The Peak Daily

Trump Media & Technology Group, a private media company founded by Donald Trump, launched Twitter lookalike Truth Social this week to users in the US and Canada as political users consider alternative platforms to big tech. Starbucks is known for its formulaic drinks, chill ambiance, and friendly baristas who know your name (even if they misspell it) but behind the counter, unrest is brewing with a large scale unionization underway across the US. Netflix is launching a product that looks a lot like the failed Quibi. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

We don’t want to alarm you, but you may not be able to find Doritos at your local super-market for a while: snack giant Frito-Lay is cutting Loblaw off from its products amid a dispute over price hikes. A $30 million settlement between US Soccer and female players over equal pay with men has ended a six-year fight that pitted the World Cup-winning team against their sport’s governing body. Swedish buy-now-pay-later service Klarna announced yesterday that they’re opening a tech hub in Toronto with plans to hire over 500 engineers. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

The ballooning cost of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion could fall on taxpayers, industry experts say, despite federal government assurances that no more public funds will be used to finance the project. A car transport ship carrying thousands of luxury cars is still stuck in the Atlantic Ocean after it caught fire last week, troubling an industry already grappling with pandemic-related supply chain issues. Talk about a big catch! Some users of NFT marketplace OpenSea were victims of a phishing attack that led to the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of NFTs. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

The Emergencies Act, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked for the first time ever in response to ongoing protests in Ottawa, expanded the powers of banks and other financial institutions. Yet, Canadian bankers are still scratching their heads in figuring out how to implement the orders. Looks like Disney is now bringing the magic to a residential development near you, starting with a a sold-out luxury residential community called Golden Oak in Florida. Billionaire investor Carl Icahn gearing up to launch a proxy fight against McDonald’s over the inhumane treatment of pigs.

Despite exceeding analysts expectations, Shopify’s stock dropped 20% yesterday after warning that revenue growth would slow in 2022 as the pandemic-era e-commerce boom ends. A new report released by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) says crypto assets, especially stablecoins, could present a significant risk for markets and calls for more regulatory oversight. Google has announced plans to overhaul app tracking on Android devices — the mobile operating system used by 70% of the world. And advertisers are worried this could hit their bottom line. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

Tim Hortons had a great fourth quarter as it almost double (doubles) its quarterly profit, as the coffee chain recovers from its pandemic woes. Apple announced that they’ll modify their AirTag technology to better protect against criminals using it to track unsuspecting victims. A new study has found that there is one thing that makes Canadian housing prices go down: flooding, which researchers found depressed final sale prices in impacted markets by 8.2% in the six months after a flood. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

A Toronto PetSmart is the latest retail location to vote to unionize since the pandemic began, as the percentage of unionized workers increases after years of a steady decline. Businesses are breathing a sigh of relief as Doug Ford announces Ontario’s accelerated re-opening plan. Confused about what’s going on between Russia and Ukraine? You aren’t alone: the markets are also struggling to make sense of the crisis, with the VIX — an index representing the market’s expectations of volatility — rising nearly 25% in the past five days. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

High-level officials including President Biden and Pete Buttigieg are adding pressure to re-open the Ambassador Bridge, amid ongoing protests that are beginning to take a toll on both country’s economies. France’s President announced that the country will build up to 14 nuclear reactors, as part of a plan to ramp up energy production and phase out fossil fuels. It may not the “sexiest” way to invest, but ETFs in Canada are having a moment after seeing a second record-breaking year of cash flows in 2021. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

According to a 2021 survey by IT company Novipro and polling firm Leger, a quarter of Canadian businesses have been the victim of a cyber attack, half of which paid a ransom. Canadian businesses, like Telus and Bombardier, that narrowed their focus and sold off secondary business lines are now reaping the rewards, new earnings reports show. Canada is the third most sleep-deprived country - and we are tied with the US for this esteemed ranking - with nearly a third of the Canadians feeling like they don’t sleep enough, according to a new study. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.

How many protesters does it take to freeze a quarter of Canada-US trade? Shockingly few, as we learned by the recent blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, shutting down traffic on one of Canada’s busiest border crossings. Canadians be able to legally bet on the Super Bowl for the first time ever as legal single game sports betting comes online in Canada. European scientists set a new record for the highest amount of energy created through nuclear fusion — the reaction that powers the sun — in a major milestone in the quest for a cheap and clean source of energy. Celebrating something? Let us know for a shoutout here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/GuHjLDoa The Peak Daily is produced by 306 Media Productions. Hosted by Brett Chang and Jay Rosenthal.