Tavi Costa, macro strategist at Crescat Capital, shares his thoughts on gold, including what could unleash the yellow metal’s next move higher.
He sees a ‘major collapse’ in the US dollar, saying a break in a key support line could boost gold.
Costa also shares his outlook for silver and copper.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Bitcoin is prone to price volatility, with wide swings to the upside and downside, making it difficult for investors to know when the right time to buy the top crypto is.
There has been renewed interest in cryptocurrencies following the election of US President Donald Trump, leading the Bitcoin price to soar to new heights in 2025, as investors and other industry insiders speculate on how the Trump administration’s policies could further grow the sector and encourage mainstream adoption.
Trump ran on a platform that promised to make the US the Bitcoin capital of the world, vowing to establish a national reserve for the asset, and several states have already introduced legislation to create similar reserves within their borders.
The price of Bitcoin pulled back to under US$100,000 in February 2025 and fell as low as US$75,000 by April 9, marking a strong buying opportunity for crypto investors. Bitcoin rebounded in May, breaking past the US$100,000 level and surging further over the summer to hit fresh all-time highs in July and August of more than US$120,000 per BTC.
Meanwhile, institutions and businesses like Michael Saylor’s Strategy have continued to buy Bitcoin by the millions, and spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) remain popular.
This surge of interest paints a bullish picture of Bitcoin’s continued growth. However, buying Bitcoin isn’t a simple decision. Read on to learn the basics of Bitcoin fundamentals, price forecasts and methods for determining if now’s the right time to buy Bitcoin, including several popular technical trading indicators you should know.
Before you decide if Bitcoin is a good investment for you, you need to understand Bitcoin and the wider crypto market.
Bitcoin was the world’s first cryptocurrency, created in January 2009 by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto.
Conceived as a virtual alternative to fiat currency, Bitcoin is built atop blockchain technology, which it uses for both validation and security. Blockchain itself is a distributed digital ledger of transactions, operating through a combination of private keys, public keys and network consensus.
The best analogy to explain how this works in practice involves Google Docs. Imagine a document that’s shared with a group of collaborators. Everyone has access to the same document, and each collaborator can see the edits other collaborators have made. If anyone makes an edit that the other collaborators don’t approve of, they can roll it back.
Going back to Bitcoin, the virtual currency primarily validates transactions through proof of work. Also known as Bitcoin mining, this competitive and incredibly resource-intensive process is the means by which new Bitcoins are generated.
How it works is deceptively simple. Each Bitcoin transaction adds a new ‘block’ to the ledger, identified by a 64-digit encrypted hexadecimal number known as a hash. Each block uses the block immediately preceding it to generate its hash, creating a ledger that theoretically cannot be tampered with. Bitcoin miners collectively attempt to guess the encrypted hex code for each new block — whoever correctly identifies the hash then validates the transaction and receives a small amount of Bitcoins as a reward.
From an investment perspective, Bitcoin toes the line between being a medium of exchange and a speculative digital asset. It also lacks any central governing body to regulate its distribution. As one might expect, these factors together make Bitcoin quite volatile, and therefore somewhat risky as an investment target.
As for the source of this volatility, Bitcoin’s value is primarily influenced by five factors.
It’s widely known that no more than 21 million Bitcoins can be produced, and that’s unlikely to happen before 2140.
Only a certain number of Bitcoins are released each year, and this rate is reduced every four years by halving the reward for Bitcoin mining. The last of these ‘halvings’ occurred in April 2024 and the next one is due sometime in 2028. When it happens, there may be a significant increase in Bitcoin demand, largely driven by media coverage and investor interest.
Bitcoin demand is also strengthening in countries experiencing currency devaluation and high inflation.
It would be remiss not to mention that Bitcoin represents an ideal mechanism for supporting illicit activities — meaning that increasing cybercrime could itself be a demand driver.
It’s said that Bitcoin benefits from minimal production costs. This isn’t exactly true, however. Solving even a single hash requires immense processing power, and it’s believed that crypto mining collectively uses more electricity than some small countries. It’s also believed that miners were largely responsible for the chip shortage experienced throughout the pandemic due to buying and burning out vast quantities of graphics cards.
These costs together have only a minimal influence on Bitcoin’s overall value. The complexity of Bitcoin’s hashing algorithms and the fact that they can vary wildly in complexity are far more impactful.
Bitcoin’s cryptocurrency market share has sharply declined over the years. In 2017, it maintained a market share of over 80 percent. Bitcoin’s current market share is just under 60 percent.
Despite that fall, Bitcoin remains the dominant force in the cryptocurrency market and is the marker by which many other cryptocurrencies determine their value. However, there is no guarantee that this will always remain the case. There are now scores of Bitcoin alternatives, known collectively as altcoins, which you can learn more about here.
The most significant alternative to Bitcoin is Ethereum. Currently accounting for roughly 10 percent of the crypto market, Ethereum has long maintained its position as the second largest cryptocurrency. Some experts have suggested that Ethereum may even overtake Bitcoin, but others don’t see that as a possibility in the near future.
Bitcoin may itself be unregulated, but it is not immune to the effects of government legislation. For instance, China’s 2021 ban of the cryptocurrency caused a sharp price drop, though it quickly rallied in the following months. The European Union has also attempted to ban Bitcoin in the past, and Nic Carter, a partner at Castle Venture, accused the US of trying to do the same in February 2023.
There has been plenty of discussion surrounding the role of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in regulating Bitcoin and other crypto as investment assets. The US made progress in establishing crypto legislation in 2024 when the House passed the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century (FIT21) Act in a bipartisan 279 to 136 vote on May 22 of last year.
While that act has yet to make further progress, the new Trump administration has already loosened some crypto regulation with regards to crypto reporting for banks and decentralized finance businesses.
In April 2025, the SEC approved rule changes allowing Ether ETF options, and also updated its guidance on crypto company disclosures.
Around the same time, President Trump signed a resolution repealing the Internal Revenue Services’ (IRS) controversial DeFi broker rule. Enacted at the end of the Biden Administration, the rule expanded the definition of “broker” to include decentralized finance, or DeFi, platforms. The reversal passed both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support.
In July, Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, which establishes a regulatory framework for payment in stablecoins. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent has stated that the law paves the way for a potential stablecoin market worth US$3.7 trillion by 2030.
As with any speculative commodity, Bitcoin is greatly influenced by the court of public opinion.
Perhaps the best example of this occurred in 2021. At that time, a tweet from Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Elon Musk caused Bitcoin’s price to drop by 30 percent in a single day. This also wiped about US$365 billion off the cryptocurrency market.
Another example occurred on January 9, 2024, leading up to the deadline for eight spot Bitcoin ETFs by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In a since-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, a hacker falsely stated that the SEC had approved all eight pending Bitcoin ETFs. This caused the price of Bitcoin to spike to US$48,000, but it quickly dropped back down to around US$46,000 after the SEC confirmed it was a hack, leading some analysts to consider it a ‘sell-the-news’ event.
The current US administration is crypto friendly, and Bitcoin and altcoins are seeing support in 2025. Could they go even higher, or should you wait for a dip to buy? Bitcoin is notoriously volatile, which can make it difficult to judge where the crypto is going next, but there are several strategies to help investors decide when to invest.
To determine if it is a good time to invest in Bitcoin, investors should pay attention to the market and listen to the experts, as generally speaking, Bitcoin’s price action is sentiment-driven. To keep on top of big news in the sector, follow our frequent Crypto Market Updates, which drop several times a week.
There are also different technical indicators that crypto traders use to help them decide if now is the time to buy or sell Bitcoin. We run through some popular indicators below.
For example, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a technical indicator used to gauge the momentum of a cryptocurrency’s price. It fluctuates on a scale from 0 to 100. By analyzing the magnitude of recent price changes relative to the previous 12-month period, the RSI helps traders identify whether a cryptocurrency is potentially overbought or oversold. An RSI above 70 often signals an overbought market, while an RSI below 30 suggests an oversold market.
Another metric to consider is the MVRV Z-score, calculated by subtracting the ‘realized’ value of Bitcoin, which is an average of the prices at which each Bitcoin was last moved, from the current market value. This is then divided by the standard deviation of the Bitcoin market cap.
This indicator helps identify when market value deviates strongly from realized value, which could show the market is at a turning point. A score above 7 likely indicates that Bitcoin is overvalued, meaning it could be due for a correction, while a score below 0 suggests that Bitcoin is undervalued, meaning it could be a good buying opportunity.
Finally, to gauge the overall market sentiment, investors can look at the Fear & Greed Index. This index provides a snapshot of how optimistic or fearful the market is about Bitcoin, with high readings potentially signaling overenthusiasm and a possible correction.
While it’s useful to learn these technical indicators to help you trade, it is important to remember that there’s no such thing as a guaranteed investment, especially when it comes to cryptocurrencies. On the one hand, there’s virtually no chance that Bitcoin will experience a crash to zero. On the other hand, we also cannot take for granted that its value will continue to climb.
For those considering Bitcoin as a long-term investment, it’s worth considering experts’ thoughts on Bitcoin in the future.
During the run-up to the new highs posted in July 2025, Eugene Cheung, chief commercial officer of crypto platform OSL, told Cointelegraph that he thinks the digital asset could reach US$130,000 to US$150,000 by the end of the year.
Fundstrat’s Tom Lee, who predicted Bitcoin’s peak in 2024, is calling for the digital currency to reach US$250,000 before 2025 comes to a close.
Not everyone is so optimistic about Bitcoin’s prospects. Top Economist Henrik Zeberg has expressed concerns about Bitcoin’s future in the context of continued economic uncertainty, as its price remains highly linked with the performance of the tech-stock heavy NASDAQ.
Billionaire investor Warren Buffet, meanwhile, has not minced words regarding his opinion on Bitcoin and its future. According to Buffet, Bitcoin is an unproductive asset with no unique value. He also feels that it doesn’t count as a true currency — in fact, he called it “rat poison.” Moreover, he believes that the crypto market as a whole will end badly.
Regardless of whether you believe Bitcoin’s proponents or naysayers, it’s clear that it has some incredibly prominent backers in both the investment world and the wider business landscape.
Business analytics platform Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) is by far the largest public company in the Bitcoin space, with 628,946 Bitcoin to its name as of August 11, 2025. The next three public companies with the largest Bitcoin holdings are Marathon Digital Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) with 50,639 Bitcoin, soon-to-list Twenty One Capital (NASDAQ:XXI) with 37,229.7 Bitcoin and Bullish (NYSE:BLSH) with 24,340 Bitcoin.
The US, China and the United Kingdom hold the top three spots for countries with the most Bitcoin holdings, with 198,012, 194,000 and 61,245 Bitcoin respectively at that time.
There are also plenty of individuals with large holdings, the most significant of which is believed to be Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Other prominent names include Michael Saylor, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Tim Draper.
To help increase the odds of crypto being a good investment, investors in the Bitcoin market should learn the basics of safely investing in Bitcoin.
The good news is that investing in Bitcoin is actually quite simple. If you’re purchasing through a stockbroker, it’s a similar process to buying shares of a company. Otherwise, you may need to gather your personal information and bank account details. It’s recommended to secure your network with a VPN prior to performing any Bitcoin transactions.
The first step in purchasing Bitcoin is to join an exchange. Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) is one of the most popular, but there’s also Kraken and Bybit. If you’re an advanced trader outside the US, you might consider Bitfinex.
Once you’ve chosen an exchange, you’ll need a crypto wallet. Many first-time investors choose a software-based or ‘hot’ wallet either maintained by their chosen crypto exchange or operated by a service provider. While simpler to set up and more convenient overall, hot wallets tend to be less secure as they can be compromised by data breaches.
Another option is a ‘cold’ wallet — a specialized piece of hardware specifically designed to store cryptocurrency. It’s basically a purpose-built flash drive. If you plan to invest large amounts in crypto, a cold wallet is the better option.
Once you’ve acquired and configured your wallet, you may choose to connect either the wallet or your crypto exchange account to your bank account. This is not strictly necessary, and some seasoned investors don’t bother to do this.
Finally, with your wallet fully configured and your exchange account set up, it’s time to place your order.
The most important thing to remember about Bitcoin is that it is a high-risk asset. Treat Bitcoin as a means of slowly growing your existing wealth rather than an all-or-nothing gamble, and never invest money that you aren’t willing to lose.
As with other investments, it’s important to hedge your portfolio. Alongside Bitcoin, you may want to consider investing in other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, or perhaps an altcoin. You may also want to explore other blockchain-based investments, given that even the most stable cryptocurrencies tend to be fairly volatile.
It’s also key to ignore the hype surrounding cryptocurrencies. Recall how many people whipped themselves into a frenzy over non-fungible tokens in 2022. The majority of NFTs created during that time are now worthless.
Make decisions based on your own market research and advice from trusted — and more importantly, certified — professionals. If you’re putting up investment capital based on an influencer’s tweets, you are playing with fire.
You should also start small. A good rule of thumb is not to dedicate more than 10 percent of your overall capital to cryptocurrency. Even that number could be high — again, it’s all about moderation.
Make sure to prioritize cybersecurity as well. Cryptocurrencies are an immensely popular target for cybercriminals. In addition to maintaining a cold wallet, make sure you practice proper security hygiene. That means using a VPN and a password manager while also exercising mindfulness in how you browse the web and what you download.
Finally, make an effort to understand what cryptocurrencies are and how they work. One of the reasons Sam Bankman-Fried was able to run FTX as long as he did was because many of his investors didn’t fully understand what they were putting their money into. Don’t let yourself be fooled by buzzwords or lofty promises about Web3 and the metaverse.
Do your research into the technology behind it all. That way, you’ll be far better equipped to recognize when something is a sound investment versus a bottomless money pit.
Given Bitcoin’s volatility, it’s understandable that you might be leery of making a direct investment. The good news is that you don’t have to. You can indirectly invest into the crypto space through mutual funds, stocks and ETFs.
ETFs are a popular and flexible portfolio choice that allows investors to benefit from a sector’s performance without the need to directly own individual stocks or assets. They are an especially appealing option in the cryptocurrency market as the technical aspects of purchasing and holding these coins can be confusing and intimidating for the less technologically inclined.
Bitcoin futures ETFs provide exposure to the cryptocurrency’s price moves using Bitcoin futures contracts, which stipulate that two parties will exchange a specific amount of Bitcoins for a particular price on a predetermined date.
Conversely, spot Bitcoin ETFs aim to track the price of Bitcoin, and they do so by holding the asset. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been offered to Canadians since 2021, and there are now 13 Canadian cryptocurrency ETFs you can buy. Spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading in the US on January 11, 2024. For investors interested in blockchain technology, there are also several blockchain ETFs.
Do a bit of research and touch base with your stockbroker or financial advisor before you go in this direction.
Bitcoin is a fascinating asset. Simultaneously a transactional tool and a speculative commodity, it’s attracted the attention of investors almost since it first hit the market. Unfortunately, it’s also incredibly volatile.
For that reason, while current market conditions are favorable for anyone considering buying Bitcoin, it is an asset you should purchase only at your own risk. Because while Bitcoin may have the potential for significant returns, you may also lose most of your investment. If that knowledge doesn’t bother you, then by all means, purchase away.
Otherwise, there are better — less volatile — options for your capital.
ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood is extremely bullish on Bitcoin, telling Bloomberg in February 2023 that her firm believes the cryptocurrency could reach a value of US$1 million by 2030. In July 2025, Wood hiked her 2030 bitcoin price prediction to US$3.8 billion.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Phosphate is mainly used in the form of fertilizer for crops and animal feed supplements. Only 5 percent of world phosphate production is used for other applications, such as corrosion prevention and detergents.
In its 2025 Mineral Commodity Summary, the US Geological Survey (USGS) states that global production of phosphate grew in 2024 alongside demand, totaling 240 million metric tons. Most of 2024 was marked by steady growth in agricultural demand in the face of declining quality reserves.
‘World consumption of P2O5 contained in fertilizers was estimated to have been 47.5 million tons in 2024 compared with 45.8 million tons in 2023,’ the USGS reported. ‘World consumption of P2O5 in fertilizers was projected to increase to 51.8 million tons by 2028. The leading regions for growth were expected to be Asia and South America.’
This list of the top phosphate countries by production is based on data from the USGS. Those interested in the phosphate mining sector will want to keep an eye on phosphate production data and mining companies in these countries.
Phosphate production: 110 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 3.7 billion metric tons
China’s phosphate production increased in 2024 to 110 million metric tons (MT), up from 105 million MT in 2023, placing it as number one on the list of top phosphate-producing countries by a long shot. China has the second largest phosphate reserves in the world at 3.7 billion metric tons of phosphate. The country is also the fourth largest producer of fellow fertilizer mineral potash.
The rise in Chinese output came in despite of the nation’s environmental crackdown on the mining industry. China’s government has placed restrictions on phosphate exports in an effort to drive down domestic prices of the fertilizer with its own supply. In December 2024, China halted new export applications for phosphate due to the rising cost of sulfur. The material is critical in the separation of phosphates from rock.
Phosphate production: 30 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 50 billion metric tons
As the second largest phosphate-producing country, Morocco produced 30 million metric tons of the fertilizer in 2024, down from 33 million MT in the previous year. The North African nation’s phosphate output is expected to increased in the coming years due to ongoing capacity expansions, which are expected to be completed by 2027.
Morocco’s phosphate production comes from state-owned fertilizer company OCP Group’s mines, including its Gantour operation, one of the world’s largest phosphate mines.
Morocco holds the world’s largest phosphate reserves at 50 billion metric tons, accounting for over 67 percent of total global phosphate reserves.
Phosphate production: 20 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 1 billion metric tons
In 2024, US phosphate mining production totaled 20 million metric tons, up slightly by 400,000 metric tons from the previous year. The nation’s 10 producing phosphate mines are located across four states: Florida, North Carolina, Idaho and Utah.
The two largest phosphate mining companies in the US are Mosaic (NYSE:MOS) and Nutrien (TSX:NTR). Global giant Mosaic’s Florida phosphates operation comprises three producing mines: Four Corners, South Fort Meade and Wingate. The three mines combined for 8,900 MT of phosphate rock concentrate in 2024. Nutrien operates the Aurora mine in North Carolina and White Springs mine in Utah.
Most phosphate rock mined in the US is used for manufacturing phosphoric acid and superphosphoric acid. These types of wet-process phosphate products are used for items such as animal feed supplements. About a quarter of this is exported in the form of merchant-grade phosphoric acid, upgraded granular diammonium and monoammonium phosphate fertilizer, as well as other fertilizer products, according to the USGS.
Phosphate production: 14 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 2.4 billion metric tons
Russia produced 14 million metric tons of phosphate in 2024, down by 1 million MT from the previous year, and the country’s phosphate reserves total 2.4 billion metric tons. Russia is also the second largest producer of potash.
A significant portion of Russia’s phosphate is produced by PhosAgro subsidiary Apatit from apatite minerals at the Khibiny deposit, which is located east of Finland in Russia’s Kola Peninsula. Phosphate operations are also found in Perm Krai at the Oleniy Ruchey apatite mine and processing facility owned by the Acron Group’s North-Western Phosphorous Company.
European nations were previously Russia’s biggest phosphate customers in the global market, but the country’s war in Ukraine initially had an impact, directly influencing phosphate prices. However, Russian phosphate exports were supported through increases in shipments to countries including India and Brazil.
Phosphate production: 12 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 1 billion metric tons
Jordan’s phosphate production came in at 12 million metric tons in 2024, rising slightly from the previous year. Jordan’s phosphate reserves stand at an estimated 1 billion MT.
The country’s sole phosphate producer is state-owned Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, which operates as a phosphate miner and fertilizer producer. The company bills itself as the second largest phosphate exporter and the sixth largest producer of phosphate in the world, with combined production capacity between its three mines exceeding 11 million metric tons of phosphate annually.
Phosphate production: 9.5 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 1 billion metric tons
Saudi Arabia produced 9.5 million metric tons of phosphate in 2024, down by 400,000 MT from 2023’s output level. The country is sitting on 1 billion MT of phosphate reserves. The Saudi Arabian Mining Company, also known as Ma’aden, produces up to 5 million metric tons of concentrated phosphate rock per year.
The Wa’ad Al Shamal Minerals Industrial City, an integrated phosphate fertilizer production complex, is a US$8 billion joint venture investment between Ma’aden at 60 percent, chemical manufacturer Saudi Basic Industries (TADAWUL:2010) at 15 percent and US fertilizer giant Mosaic at 25 percent. However, in January 2025, Mosaic sold its stake for US$1.5 billion in Ma’aden shares, bringing the latter company’s interest to 85 percent.
Phosphate production: 5.3 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 1.6 billion metric tons
Brazil, another of the top phosphate countries by production, produced 5.3 million metric tons of phosphate in 2024, nearly on par with its production in the previous year. Brazil has a booming agricultural sector and is one of the world’s largest fertilizer consumers and importers. More phosphate production capacity in the country is expected to come online in 2027.
Mosaic is the country’s largest producer of both phosphate and nitrogen, and it also operates Brazil’s only potash mine. Swedish fertilizer company Eurochem launched a new US$1 billion phosphate fertilizer production facility in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in April 2024. The facility has a phosphate mine and plant complex with an annual production capacity of 1 million MT of advanced phosphate fertilizers.
Phosphate production: 5 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 2.8 billion metric tons
Egypt’s phosphate-mining production in 2024 totalled 5 million metric tons, on par with 2023 output levels. According to the US Geological Survey, Egypt’s phosphate reserves now sit at 2.8 billion MT.
The phosphate company Misr Phosphate operates the Abu Tartour, the Sibaiya and the Red Sea mines, all of which host high grades of phosphate.
Phosphate production: 4.7 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 210 million metric tons
Peru produced 4.7 million metric tons of phosphate in 2024, down by 300,000 MT from the previous year. About 98 percent of US phosphate imports originate from Peru.
Peru’s investment agency ProInversión made a US$940 million commitment in mid-2024 for the expansion Fosfatos del Pacífico’s Bayóvar mine in the Piura region, which is expected to bolster the country’s domestic phosphate production for the next 10 years.
Phosphate production: 3.3 million metric tons
Phosphate reserves: 2.5 billion metric tons
Tunisia’s phosphate output in 2024 totaled 3.3 million metric tons, down from 3.6 million metric tons the previous year. Tunisia is home to the fourth highest phosphate reserves in the world at 2.5 billion metric tons.
The North African country has been rising among the ranks of the world’s largest phosphate producing nations. In 2023 Tunisia’s state-owned phosphate firm Gafsa Phosphate Company ramped up its production as part of its US$76 million investment program.
Phosphates are compounds that usually include phosphorous and oxygen, and can have one or more common elements, such as sodium, calcium, potassium and aluminum.
Phosphate is mostly found in phosphate rock, a non-detrital sedimentary rock that contains high amounts of phosphate minerals. Phosphate rock can come in different forms such as quartz, calcite, dolomite, apatite, iron oxide minerals and clay minerals.
Phosphate is the natural source of phosphorous, which provides essential nutrients for plant growth and development.
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
From American Eagle to Swatch, brands appear to be making a lot of blunders lately.
When actress Sydney Sweeney’s jeans campaign came out last month, critics lambasted the wordplay of good “jeans” and “genes” as tone deaf with nefarious undertones.
More recently, an advert from Swiss watchmaker Swatch sparked backlash for featuring an Asian model pulling the corners of his eyes, in an offensive gesture.
Colgate-Palmolive’s ad for Sanex shower gel was banned in the U.K. for problematic suggestions about Black and white skin tones. And consumers derided Cracker Barrel’s decision to ditch its overalls-clad character for a more simplistic text-based logo as “sterile,” “soulless,” and “woke.”
Meanwhile, recent product launches from Adidas and Prada have raised allegations of cultural appropriation.
That has reignited the debate about when an ad campaign is effective and when it’s just plain offensive, as companies confront increased consumer scrutiny.
“Each brand had its own blind spot,” David Brier, brand specialist and author of “Brand intervention” and “Rich brand, poor brand” told CNBC via email.
He noted, however, that too many brands are attempting to respond to consumers with an outdated playbook.
“Modern brands are trying to navigate cultural complexity with corporate simplicity. They’re using 1950s boardroom thinking to solve 2025 human problems,” he continued.
“These aren’t sensitivity failures. They’re empathy failures. They viewed culture as something to navigate around rather than understand deeply.”
Some companies have had success in tapping into the zeitgeist — and, in some cases, seizing on other brands’ shortcomings.
Gap, for instance, this week sought to counter backlash against Sweeney’s advertisement with a campaign in which pop group Katseye lead a diverse group of dancers performing in denim against a white backdrop.
Brier said companies should consider how they can genuinely connect with consumers and be representative, rather than simply trying to avoid offense.
“No brand can afford to fake understanding. No brand can ‘committee its way’ to connection. No brand can focus-group its way to authenticity. In 2025, customers can smell the difference from a mile away,” he added.
Nevertheless, ads are meant to spark conversation, and at a time when grabbing and maintaining consumers’ attention — and share of wallet — is increasingly difficult, brands have a fine balance to tread.
“Brands live and die by standing out and grabbing attention. On top of that, iconic and culturally relevant brands want to stand for something and be recognized for it. Those are tough asks,” Jonathan A.J. Wilson, professor of brand strategy and culture at Regent’s University London.
In an age of social media and with ever more divided public opinions, landing one universal message can be difficult, Wilson noted. For as long as that remains the case, some brands may still see value in taking a calculated risk.
“It’s hard to land one universal message, and even if you try and tailor your message to various groups, others are watching,” he said.
“Controversy grabs attention and puts you at the front of people’s minds. It splits crowds and forces people to have a decision when otherwise they probably wouldn’t care. That can lead to disproportionate publicity, which could be converted into sales.”
Summer camp: It’s for munching on s’mores, seizing victory in tug-of-war and making lifelong friends.
For this group of successful businesswomen, though, it’s also about trading tactical advice about managing boards of directors and selling companies. And fighting to get a piece of an investment world dominated by men.
Welcome to Camp Female Founders Fund, a coastal oasis in Montauk, New York, on eastern Long Island, where female business leaders broaden their networks, share their struggles and triumphs and have some fun.
Keurig Dr Pepper said Monday it will buy Peet’s Coffee owner JDE Peet’s in a deal worth about $18 billion (15.7 billion euro).
When the acquisition is complete, the company plans to split into two separate companies, one focused on coffee and the other focused on beverages including Dr Pepper, Canada Dry, 7Up and energy drinks.
The coffee business will have about $16 billion in combined sales and the beverage business about $11 billion.
“Through the complementary combination of Keurig and JDE Peet’s, we are seizing an exceptional opportunity to create a global coffee giant,” said Tim Cofer, Keurig Dr Pepper’s CEO.
In addition to Peet’s, Amsterdam-based JDE Peet’s brands include L’OR, Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Pilao, OldTown, Super and Moccona.
Once the two companies are separated, Cofer will become CEO of the beverage business, which will be based in Frisco, Texas, and Keurig Dr Pepper CFO Sudhanshu Priyadarshi will lead the coffee business, which will be located in Burlington, Mass., with its international headquarters in Amsterdam.
The U.S. government could take equity stakes in more companies, potentially through an American sovereign wealth fund, according to one of President Donald Trump’s top economic advisers.
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett made the comments Monday, days after the United States took a nearly 10% stake in Intel. The government secured a piece of the semiconductor maker with money intended for grants as part of the CHIPS and Science Act, passed during the Biden administration.
Speaking about the new Intel position, Hassett told CNBC: “It’s like a down payment on a sovereign wealth fund, which many countries have.” Governments throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East use such funds to invest in companies and other financial assets.
The federal government has taken ownership stakes in private companies before, but only under extraordinary circumstances, such as during the global financial crisis of 2008.
Hassett said the Intel investment was a ‘very, very special circumstance because of the massive amount of CHIPS Act spending that was coming Intel’s way.’
He added: “So I’m sure that at some point there’ll be more transactions, if not in this industry, in other industries.’
The CHIPS Act was established as a way for the government to provide financing and capital to foreign and domestic companies that manufactured semiconductors and related products in the United States.
Americans and the American economy received the benefit of more than $200 billion in private capital investments since the act was signed into law, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Many companies also announced plans to create new U.S. manufacturing and construction jobs.
Hassett has said the money was ‘going out and disappearing into the ether.’
He has also said, ‘We’re absolutely not in the business of picking winners and losers.’ However, the United States is now Intel’s largest single shareholder. The administration has also taken a ‘golden share’ in U.S. Steel as part of approving its merger with Japan’s Nippon Steel. Trump also said he negotiated with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to take a 15% cut of the chipmaker’s revenue from some chips sold in China. He also has a similar deal with rival chipmaker AMD.
Later Monday, Trump said, ‘I want them to do well anyway, but I want them to do well in particular now.’
He added, ‘I hope I’m going to have many more cases like’ the Intel stake. Asked whether taking equity stakes in private companies was the new way of doing business in the United States, Trump responded: ‘So are tariffs.’
After Hassett’s interview, Trump said on Truth Social: ‘I PAID ZERO FOR INTEL, IT IS WORTH APPROXIMATELY 11 BILLION DOLLARS. All goes to the USA.’ He also said he would ‘help those companies that make such lucrative deals with the United States.’
It was unclear why Trump said the United States did not pay anything for the stake. The government purchased 433.3 million Intel shares at $20.47 each, which equates to $8.9 billion.
Trump has also pushed companies to change course on key products, such as when he pre-emptively announced that Coca-Cola would add cane sugar to an American version of its namesake product.
Trump has also threatened firms such as Amazon, Mattel, Hasbro and Walmart with retaliation for hiking prices as a result of his sweeping global tariff regime.
Trump intervention in private industry has sparked widespread criticism, some of it from Republicans. Trump’s former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, a former Boeing board member, said on X: ‘Intel will become a test case of what not to do.’
After the CNBC interview, NBC News asked Hassett about setting up a sovereign wealth fund.
‘As we acquire things like Intel, then there’s sort of a question of where it goes and it’s held by the U.S. Treasury. And if the U.S. Treasury has more of that stuff, that is starting to look like [a] sovereign wealth fund, whether an official sovereign wealth fund is established is another question,’ he said.
‘But it’s not unprecedented for the U.S. to own equity’ in private companies, he added.
The United States took equity stakes in private companies during the global financial meltdown of 2008 and 2009.
Then, it bought troubled assets and took equity stakes in the likes of JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Bank of America, AIG and other systemically important firms to stabilize the global financial system.
Trump has expanded his power over the business world, fueled by his view that the U.S. economy is like ‘a department store, and we set the price.’
‘I meet with the companies, and then I set a fair price, what I consider to be a fair price, and they can pay it, or they don’t have to pay it,’ Trump said in an April interview.
Cracker Barrel tried to reassure customers Monday that its values have remained the same after it received criticism following a new logo reveal and general brand refresh.
The company promised customers in a statement that while its logo may be different, its values — “hard work, family, and scratch-cooked food made with care’ — are not.
“You’ve shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be,” the statement read, adding that Cracker Barrel will remain “a place where everyone feels at home, no matter where you’re from or where you’re headed.”
Last week, the company unveiled a new logo that no longer features a man leaning against a barrel or the words ‘Old Country Store.’ Instead, it featured the company’s name, in a color scheme that it said was inspired by the chain’s scrambled eggs and biscuits.
The change was part of a ‘strategic transformation’ that aimed to update the chain’s visual elements, spaces, food and retail offerings. The company’s shares are down about 8.5% since the reveal ignited criticism, especially from those in conservative circles.
Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, amplified a post Wednesday suggesting that the logo change was intended to erase the American traditions aspect of the branding and make it more general and lean into diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
On Monday, the chain also shared an update on the man in the original logo, Uncle Herschel, who is said is still featured on menus and road signs and in stores.
‘He’s not going anywhere — he’s family,’ the company said in the statement.
Cracker Barrel said its focuses remain country hospitality and generous portions of food at fair prices. The refresh, it said, was to ensure the restaurant will be there for the next generation.
‘That means showing up on new platforms and in new ways, but always with our heritage at the heart,’ it said.
‘We know we won’t always get everything right the first time, but we’ll keep testing, learning, and listening to our guests and employees.’
On Saturday, Israeli tanks and troops began maneuvering ever closer to Gaza City’s outskirts in preparation for a full-scale offensive. Eyewitness accounts reported intensified shelling as Israel is moving toward what could be the defining battle of its war against Hamas terrorists: the capture of Gaza City.
Israel’s security cabinet approved the operation, known as Gideon’s Chariots B, and has deployed up to five IDF divisions toward the city’s outskirts—a highly significant mobilization. Thousands of reservists—some 60,000—have been called up.
John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the Madison Policy Forum and executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute, told Fox News Digital the scale of this operation is unprecedented. ‘This will be a bigger challenge than anything the IDF has faced, arguably ever. It is the densest location in Gaza, the heart of Hamas’s stronghold. And you don’t really know what the tunnels are until you get into them.’
Spencer said that ‘Hamas built semi-circles of defenses oriented at Israel. But the IDF has shown creativity in maneuvering around obstacles.’ Israel plans to send more combat power into Gaza City than it has deployed across the entire Strip thus far. ‘If your goal is to clear Gaza City of Hamas’s military capabilities and search for hostages, you need that scale,’ he said.
Gadi Shamni, former commander of the Gaza Division and ex-head of IDF Central Command, told Fox News Digital, ‘It is a crowded city with refugee camps, dense neighborhoods, high-rises and a highly developed underground. People say the IDF controls above and below ground, but in the last campaign we saw that wasn’t always true. Even when you destroy tunnels, Hamas can rebuild them quickly. The longer you stay with more forces, the more opportunities you create for the other side to attack.’
A former senior Israeli security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Fox News Digital, ‘The IDF can militarily conquer Gaza, but the costs will be immense on both sides. The IDF will fight with a method of ‘destroy everything first’—air force bombs, massive charges, detonating streets from afar, wiping out entire areas and advancing slowly.
‘The IDF has gained enormous experience over the past two years and will use those tactics in this battle. … You are strong, the enemy is weak, and you have patience. Even the weather is on Israel’s side, with winter not arriving until January.’
The tunnels remain the most formidable element of Hamas’s defense. Unlike ISIS terrorists in Mosul, Spencer said, Hamas has built an underground tunnel network that allows commanders and fighters to move between positions avoid strikes, and conceal hostages. ‘The IDF that will go into Gaza City is not the IDF of 2023,’ Spencer said, pointing to rapid adaptations in the use of drones, robots, and specialized units for tunnel warfare. ‘They’ve learned so much. But this will still be slow, very careful, and costly.’
To illustrate the scale, Spencer pointed to the 2004 battle for Fallujah in Iraq. ‘It took the Marine Corps about two weeks to clear Fallujah—every single home, building, shop. About 68,000 structures were cleared, as if somebody physically looked in them,’ he said. ‘If all five of these [IDF] divisions were doing that, absolutely, you could get it done in a few months. But the enemy always gets a vote. You can’t rush to failure.’
The former Israeli senior security official described the operation as ‘telescopic—very slow, with pistons working one by one. This pace also gives Hamas the chance at every stage to try to cut a deal.’
On the fate of hostages possibly held in Gaza City, the official was blunt: ‘Some of the hostages will die. I wouldn’t be surprised if more brigades are brought in—the IDF is using immense ground power to seize urban terrain.’
Shamni also warned Hamas may relocate hostages, 50 hostages, of whom 20 are still believed to be alive, into combat zones to deter strikes—a tactic he said the IDF would be reluctant to engage for fear of harming captives, a conflict between military necessity and core values.
Shamni highlighted a particularly fraught dilemma: evacuating civilians. ‘You don’t know who will leave, how many will leave, how they’ll react—or whether Hamas will even allow them to leave,’ he said. ‘I assume many will not evacuate, and then you face the hard dilemma of fighting in a place full of noncombatants.’
Spencer added that history shows around 10% of civilians stay behind. ‘Even 10% of a million is 100,000 people,’ he said.
Shamni forecast a protracted operation: ‘It could take months. Two months might seize the surface, but then you still have to clear tunnels. It will cost many lives—including civilians. The worst-case scenario is that no hostages are found alive or dead because of the destruction.’
Shamni, who also served as Israel’s military attaché in Washington, warned that the dual goals of defeating Hamas and returning hostages are contradictory, risking years of drawn-out fighting.
Spencer, however, called the decision to press forward a ‘calculated risk,’ explaining that while military action carries dangers, ‘you weigh the risk of Hamas killing the hostages against the certainty that they’re being starved and tortured. Military pressure is the last resort. Without conquering Gaza City, Hamas will continue to hold a sanctuary.’
EXCLUSIVE – New Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Joe Gruters outlined his mission as he took over steering the GOP’s national party committee.
‘The midterms are ahead, where we must expand our major majority in the House, in the Senate, and continue electing Republicans nationwide,’ Gruters said as he addressed committee members moments after being unanimously elected chair at the RNC’s summer meeting, held this year in Atlanta, Georgia.
Gruters, a state senator and RNC committee member from Florida, who, until his election as chair on Friday, briefly served as the national party committee’s treasurer, is a longtime ally of President Donald Trump. His move to the RNC chairmanship cements Trump’s dominance over the GOP as it prepares for midterm battles next year.
And a month ago, Trump endorsed Gruters to succeed now-former RNC chair Michael Whatley, who stepped down as he runs for the Senate in battleground North Carolina in the blockbuster race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis.
The ascension of Gruters to RNC chair is the latest sign of Trump’s complete control over the national party committee.
‘This is the president’s party. This is the president’s vision, overall. The party fully embraces the president,’ Gruters said as he and Whatley stood for an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.
Whatley, who Trump picked to steer the RNC a year and a half ago, noted that ‘we have transformed the RNC, basically the way that President Trump has transformed the Republican Party.’
Gruters has been a major Trump supporter dating back to the president’s first campaign for the White House. Gruters served as Florida co-chair Trump’s 2016 campaign.
The Democratic National Committee, taking aim at Gruters following his election as chair, claimed that ‘Gruters and Trump will have a lot to bond over while they turn the Republican Party into even more of a personal propaganda machine for Trump.’
Republicans swept back to power last November, with Trump winning the White House, the GOP retaking control of the Senate and holding onto their fragile majority in the House.
But looking ahead to next year’s midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses House and Senate seats, the GOP will be defending their congressional majorities.
A key part of the RNC’s strategy going forward is Trump.
‘We’re gonna ride the president all the way to victory in the midterms, and we are going to win big,’ Gruters emphasized.
Asked about the top three items on his to-do list as he takes over as RNC chair, Gruters said, ‘number one, it’s still election integrity. That’s the most important thing, protecting the vote. And it’s about winning the midterms.’
‘It’s about going back to the fundamentals of registering voters and turning our voters out,’ the new chair added.
Gruters also highlighted Trump’s sweeping GOP-crafted domestic policy bill, which the Republican majorities in Congress passed this summer along near-party lines.
‘It’s our agenda,’ Whatley said in a Fox News Digital interview last month, as he pointed to the massive tax cuts and spending bill that Trump signed into law on July 4.
The measure is stuffed full of Trump’s 2024 campaign trail promises and second-term priorities on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit.
It includes extending the president’s signature 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.
By making his first-term tax rates permanent – they were set to expire later this year – the bill will cut taxes by nearly $4.4 trillion over the next decade, according to analysis by the Congressional Budget Office and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
The measure also provides billions for border security and codifies the president’s controversial immigration crackdown.
And the new law also restructures Medicaid – the almost 60-year-old federal program that provides health coverage to roughly 71 million low-income Americans.
The changes to Medicaid, as well as cuts to food stamps, another one of the nation’s major safety net programs, were drafted in part as an offset to pay for extending Trump’s tax cuts. The measure includes a slew of new rules and regulations, including work requirements for many of those seeking Medicaid coverage.
Democrats, for months, have repeatedly blasted Republicans over the social safety net changes. And they’ve spotlighted a slew of national polls conducted both before and after the measure was passed into law, that indicate the bill’s popularity in negative territory.
But Gruters sees the new law as campaign ammunition.
‘Every single Democrat in Congress voted for a tax increase on average everyday Americans,’ Gruters argued. ‘And that big, beautiful bill has something for every single American, whether you’re working class, whether you’re a small business owner, everybody benefits, and we’re going to be able to ride that bill all the way to victory.’