Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Washington Post Publisher Will Lewis Steps Down After Layoffs 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
FDA Targets Hims & Hers Over $49 Weight-Loss Pill, Raising Legal and Safety Concerns 
Baidu Approves $5 Billion Share Buyback and Plans First-Ever Dividend in 2026 
Sony Q3 Profit Jumps on Gaming and Image Sensors, Full-Year Outlook Raised 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences 
McDonald's revenue jumped 9 percent to $5.1 billion in the first quarter, surpassing 2019's first-quarter sales of $4.95 billion, long before the pandemic broadsided the country.
A bounce back for McDonald's from the first quarter of last year was expected as stores were then closed due to spiking COVID-19 infections, but it was still better than what most had expected.
Same-store sales in the US 13.6 percent in the January-March period.
Fewer diners visited and many dining rooms remain closed. But those who did visit ordered more, with many picking up food for the entire family rather than for one person.
McDonald’s US President Joe Erlinger noted that while the new round of federal stimulus checks helped first-quarter sales the positivity was way beyond that factor.
New products, including crispy chicken sandwiches and spicy nuggets, helped, and drive-thru window services in nearly all US stores was a competitive advantage.
Around 90 percent of McDonald’s US sales in the first quarter came through drive-thru windows, climbing from around 70 percent before the pandemic. The company has made drive-thru faster through many changes including offering a more simple menu.
Delivery orders, which tend to be larger than in-store orders, soared for McDonald's and are now available at 75 percent of its stores worldwide.
In Australia and Japan, even as dining rooms reopened, the elevated demand for drive-thru and delivery will remain, according to CEO Chris Kempczinksi.
