Connected Economy

Connected Economy
How the World Does Travel: Sector Checks In Late on Digital Engagement
September 02, 2024

The travel industry, long defined by in-person transactions and physical tickets, is gradually moving toward digitalization. However, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence report, “How The World Does Digital: A Global Benchmark Of Consumer Digital Transformation,” that transition is lagging compared to other sectors. The study,...

Connected Economy
Strong Earnings and Peloton Recovery Spark CE 100 2.6% Bump
August 26, 2024

The tail end of Q2 earnings were good to several companies on the CE 100 this week. The Index ended the week of August 23 up 2.6%, led by the “Live” pillar up 3.7% and “Bank” at 2.7%. Many companies posted positive gains for the...

Connected Economy
Do GM Layoffs Signal a Speed Bump for Connected Cars?
August 20, 2024

Layoffs signal that a company is changing strategies, pulling back … maybe the market demand is not there that had been anticipated. In the wake of General Motors’ latest corporate actions, is it fair to say that the road ahead for connected cars — and...

Connected Economy
CE 100 Index Surges 4.7% as Vroom Steers Toward Double-Digit Growth
August 19, 2024

Earnings were everywhere this past week, propelling the CE 100 Index 4.7% higher, and any losses seen among our names were negligible.  In fact, most of those declining stocks slipped less than 1%, except Tencent, which was down double digits. Vroom shares rallied by nearly...

Connected Economy
Why Location Is Personalization’s Superpower for Merchants
August 16, 2024

In the current business landscape, consumers crave personalized experiences. In an increasingly digital world, the importance of location intelligence in marketing cannot be overstated, particularly when it comes to areas like personalizing customer experiences, enhancing operational efficiencies and ensuring compliance across various industries. “One of...

Connected Economy
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt: Successful Startups Work in Offices
August 14, 2024

Former Google CEO and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt is reportedly not a fan of remote work. Speaking to students at Stanford University, Schmidt said that Google’s offering of remote work has caused it to fall behind in the artificial intelligence (AI) competition, The Wall Street...

Connected Economy
CE 100 Index Q4 Wrap-Up and Q1 Outlook
August 12, 2024

The CE 100 Index lost 0.2% last week in the wake of earnings reports that, over the course of the past several days, have moved names to the upside (and the downside, of course). Sezzle Sizzles and BNPL Demand Soars Shares of Sezzle soared 51%,...

Connected Economy
CE 100 Index Loses 4.1%, Led by Snap’s Post-Earnings Plummet
August 05, 2024

Earnings drove the CE 100 Index lower this past week — and almost all segments were under water, so to speak, as markets swooned amid the specter of a slowing economy. Eat Segment’s the Lone Positive Performer Only one pillar of the CE 100 Index...

Connected Economy
Thumbtack Raises $75 Million to Improve Home Improvement App
July 31, 2024

Home improvement app Thumbtack has received $70 million in new debt financing. The funding — from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Hercules Capital — will help Thumbtack access new capital and liquidity, the company said in a Wednesday (July 30) news release.  “We are one...