even then there was reluctance. The Cubans had learned not to outdo themselves. For many, optimism came with the reminder of how quickly it could fade. After all, not everyone believed that the United States should resume relations with the country. Many argued that normalizing relations would reward the communist government without forcing meaningful reforms.

Still, things changed. In 2016, Carnival Cruise Line docked in Havana under the Fathom brand, becoming the first U.S. cruise ship to visit the island since 1978. In November, JetBlue began offering direct flights from New York. For a while it felt like the barriers were falling in real time.

It was never easy reporting there. Approvals could fail without warning. Telephones rarely worked. WiFi was difficult to find. Restaurants handed out long menus, but when you asked, you were often told it was just rice and beans. I walked past buildings with elegant facades only to enter to find them hollowed out and crumbling, little more than dust and rubble.

And yet on every trip you could see small signs that change was continuing. Family-run restaurants began to open in people’s homes. Airbnb listings began to proliferate. It wasn’t dramatic, but it was there.

My last trip was in November 2016, shortly after Fidel Castro’s death, to cover his funeral. He had ceded power to his brother Raoul years earlier, but the death of the man who symbolized the revolution was a big moment.

This time it was quiet in Havana.

Thousands of Cubans lined the streets of Havana to say goodbye to Fidel Castro as a caravan carrying his ashes began a four-day journey across the country to the eastern city of Santiago. Fidel Castro, the former Prime Minister and President of Cuba, died late in the evening of November 25, 2016 at the age of 90. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Photo only | Photo only | Getty Images

The music stopped. The alcohol disappeared. The city entered a formal period of mourning. People stood in long lines to sign books of condolence.

From the outside it looked like a clear ending. Things didn’t feel so easy in Cuba.

As I stood there, it was hard not to feel the energy of the past few years waning. The same questions kept coming. What happens now? What will happen to the reforms? About the relationship with the United States?

When I left for the last time, I felt like I had experienced something rare, a brief period of time in which history seemed to accelerate, in which long-standing patterns loosened, if only slightly, and the future seemed open for a moment.

In subsequent years, this dynamic has largely slowed and, in some cases, even reversed. The US withdrew its embassy staff, new travel restrictions were introduced in November 2017 and the influx of American visitors decreased. The opening that once seemed within reach has given way to more familiar tensions that flare as if the changes I saw never happened.

The story doesn’t always start with a clear beginning or end. In Cuba there is a tendency to refocus on oneself.

What comes next between these two neighbors is still unwritten.

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The UK authorities’s borrowing prices reached their highest degree since 2008

Lights shine on skyscrapers and commercial buildings across the skyline of the City of London, UK, on ​​Tuesday November 18, 2025. British business chiefs urged Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves to cut energy costs and avoid increasing the tax burden on British businesses as she prepares this year’s budget.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The British government’s borrowing costs rose to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis on Friday, with the benchmark 10-year Treasury rate breaching 5%, as investors struggled to price in rising inflation risks and a growing likelihood of interest rate hikes later this year.

British government bonds – so-called gilts – have been sharply revalued as the Iran war escalates. Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields have risen about 68 basis points in the 15 trading days since the conflict began, while 2-year Treasury yields have risen about 97 basis points.

Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions.

On Friday, the UK yield was increased 10-year government bonds rose around 15 basis points to 5.00%, the highest since the 2008 financial crisis.

Now it continues 2 year old gilts rose 19 basis points to around 4.602%, marking its highest level in more than a year.

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British 2 year insurance

The U.K. bond market has been particularly vulnerable to fears of renewed inflation as the war between the U.S. and Iran drags on, partly because of its reliance on imported energy. The war and the subsequent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – a key oil shipping route – have caused oil and gas prices to rise.

Even before the outbreak of war, the United Kingdom had the highest long-term government borrowing costs of all G7 countries 20- And 30 year old gilts Trading is well above the crucial 5% threshold. Yields on these bonds rose about 9 and 7 basis points, respectively, on Friday.

Nigel Green, CEO of financial advisory firm deVere Group, told CNBC that markets were quickly scaling back their expectations of interest rate cuts by the Bank of England.

On Thursday, the central bank’s monetary policy committee said it had voted “unanimously” to keep the key interest rate unchanged and said inflation would be higher in the near term “due to the new shock to the economy.”

Before the war began, the BOE was expected to lower the key interest rate. Currently, markets are pricing in a near 0% chance of a bank rate cut this year, with the vast majority of traders expecting a rate hike next month, LSEG data shows. In addition, markets are largely pricing in a key interest rate of at least 4.25% by the end of the year, which suggests at least two rate hikes.

“The trigger is energy, as oil and gas shocks directly impact inflation expectations and Treasury bonds react exactly as one would expect in this scenario,” deVere’s Green told CNBC by email. “This is not a disorderly sell-off – it is an understandable reassessment of risk.”

This is not a disorderly sell-off, but rather an understandable reassessment of risk.

Nigel Green

CEO, deVere Group

According to Green, there was “also a political layer” to the moves in gilt markets.

“Treasury Minister Rachel Reeves has built her fiscal framework around stability and credibility, but higher yields quickly lead to higher borrowing costs,” he said. “This of course limits their scope for action at precisely the moment when the pressure for additional support for energy and households increases.”

The bond market has largely supported Reeves’ commitment to her so-called “fiscal rules” during her tenure as finance minister, with speculation that she could be ousted from office last year sparking a sell-off in British government bonds.

Official figures showed the British government borrowed more than expected to the tune of 14.3 billion pounds ($1.74 billion) in February, adding to selling pressure on Friday.

Reeves has committed to bringing daily government spending to a level where it can be financed through tax revenue rather than borrowing. Its rules also state that national debt must fall in relation to economic output by 2029/30.

“From an investment perspective, higher yields are starting to restore value in parts of the curve,” Green added. “But volatility will remain high as energy markets determine the inflation outlook.”

George Godber, fund manager of the Polar Capital UK Value Opportunities Fund, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Thursday that his team was avoiding any knee-jerk reaction to the deluge of news surrounding the conflict.

“The duration of these impacts is completely unknown…In these times, history shows that it is best to remain calm,” he said. “What we have done is very little.”

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Uber and Rivian announce $1.25 billion deal for 50,000 robotaxis

The Rivian R2 is on display during the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center on November 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Josh Lefkowitz | Getty Images

Uber technologies plans to invest up to $1.25 billion in the electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive The companies announced Thursday as part of an agreement to deploy up to 50,000 robotaxis in multiple countries by 2031.

According to a statement from the companies, the collaboration includes the expectation that Uber or its fleet partners will purchase 10,000 autonomous versions of Rivian’s upcoming R2 electric vehicle, with the option to purchase up to 40,000 more robotaxis starting in 2030.

Shares of Rivian jumped in premarket trading on Thursday, rising about 10% before erasing those gains to close the day up 3%, while shares of Uber fell 1%.

The deal is the latest in a resurgence of autonomous vehicle and robotaxis announcements as companies look to capitalize on the multi-trillion-dollar market predicted by investors. Many companies, including Uber, have so far missed their goals for robotaxis.

An initial $300 million investment from Uber to Rivian, which is preparing to begin R2 sales to consumers this spring, is expected soon after the deal is signed, subject to regulatory approval, according to the press release. This investment represents approximately 19.55 million shares of the automaker’s stock, a Rivian spokesperson confirmed.

Four additional tranches of investment will occur by an unspecified date through 2031, subject to the achievement of certain milestones, the automaker said in a public filing Thursday. Uber will also pay certain royalties related to its use of Rivian’s autonomous driving system software, the filing said.

The companies said the R2 robotaxis are expected to be available exclusively through Uber’s ride-sharing and delivery platform in 25 cities across the U.S., Canada and Europe. San Francisco and Miami are planned to be the first cities in 2028, it said.

“We strongly believe in Rivian’s approach – co-designing the vehicle, computing platform and software stack while maintaining full control of production and delivery in the U.S.,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in the press release. “This vertical integration, combined with data from the growing personal vehicle base and experience in managing the complexities of commercial fleets, gives us the confidence to set these ambitious but achievable goals.”

The deal is the latest capital investment for Rivian following a $5.8 billion software deal with a German automaker Volkswagen announced in late 2024. This also marks an expansion of Uber’s robotaxis plans following recent announcements with the electric vehicle maker Clear, Amazon’s Zoox, Chrysler mother Stellar and technology giant Nvidia.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has recently started talking about the company’s robotaxis ambitions, including at the electric vehicle maker’s third-quarter earnings call in November and at its first-ever “Autonomy and AI Day” in December.

Scaringe said Rivian’s upcoming R2 and the technologies supporting it would allow the company to pursue robotaxis, which are currently dominated in the U.S. by Alphabet-backed Waymo.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe speaks at the company’s first Autonomy and AI Day in Palo Alto, California, United States, on December 11, 2025, where he presents developments in self-driving technology.

Carlos Barria | Reuters

Scaringe and other executives said the emergence of new technologies, including artificial intelligence and more powerful semiconductor chips, will allow companies to finally succeed with robotaxis.

“The extent of Rivian’s growing data flywheel coupled with RAP1 [Rivian Autonomy Processor]”, our state-of-the-art internal inference platform and our multimodal perception platform, we are incredibly excited about Rivian’s rapid evolution of autonomy over the next few years,” Scaringe said in Thursday’s press release.

—CNBC’s Lora Kolodny contributed to this report.

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Eli Lilly shares slide after bearish analyst name – this is our take

In a disastrous press convention, Trump exhibits how he misplaced the Iran warfare

The White House described Trump’s press conference with Vice President JD Vance as evidence that the entire administration is on the same page about the Iran war.

Reports circulated that Vance was not enthusiastic about the war and was described as skeptical about the operation.

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Vance backed up his support for the war by claiming that all other presidents are stupid, but Trump is smart, so he’s staying with Trump in this war.

The reality is that Vance needs Trump because he wants to sit in the big chair in the Oval Office one day, and he can’t get the Republican nomination without continuing to be Trump’s lackey.

The press conference wasn’t about JD Vance, it was about Donald Trump.

In some very unintentionally revealing answers, Trump demonstrated the mindset that led to failure in Iran.

Please watch my video below about how Trump’s Iran War failed:

Trump demanded gratitude to America’s allies for trying to drag them into a war they didn’t ask for:

I don’t expect to thank you, but they should thank us. Japan gets 95%, China 91%. Many of the countries, South Korea, get a huge percentage of their oil and energy from the Strait, the Strait, or as they call it, the Strait, and they should not only thank us, they should help us. What surprises me is that they are unwilling to help. But there are some countries that have disappointed me very much, and I am the one who made them pay 2 to 5% of GDP to NATO. And I get along well with these countries in NATO.

But I’ve always said the problem with NATO is that we will always be there for them, but they will never be there for us.

That’s problem No. 1. Trump has never tried to build a coalition to support action against Iran. He simply assumed that America’s allies would go along.

They don’t have that.

Oscars 2026 after-parties: celeb photographs, style

The 2026 Oscars may be over, but film’s biggest night continues.

After One Battle After Another won Best Film Conan O’BrienAt the ceremony held on March 15, the star-studded crowd at the Dolby Theater dispersed to attend the many parties taking place throughout Los Angeles. (See all the celebrities on the Oscars red carpet here and a full list of winners here.)

In addition to the famous Vanity Fair afterparty, winners, nominees, presenters and even some celebrities who weren’t at the Oscars flocked to late-night parties Elton John, Madonna And Jay Z And Beyonce to celebrate the occasion.

Of course, there was also the legendary Governor’s Ball, the Academy’s official after-party, where newly crowned Oscar winners traditionally have their statuettes engraved. As Michael B Jordan, Jessie Buckley And Amy Madigan waited for their trophies, other guests enjoyed the celebrity chef’s culinary creations Wolfgang Puck and his son Byron Puckand drinks from Don Julio Tequila.

Hegseth dismisses issues concerning the Strait of Hormuz in gentle of the Iran battle

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth brushed aside concerns Friday that the actual closure of the Strait of Hormuz would continue to be a problem for the U.S. and the world for much longer because of the Iran war, which has driven up oil prices.

Iran “exercised pure desperation in the Strait of Hormuz,” Hegseth said at a press conference at the Pentagon.

“We’ve dealt with it and we don’t need to worry about it,” he said.

The Price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil On Friday morning, oil prices were around $93 a barrel. A day before the war began, on February 28, a barrel of WTI was sold for about $67.

Hegseth criticized media reports that the U.S. military had no plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil shipping chokepoint, before the attack on Iran.

Gas prices are rising as the Iran war revives fears of Iraq-era oil spikes

“Of course, Iran has been threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz for decades. They always do that by holding the strait hostage,” he said.

“We planned it. We recognize it,” Hegseth told a reporter who asked him why the Pentagon had not planned to close the strait to traffic.

“Ultimately, we want to do it in the order that makes the most sense for what we want to achieve,” he said, without mentioning specific plans.

Neither Hegseth nor Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine said how the U.S. would open the strait to traffic from oil tankers and other ships. Uncertainty over oil shipments from the region has shaken markets and led to supply problems, particularly in Asia.

Read more US-Iran war news

On Thursday morning, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC that the U.S. Navy was not prepared to escort oil tankers through the strait. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Sky News hours later that the US Navy and possibly an international coalition would begin escorting ships through the strait as soon as it was “militarily possible.”

Asked how soon the Strait of Hormuz would be opened to traffic, Hegseth said Friday: “The only thing that prohibits transit in the strait right now is Iran shooting at ships.”

“We have a plan for every option here,” he said. “We are working with our interagency partners. We will not allow the situation to remain contentious, nor is this a lack of international flow of goods.”

When asked about removing mines planted by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, Caine said: “We have a number of options to address a whole range of problems.”

Hegseth again predicted that “soon, very soon, all Iranian defense companies will be destroyed.” He said that for two days, every company that produces components for Iranian ballistic missiles has been “functionally defeated.”

The defense minister speculated that Iran’s “new so-called not-so-supreme leader,” Mojtaba Khamenei, was “wounded and probably disfigured,” noting that Khamenei began posting messages on X on Thursday that contained only text and no video or voice.

Hegseth and Caine’s vagueness in offering either details of a possible solution to the strait closure or a timeline for such a solution was expressed when RBC Capital Markets said in a note on Friday: “There is significant skepticism that a robust U.S. Navy tanker escort service will be operational soon.”

RBC said the skepticism was “due to capacity constraints as well as the fact that Iran’s expanded military capabilities will pose a greater challenge than the US faced during the tanker wars of the 1980s.”

The statement also states that a U.S.-based International Development Finance Corp. The proposed $20 billion insurance program to encourage oil tankers and other commercial vessels to begin transiting the Strait “is also generating little enthusiasm because it only covers the approximately 22 miles of sea lanes in the Strait, not the surrounding waterways, and does not provide accident or environmental insurance.”

“We are particularly impressed by the fact that a number of Washington-based security analysts appear to be working on longer schedules than market participants outside the Beltway,” wrote Helima Croft, RBC head of global commodity strategy and research in the Middle East and North Africa.

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Die Zölle der US-Bundesstaaten steigen, da Trump während der Halbzeitwahlen mit einem Kampf um die Erschwinglichkeit konfrontiert ist

Eine neue Analyse der US-Volkszählungsdaten zeigt, dass Bundesstaaten in den USA, in denen in diesem Jahr wichtige Zwischenwahlen stattfinden, im Zeitraum seit Beginn der Einführung weitreichender Handelszölle durch Präsident Donald Trump im März 2025 bis zum letzten November Zölle in Höhe von über 134 Milliarden US-Dollar gezahlt haben. Insgesamt zeigten die von Trade Partnership Worldwide zusammengestellten US-Volkszählungsdaten, dass Staaten in diesem Zeitraum Zölle in Höhe von insgesamt 199 Milliarden US-Dollar zahlten.

Trump hat die Erschwinglichkeit als „demokratischen Schwindel“ bezeichnet, und in einer jüngsten Aussage vor dem Kongress sagte Finanzminister Scott Bessent, dass die Zölle „keine Inflation verursachen“.

Die von der Bundesregierung eingenommenen Zolleinnahmen sind sprunghaft angestiegen, wobei die USA im Januar Zölle in Höhe von 30 Milliarden US-Dollar einführten, seit Jahresbeginn sind es 124 Milliarden US-Dollar, 304 % mehr als im gleichen Zeitraum im Jahr 2025.

Es wird jedoch erwartet, dass Trumps Zölle und die Erschwinglichkeit Faktoren im bevorstehenden Zwischenwahlzyklus sein werden. Jüngste CNBC-Umfragedaten zu amerikanischen Verbraucher- und Preisdaten zeigen, dass die Probleme mit der Erschwinglichkeit real sind und viele Wähler die Wirtschaft verärgert haben. Eine im Januar von der New York Times und der Universität Siena durchgeführte Umfrage ergab, dass 54 % der Wähler die Zölle von Trump ablehnen. Einige Mitglieder der GOP beginnen mit ihren Führern in der Zollfrage zu brechen und stimmten am Dienstag gemeinsam mit den Demokraten für die Ablehnung einer Regel, die es dem Repräsentantenhaus verboten hätte, die von Trump erlassenen Zölle anzufechten. Es wird erwartet, dass das Repräsentantenhaus am Mittwoch über eine Maßnahme zur Aufhebung von Trumps Zöllen auf Kanada abstimmen wird, die vom Abgeordneten Gregory Meeks, DN.Y., eingeführt wurde.

„Amerikaner, die mit der Erschwinglichkeit zu kämpfen haben, machen zu Recht die Zölle für höhere Preise bei vielen alltäglichen Einkäufen verantwortlich“, sagte Dan Anthony, Geschäftsführer der Kleinunternehmenskoalition „We Pay the Tariffs“ und Präsident von Trade Partnership Worldwide. „Der Präsident könnte in den Staaten, die über die Wahlen 2026 entscheiden, Dutzende Milliarden Steuern abschaffen. Er will das einfach nicht“, sagte Anthony.

Top-Staaten und Tarifrechnungen

  • Kalifornien: 38 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • Texas: 21 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • Michigan: 13 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • Georgien: 12 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • Illinois: 9,6 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • Ohio: 6,5 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • Pennsylvania: 6,3 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • North Carolina: 5 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • South Carolina: 5,2 Milliarden US-Dollar
  • Kentucky: 4 Milliarden Dollar

In diesem Jahr stehen alle 435 Bezirke des US-Repräsentantenhauses und 33 Sitze im US-Senat zur Wahl. Die Republikaner verfügen in beiden Kammern des Kongresses über knappe Mehrheiten. Die Demokraten müssen vier Sitze gewinnen, um eine Mehrheit im Senat zu gewinnen. Um die Kontrolle über das Repräsentantenhaus zu behalten, kann es sich die Republikanische Partei nicht leisten, mehr als zwei Sitze zu verlieren.

Die Vorwahlsaison der Zwischenwahlen beginnt am 3. März, wenn die Wähler in Arkansas, North Carolina und Texas zur Wahl gehen.

Kleine Unternehmen in ganz Amerika sind von den Zöllen hart betroffen

Kleinunternehmer in allen US-Bundesstaaten äußern sich zu den Auswirkungen der Zölle auf ihre Unternehmen, einige davon im Rahmen einer neuen YouTube-Videokampagne mit dem Titel „Small Businesses Against Tariffs“, die am Mittwoch gestartet wurde, um das Bewusstsein zu schärfen.

Viele kleine Unternehmen versuchen, der Rhetorik entgegenzuwirken, dass Zölle von anderen Unternehmen und nicht von der Main Street gezahlt würden, und argumentieren mit der Idee, dass Zölle an die Amerikaner zurückgezahlt werden, indem sie darlegen, wie die Zölle tatsächlich funktionieren und wer den Preis zahlt – ihrer Ansicht nach amerikanische Kleinunternehmen, Arbeitnehmer und Verbraucher.

Chris Gibbs, ein Landwirt aus Shelby County, Ohio, der Mais, Sojabohnen, Weizen, Luzerneheu und einen Betrieb mit 90 Kühen und Kälbern anbaut, sagte, die Zölle hätten ihn gleich doppelt getroffen. „Meine Betriebskosten steigen rasant“, sagte Gibbs. „Zölle auf Stahl, Aluminium und Schnittholz erhöhten die Kosten für alles, was ich tue. Vom Bau von Gebäuden und Scheunen über den Kauf von Maschinen, Anhängern, Rädern und Teilen bis hin zu meinem Dünger“, sagte er.

Ein Mähdrescher schneidet, drischt und reinigt Sojabohnen während einer Ernte in Waynesfield, Ohio.

Matthew Hatcher | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Gibbs sagte, der Handelskrieg habe auch seine Fähigkeit, seine Ernte zu verkaufen, beeinträchtigt.

„Im Jahr 2018 zerstörte dieser Präsident die Handelsbeziehungen, und in diesem Moment wurden wir, genau wie Carter im Jahr 1980 mit dem russischen Embargo, zu einem unzuverlässigen Lieferanten. Hier sind wir, und wir haben uns nicht erholt“, sagte Gibbs. „Brasilien ist jetzt der Hauptlieferant von Sojabohnen für China. Trump drängte Präsident Xi in die Arme Brasiliens und sie gingen nie weg.“

Versprochene Agrarkäufe waren ein wichtiger Teil des ersten Handelskrieges zwischen den USA und China. China ist seinen Verpflichtungen bei Agrarkäufen nicht nachgekommen. Im Jahr 2025 versprach China eine Steigerung der Bestellungen, doch Handelsdaten zeigen, dass es keinen nennenswerten Anstieg gegeben hat.

Noel Hacegaba, CEO des Hafens von Long Beach, sagte gegenüber CNBC, dass die Sojaexporte nach China im Jahresvergleich um 95 % zurückgegangen seien.

„China verbraucht mittlerweile den Großteil seiner Sojabohnen aus Ländern wie Brasilien“, sagte Hacegaba. „Die Vereinigten Staaten produzieren etwa 20 Prozent der weltweiten Sojabohnen. Brasilien liegt jetzt bei 40 Prozent, größtenteils weil China seine Einkäufe nach Brasilien verlagert. Als wichtiges Exporttor tun wir alles, was wir können, um unseren Exporteuren zu helfen, ihre Produkte effizienter zu transportieren, aber wir brauchen Gewissheit und Klarheit in der Handelspolitik, um sicherzustellen, dass dieses Produkt transportiert werden kann“, sagte er.

Gibbs sagte, die Zollhilfen, die Trump den Landwirten versprochen habe, seien ein Schlag ins Gesicht für alle Landwirte und Amerikaner. „Wenn diese Schecks jemals kommen, dann ist das das Geld, das ich für die Zölle ausgegeben habe, genau wie alle amerikanischen Verbraucher“, sagte Gibbs.

Wie Trumps Handelskrieg den Frachtmarkt beeinflusst: CEO von Port of Long Beach

Bei Hiblow USA mit Sitz in Saline, Michigan, das sich auf lineare Luftpumpen für die Abwasseraufbereitung und Klärgrubenbelüfter spezialisiert hat, die in den gesamten USA in privaten Abwasseraufbereitungssystemen für ländliche und vorstädtische Haushalte eingesetzt werden, belief sich die Tarifrechnung des Unternehmens im Jahr 2025 auf 1,2 Millionen US-Dollar. Tim Smith, Präsident, sagte, die Unsicherheit über die Langlebigkeit der Tarife habe ihn gezwungen, Expansionspläne zu stoppen. Das Unternehmen im Südosten von Michigan beschäftigt zehn Mitarbeiter und der zusätzliche Standort hätte drei bis vier neue Arbeitsplätze geschaffen. „Wir sind ein kleines Unternehmen, und obwohl einige vielleicht denken, dass es nicht viele Jobs gibt, handelt es sich um gut bezahlte Jobs“, sagte Smith.

„Wir haben nur 40 Prozent unserer Kosten an die Kunden weitergegeben“, sagte Smith. „Es ist zu einem Konkurrenzkampf zwischen den Unternehmen geworden, wer durchhalten und mehr Geld verbrennen und diese Zölle absorbieren kann. Aber ich denke, niemand kann langfristig durchhalten und die Zölle absorbieren“, fügte er hinzu.

Das Unternehmen importiert seine Produkte aus den Philippinen. Das Land hat noch keine Einigung über Zölle mit den USA erzielt, doch am Montag diskutierten Vertreter beider Länder in Manila über einen Zollsatz von 19 % auf philippinische Waren.

Smith sagte, dass veränderte Zollsätze auch eine zusätzliche Belastung für seine Zollagenten darstellten. „Wir mussten unsere Zollanleihen zwei- oder dreimal erneuern, weil wir den Anleihen mehr Mittel hinzufügen mussten“, sagte Smith. „Das hat uns daran gehindert, einige unserer Container zu bekommen, weil die Kaution in der Schwebe war. Ohne Ihre Zollkautionen können Sie nichts verarbeiten.“

Zollbürgschaften, auch Bürgschaftsbürgschaften genannt, bieten Importeuren Schutz und garantieren die Zahlung von Zöllen und Steuern, die auf importierte Waren erhoben werden. Der Wert dieser Anleihen und der damit verbundenen Sicherheiten ist im Zuge der von der Trump-Administration erhobenen höheren Zölle stark gestiegen. Wenn eine Kaution nicht über ausreichende Mittel verfügt, kann der Importeur die Fracht nicht in Besitz nehmen.

Auch wenn der Oberste Gerichtshof entscheidet, dass viele von Trumps Zöllen illegal sind und Rückerstattungen an Unternehmen erfordern, wobei eine Entscheidung am 20. Februar möglich ist, sagt Smith, er wisse, dass die Trump-Regierung noch weitere Zölle in der Warteschleife habe, so dass es keine Liquiditätsentlastung geben werde.

„Wir haben unser Geld immer problemlos über den Zoll zurückerstattet bekommen“, sagte Smith. „Manchmal hat es bis zu einem Jahr gedauert, aber es gibt sicherlich einen Rahmen dafür. Aber ich kann Ihnen sagen, dass wir sicherlich keine Geschäftspläne auf der Grundlage einer Entscheidung machen, dass wir unser Geld zurückbekommen könnten. Es sind weitere Zölle auf dem Weg, wenn sie für illegal erklärt werden.“

In New York schloss Spielwarenladenbesitzerin Jennifer Bergman ihr von ihrer Mutter gegründetes West Side Kids nach 44 Jahren wegen der Zölle. „Der Großteil unserer Spielzeuge wird in China hergestellt, daher haben die Zollkosten unser Geschäft übernommen“, sagte Bergman. „Wir erhielten ständig E-Mails von unseren Lieferanten mit Preiserhöhungen und mussten daher unsere Preise erhöhen.“

Ein Beispiel waren ihre Rollerbestellungen. Bergman sagte, das Unternehmen verkaufe normalerweise jedes Jahr Roller im Wert von 50.000 US-Dollar. Nach den Zöllen besaß sie keinen Roller mehr, der unter 200 US-Dollar kostete, was sich nicht nur auf ihre Verkäufe, sondern auch auf ihre Lagerbestände auswirkte. „Die Preise für Roller sind um 30 Dollar gestiegen“, sagte Bergman. „Ich erhielt einen Anruf von meiner Rollerfirma und sie teilten mir mit, dass sie ihre Container wegen der Zölle nach Kanada umleiten würden und sie nicht mehr einführen würden, bis die Zölle niedriger seien“, fügte sie hinzu.

Ende Mai, sagte Bergman, habe sie begonnen, sich ihre Zahlen anzusehen, und ihr sei klar geworden, dass sie die Miete für Juli nicht bezahlen könne. „Der Juni war normalerweise einer meiner geschäftigsten Monate … aber der Juni war einfach tödlich. Ich konnte mir den zu verkaufenden Bestand nicht leisten. Ich rief meinen Vermieter an, und zum Glück hatten wir eine 44-jährige Beziehung mit meinem Vermieter, und ich sagte, ich muss Schluss machen.“

Bergmans Laden schloss Ende Juli.

In Tempe, Arizona, wurde Brick Road Coffee während der Pandemie im Jahr 2021 eröffnet. Gabe Hagen, Mitbegründer und CEO des Coffeeshop- und Röstunternehmens, sagte, er sei jetzt dankbar, dass die Zölle auf Kaffee abgeschafft wurden, aber er habe immer noch Kaffee zum höheren Tarifpreis.

„Wir bestellen monatlich 4.000 Pfund Kaffee, hauptsächlich für zwei Geschäfte, und sehen uns aufgrund der Zölle auf Rohkaffee und andere Lieferungen mit höheren Kosten konfrontiert“, sagte Hagen. „Obwohl wir die Kosten im Coffeeshop decken mussten, mussten wir leider für unsere Rösterei die Preise erhöhen.“

Hagen sagte, dass Großhandelskunden vor der Einführung der Zölle etwa 10 US-Dollar pro Pfund für geröstete Kaffeebohnen bezahlt hätten. Mittlerweile zahlen die Kunden etwa 13,50 Dollar pro Pfund, und er hofft, dass der Höchststand erreicht ist.

Bei den Kaffeetarifen kam es zu erheblichen und schnellen Veränderungen. Die anfänglichen Zölle von 10–50 % reichten vom höheren Ende für Brasilien (50 Prozent) bis zu niedrigeren Zöllen für Indien (25 Prozent), Vietnam (20 Prozent) und Indonesien (19 Prozent).

In einer Durchführungsverordnung vom November 2025 wurden die meisten dieser Zölle, einschließlich der auf Brasilien, abgeschafft, aber Hagen sagte, die Zölle hätten anhaltende Auswirkungen gehabt. Sein Unternehmen hat die Zollkosten gemindert, indem es die Ladenerweiterung verzögerte und Röstgeräte kaufte, bevor die Zölle in Kraft traten. „Wir befanden uns in einer Zeit, in der Bargeld der König sein wird, und als kleines Unternehmen habe ich einfach nicht viel davon“, sagte Hagen. „Also musste ich kürzen, um zu versuchen, die längste Landebahn zu erhalten, die möglich ist, um die Ungewissheit zu meistern.“

Hagen sagt, die Verbraucher würden durch die Verkaufsaktivitäten seines Unternehmens geschwächt. „Wir sehen, dass unser durchschnittlicher Eintrittspreis sinkt“, sagte er. „Obwohl unser Fußgängerverkehr Jahr für Jahr relativ stabil bleibt, ist unser Bruttoumsatz tatsächlich von Jahr zu Jahr niedriger. Die Verbraucher schonen ihren Geldbeutel und kaufen nicht die Extras wie die Muffins. Unser viertes Quartal war schrecklich. Es war das Schlimmste in den vier Jahren, in denen wir geöffnet haben“, sagte er.

Peter Boockvar, Chief Investment Officer von One Point BFG Wealth Partners, sagt: „Die Belastungsstörung aus dem vorherigen Inflationsanstieg ist wieder aufgeflammt. Und wenn sie nicht vollständig an die Verbraucher weitergegeben wird, haben die Unternehmen sie durch niedrigere Gewinnspannen aufgefangen.

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