US Stock Futures Hold Steady Ahead of June Jobs Report as Fed Rate Outlook Remains in Focus 
Asian Stocks Rebound as Tech Shares Rally on Fed Rate Cut Hopes and Easing Iran Tensions 
Australia Trade Balance Swings to Surprise Deficit as Imports Outpace Exports in May 
OpenAI Proposes 5% U.S. Government Stake Amid AI Policy Talks 
Northern Star Appoints New CEO as Activist Elliott Pushes for Leadership Overhaul 
US Jobs Report Preview: June Payroll Growth Seen Slowing as Fed Rate Decision Looms 
US Resumes Dollar Shipments to Iraq After Months-Long Suspension 
Norway Offshore Oil Workers Reach Wage Deal, Averting Strike 
Meta Stock Jumps as AI Cloud Expansion Challenges AWS, Microsoft, and Google 
South Korea Warns Won Is Undervalued, Boosts FX Coordination With Japan 
SK Holdings, KKR Launch $1.3B Renewable Energy Venture in South Korea 
Asian Currencies Stay Under Pressure as Dollar Holds Near 13-Month High Ahead of U.S. Jobs Report 
JPMorgan Cuts Gold Price Forecast, Sees Bullion Reaching $4,500 by End of 2026 
Sodexo Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook After Strong Q3 Sales Beat 
Asian Currencies Rise as Dollar Weakens; Yen Holds Steady Amid Japan Intervention Watch 
Gold Price Surges Above $4,120 as Weak US Jobs Data Lowers Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Apple Eyes Chinese Memory Chips as AI Shortage Pressures iPhone Supply Chain 
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.
