Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Alibaba woos business leaders in Detroit. The Chinese e-commerce giant is hosting its biggest-ever US event, a two-day conference on opportunities for small businesses to reach China’s growing middle class.
China’s A-shares may finally join MSCI’s global index. Hong Kong stocks surged in anticipation of the US index giant’s announcement that it could add mainland Chinese A-shares, which would require benchmark funds to buy billions of dollars worth of Chinese stocks.
US and Turkish heads of defense meet. Defense Secretary James Mattis will try to assuage Turkey’s concerns over the US decision to back Kurdish fighters in Syria.
While you were sleeping
Blue Apron filed to go public… The largest US meal-kit delivery service is seeking a valuation of about $3.2 billion, though it’s still losing money and the IPO is overshadowed by Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods. It hopes to price shares at about $15 to $17 each.
…As a possible bidding war loomed for Whole Foods. The upscale grocery store’s shares climbed above Amazon’s $42 per share offer, suggesting the possibility of a competing bid from a grocery store rival. Few grocers have the cash to make a counter-offer, but firms like Kroger would love to block the online retail giant.
Tech giants convened at the White House. Nearly 20 members of President Trump’s advisory council, including the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet, met to discuss the private sector’s role in cutting government IT costs and other issues. Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner made a rare public address.
Russia said it would target US coalition aircraft in Syria. After the US shot down a Syrian warplane on Sunday, Russia cut off a communications channel aimed at preventing such incidents and warned that it would consider future US flights to be potential targets. Separately, Iran fired its first missile at ISIL forces in Syria.
Time Warner will invest $100 million in Snap Inc. In an effort to reach young audiences, the media giant will begin producing “TV-like” shows and advertising on Snapchat’s platform. The deal comes at a crucial time for Snap, which has reported heavy losses since going public in February.
Quartz obsession interlude
Kira Bindrim on the hottest mobile devices of the 19th century: “The story of the kaleidoscope, patented 200 years ago, has all the makings of a Silicon Valley spinoff. There’s an eccentric founder, a breakthrough idea, and a case of IP theft. A once-viral hit struggles to iterate. An influencer saves the day. And at the center of it all, a handheld source of endless visual entertainment.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
Let us mourn the end / Of supermarkets. But first / Can you buy some milk?
Matters of Debate
Amazon’s Whole Foods deal is more than it seems. The grocery chain could be a signature customer for the company’s logistics services.
If someone cuts you off in a meeting, talk more quietly. Everyone in the room will have to focus harder on what you’re saying.
The secret to eternal happiness is in reality TV. The Great British Bake Off showcases the joy of flow.
Surprising discoveries
Donald Trump’s presidency is saving history. At least as a university major—students want to know, “How did we get here?”
Left-handed people are more likely to be geniuses. The trait indicates greater connectivity between brain hemispheres, which may explain why southpaws seem to have an edge at math.
At last, we can turn pee into electricity. Researchers in the UK created a device lined with microorganisms that feed on urine and produce phone-charging electrons.
A tick that makes you allergic to meat is spreading. A single bite can reprogram your immune system, making ingestion of a protein-linked sugar molecule potentially fatal.
Our sun may have a long-lost twin. New research on a cluster of Milky Way stars suggests that most sun-like stars are born in pairs.
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