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A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.The strength in the classic-car market is expected to continue in 2026 as a new generation of collectors revs up demand, said the CEO of Hagerty.Auctions and online sales of collectible cars surged 10% in 2025 to $4.8 billion, according to Hagerty, the classic-car insurance company and collector platform. Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty said based on the sales pipeline and activity in the private classic-car market, demand appears strong…
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted to approve the ACPAC Modernization Act (H.R. 5663) this week in a move that was lauded by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA).The approval marks a key victory for ASTA’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and a vital step toward adding ticket agent representation to the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). If enacted into law, the bill would add a ticket agent seat to the ACPAC, giving travel advisors an important voice and seat at the table when it comes to working with…
It’s all hands on deck at Meta, as the company develops new AI models under its superintelligence lab led by Scale AI co-founder, Alexandr Wang. The company is now working on an image and video model codenamed “Mango” along with a new text-based model internally known as “Avocado,” The Wall Street Journal reported. The tech giant plans to release the new models in the first half of 2026, the publication said, citing an internal Q&A at Meta on Thursday, where Wang and chief product officer Chris Cox unveiled the new roadmap. Wang had said Meta aims to make the text-based…
While discounts drive purchasing in the early days of the holiday shopping season, consumers are shifting into more thoughtful, quality gifts in the back half of the season as total spending growth slows.U.S. consumers had spent $187.3 billion so far online between Nov. 1 and Dec. 12, up 6.1% from the same stretch last year, according to Adobe Analytics. Total holiday season e-commerce spend is still expected to cross $253 billion, which would be 5.3% above last year, with the growth rate slowing later into December as delivery in time for Christmas gets tighter. E-commerce sales typically “slow sharply” from…
After shifting its gaming strategy to focus more on games played on the TV, Netflix announced it’s acquiring Ready Player Me, an avatar-creation platform based in Estonia. The streamer said Friday it plans to use the startup’s development tools and infrastructure to build avatars that will allow Netflix subscribers to carry their personas and fandom across different games. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ready Player Me had raised $72 million in venture backing from investors, including a16z, Endeavor, Konvoy Ventures, Plural, and various angels, including the co-founders of companies like Roblox, Twitch, and King Games. Netflix told TechCrunch…
President Donald Trump’s move Thursday to sign an executive order easing federal restrictions on marijuana — and clearing the way for a Medicare pilot program covering CBD — caps a coordinated, yearlong push by the cannabis industry that combined traditional lobbying, sizable political donations, data-driven messaging and direct outreach to the president’s inner circle, industry insiders told CNBC.Despite long-standing GOP opposition to loosening drug laws — including a small wave of bills from lawmakers seeking to tighten rules after the executive order — industry advocates have claimed a victory. They see the order as a success in reframing marijuana not…
by Mia Taylor Last updated: 3:00 PM ET, Thu December 18, 2025 Next year is poised to be an exciting one in many ways for globetrotters, and that includes when it comes to air travel.What exactly can we expect on the air travel front? Think: Increased global connectivity, more AI in trip planning, and multiplying opportunities for customization. Those predictions come courtesy of CheapOAir, which has just released a handful of the top air travel trends to watch in 2026.”Next year, the world is opening wider than ever,” says Thomas Spagnola, senior vice president of partner relationships for CheapOair.”Airlines are…
Celeste Amadon and Asher Allen were working on an app that used AI to book restaurants for dates when they stumbled on a bigger idea that encourages people to meet in person. And now it’s catching on with investors. The duo created a voice-powered AI onboarding system for their app that helped them learn more about users without them having to fill out a form. What they discovered: People loved to talk, and that increased the length of the onboarding session with the app clocking 26 minutes on average. That is how San Francisco-based dating startup Known was born. “Our…
PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) — Sometimes kids drop the phone after hearing Santa won’t show up if they’re not asleep. Others who call the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline wonder if St. Nick will be able to find them. Adults who also remain devoted to the jolly figure said to deliver presents around the world are checking up on his journey. For 70 years, that’s been the tradition at the North American Aerospace Defense Command — a joint United States and Canadian operation charged with monitoring the skies for threats since the Cold War. More than 1,000 volunteers will…
Classic Vacations’ Hawaii is Calling: More Value, More Aloha Campaign (Photo Credit: Classic Vacations)Classic Vacations has launched a limited time booking offer to encourage travelers to return to the Hawaiian Islands as they continue their recovery following the 2023 Maui wildfires.The “Hawaii is Calling: More Value, More Aloha” campaign offers a $100 booking credit on any Hawaiian Island booking of five nights or more and $200 for a Maui reservation through Classic’s ‘Go Maui Now’ offer, valid only on new bookings. The booking window runs now through January 31, 2026, with travel valid now through April 15, 2026.Blackout dates, minimum…