Tesla’s Inclusion in the S&P 500

Tesla’s Inclusion in the S&P 500

Luke Kathman
Economics, Finance

In early September 2020, Tesla fell short of what was thought by many to be a done deal: inclusion into the S&P 500 Index. This Index is supposed to reflect the total investable market culture. A reflection on whether or not the market is healthy. Inclusion would help Tesla’s stock boost since investors can see that it is one of the most valuable companies on the market. This index did not include Tesla, the largest automotive maker by market capitalization. Also, by market capital, Tesla is the eighth largest publicly traded company on the market (Elmerraji, 2020), beating companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble (Randewich, 2020). Both of which have been included in the S&P 500 for many years.

Automation, From an Economic Point of View

Automation, From an Economic Point of View

Juan Dufour
Economics

In the next ten years, one out of three American workers (and 800 million globally) are at risk of losing their jobs to new technologies, according to research from McKinsey (Manyika et al., 2019). Automation, the use of largely automatic equipment in a system of manufacturing or other production processes, and Artificial Intelligence, the development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, are going to replace millions in the workplace. Many people are freaking out about this; while at the same time, many people are looking forward to it. Should we be worried about automation or should we be happy? That depends. When discussing automation it is crucial to understand that (i) we don’t want jobs, (ii) it will bring about massive economic disparity, and (iii) we must approach this future in an intelligent manner.

THE COVID-19 VACCINE: Does it Come with 2 Day Free Shipping?

THE COVID-19 VACCINE: Does it Come with 2 Day Free Shipping?

Shraiy Gupta
Economics

Coronavirus has uprooted life for most people and penetrated into every aspect of our lives. New working from home policies, virtual learning, mask mandates, politics, and communication are focused on the raging pandemic. Current data suggests that the worldwide death toll has surpassed 1.34 million deaths, with 254,000 of those being within the US alone [1]. However, there has been hope on the horizon. Pfizer and Moderna have made incredible strides, creating a vaccine that is 95% and 94.5% effective at treating the Coronavirus. While the fact that a vaccine has been discovered is amazing, there is still a huge issue: distribution. With the spread of Coronavirus, the world's optimized supply chain network took significant damage. Now, it is this same crippled system that will be placed in charge of distributing the cure to the Coronavirus. This article intends to highlight the current issues with the distribution network and potential issues to resolve before the vaccine distribution.

All Eyes on the Middleman 

All Eyes on the Middleman 

Ethan Plasker
Finance

The race to produce a vaccine for COVID-19 is coming to a close finish as drugmakers await FDA approval for their vaccines and distributors await massive shipments to issue across the globe. McKesson is a “global leader in healthcare supply chain management solutions” and is currently under contract with the United States government for $568 billion to produce supply kits with needles, syringes, and personal protective equipment for business related to the COVID-19 pandemic (LaVito, 2020). Traditionally, McKesson partners with healthcare organizations to match their products and services to the right customers in a timely, safe, and cost effective manner (McKesson, 2020). The healthcare company was also chosen as the central distributor by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to supply the government’s Operation Warp Speed (OWS), which is an accelerated vaccine process designed by the government this year. This unprecedented task at slating the completion timeline for the vaccine process to 14 months as opposed to the typical 73 months will come at a great challenge (Figure 1, defense.gov). We are at a critical point in the process with Phase III clinical trials in the rearview. With the spotlight on McKesson, we will look to them for updates on the vaccine distribution process in the coming weeks, but for now, let us dive into what that might look like.

The Pandemic Brings Racism in Healthcare to the Forefront

The Pandemic Brings Racism in Healthcare to the Forefront

Naomi Buchanan
Politics

As this year slowly comes to an end, we look back on the historic importance of 2020. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and too many others at the hands of the police and the national response have forced a reckoning of the role of racism within American life. As the U.S. is unable to control the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic continues to change the way we live. The Coronavirus has highlighted the failures of the American healthcare system, specifically the disproportionate negative effects for Black people of color. Racism plays a critical role in determining individual health outcomes and the healthcare system can no longer be complicit through inaction.

Another 2020 Rollercoaster: The Marijuana Industry 

Another 2020 Rollercoaster: The Marijuana Industry 

Meryem Berrada
Investing

The United States marijuana industry has been forced to overcome a series of highs and lows this year just like practically every other major industry. The variety in circumstances has made predicting marijuana stock outcomes increasingly difficult this year. From forest fires, the COVID-19 pandemic, to new legalizations, here is a 2020 industry re-cap.

Climate Change and Apple's Carbon Neutral Plan for 2030

Climate Change and Apple's Carbon Neutral Plan for 2030

Ina Patrice Gonzales

Think about how much technology you use in one day. To wake up, you probably use an alarm clock. After you open your eyes, you might reach for your phone and check for any notifications you missed during the night. Since most businesses are working remotely online, you might log into your computer to meet with your boss or take on a team project. To even read this article right now, you must be using some type of electronic device. Whether you realize it or not, technology is deeply integrated into our daily lives. A Nielsen Company report revealed that the average individual in the United States spends 10 hours and 39 minutes looking at a screen. Another Nielsen report showed that the average American might spend 50 hours per week on some type of device, which totals over two whole days!

How Media Shapes our Understanding of Modern Work Cultures: Wall Street Edition

How Media Shapes our Understanding of Modern Work Cultures: Wall Street Edition

Shreya Sharma

In the modern day, a majority of the information we receive originates from digitized platforms, such as the television, radios, mobile news applications, films and documentaries. As learning has developed due to modern technology, schools and colleges have adopted the practice of showing films/documentaries in order to promote learning in an engaging way. Many important world events are conveyed through the means of movies, such as Gandhi, The Amistad, and All The President's Men (Scott). This concept applies to the significant financial events that have shaped United States history as well, such as the 2008 Financial Crisis. The two movies analyzed in this article are The Margin Call and The Big Short. Both of these movies present different perspectives of the crisis and portray accurate information, providing viewers an opportunity to learn while simultaneously remaining engaged and entertained. The way the media has portrayed the corporate world in these movies sets the tone for how Wall Street is viewed by many young individuals and fosters its values insatiable in upcoming employees.

The Video Game Industry in the United States

The Video Game Industry in the United States

Ina Patrice Gonzales

A huge industry within the United States economic market is the video game industry. This industry includes hardware, which is the console that the games are played on and software, which is the game itself. There are divisions and sub industries within the market such as board games, card games, role-playing games, and more. Gaming has flourished under technological advancements such as virtual reality headsets, portable gaming consoles, mobile game applications, and application extension games. These advancements have aided the game industry’s exponential growth with trends suggesting that it will not slow down any time soon. Within the technological industry is the video game market which has shifted from a small industry to a mainstream business once gaming consoles became more widely available (Marchand and Henning-Thurau 141). This shift can be seen in the worldwide video game market as positive projections for the next few years show that the value of the industry could increase from $137.9 billion in 2018 to $180.1 billion by 2021 (Sharma). The Chinese, American, Japanese, South Korean, and German markets dominate this worldwide video game market (Sharma). Prominent companies from these regions of the world include Nintendo Co., Huya Inc., Take-Two Interactive, and Sony Corp. (Sharma). In 2012 alone, global revenues for video games were at an estimated sixty – seven billion dollars (USD) for consoles as well as portable hardware and software (Marchand and Henning-Thurau 141). In the same year, virtual good sales within the games were estimated at fifteen billion dollars globally (Marchand and Henning-Thurau 141).

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