CNBC

Although cost is the No. 1 concern among college applicants, ruling out expensive private schools may be a mistake.

BARCELONA — Global telecommunications firms are talking up advances in key technologies like artificial intelligence as they look to transition away from being perceived as the "dumb pipes" behind the internet. At the Mobile World Congress technology conference in Barcelona, CEOs of multiple telecoms companies described how they're piling money into new technological innovations, including AI, next-generation 5G and 6G networks, satellite internet and even smart cities. Makoto Takahashi, president and CEO of Japanese telecom giant KDDI, detailed plans to build a smart city dubbed Takanawa Gateway City in Tokyo, as well as roll out direct-to-cell satellite internet connectivity in partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink venture.

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Ferraris are becoming increasingly popular among younger buyers, with the CEO of the luxury automaker revealing that 40% of new buyers are now under the age of 40. That reflects a significant upswing from just over 18 months ago, when Ferrari's chief said the figure stood at 30%. "40% of the new clients are below 40 years," Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna told CNBC on the sidelines of CONVERGE LIVE in Singapore.

China's economic data for the first two months of the year showed a modest pickup as Beijing reiterated its plan to bolster domestic consumption. Retail sales rose by 4.0% in the January-February period from a year ago, compared with the 3.7% year-on-year growth in December and in line with Reuters estimates. Industrial production climbed 5.9% in the first two months of the year from a year ago, slower than the 6.2% growth in December, but faster than a 5.3% expansion forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll.

The U.S. consumer hasn't felt so glum about the economy since November 2022, according to a survey by the University of Michigan. That's when annual inflation was at 7.1% and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged that the chances of a soft landing — where inflation is tamed without the economy slipping into recession — has narrowed. With U.S. inflation at 2.9% in December and gross domestic product expanding an annualized 2.3% during the fourth quarter last year, it seemed like the Fed was, in fact, going to steer the economy safely down the landing strip. But turbulence, in the form of President Donald Trump's tariffs, is rocking the plane in 2025. Consumers now expect one-year inflation to jump to 4.9%, the same survey showed. Adding to woes, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday there are "no guarantees" there won't be a recession.

China announced a "Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption" on Sunday in a bid to prop up domestic consumption in the world's second largest economy. The General Office of the Central Committee, an office directly under China's ruling party, said the plan was to vigorously boost consumption, expand domestic demand, and "enhance consumption capacity by increasing income and reducing burdens," according to a Google translation of the report. The wide-ranging release also outlined other steps, such as taking "multiple measures" to stabilize the stock market and developing more bond products suitable for individual investors. This comes a week after China's Premier Li Qiang delivered an annual report on government work that named boosting consumption as the top task for the year ahead.

Ownership of electric vehicles continues to rise in the U.S., with nearly six million battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids currently on the road. Even though that's still a fraction of the overall market and the growth rate of EV sales has slowed, automakers remain invested in the eventual transition away from gasoline, as 2024 sales of traditional internal combustion engine cars fell below 80% for the first time in modern automotive history. Continued EV sales growth shows that at least for a significant portion of auto consumers, range anxiety is no longer an issue. But it is a persistent fear in the EV market that is getting a new test with the Trump administration looking to slash EV incentives from the federal government. The majority of EV owners charge up at home, but from city streets and interstate highways to parking garages and airports, the EV industry is concentrated on installing enough chargers in public places to help end range anxiety, while building pur

The latest installment of HBO's "The White Lotus" has viewers wishing they were also poolside, soaking in the tropical scenery. In the days before and after the show's season three premiere, CNBC reported that social media chatter about traveling to Thailand was up 60%. Throughout the show's run, a Four Seasons property has been the backdrop for the cast of characters' luxurious, and drama-filled vacations — first in Maui, then Sicily and now Koh Samui. Now, the Four Seasons is offering travelers the chance to experience life at "The White Lotus" for themselves.

This man spent a decade planning for a baby through surrogacy. Here's what prospective parents need to know about the process.