Super Bowl tickets are most expensive ever

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The average ticket price so far is $3,554 -- about $1,000 more than last year, according to SeatGeek, which tracks online sales.

SeatGeek analyst Connor Gregoire said he does not expect the price for the few remaining tickets to come down before the Seahawks and Patriots face off on Sunday in front of 72,000 fans in Phoenix.

On Friday, the cheapest ticket was going for nearly $8,000 and the most expensive topped $24,000, according to SeatGeek.

And there are very few left -- only about 300 tickets on Friday. On the same day last year, there were about 4,000.

Related: Snickers cast Danny Trejo in Brady Bunch reboot

Getting a ticket to the Super Bowl is a tricky business. Only 1,000 are sold to fans at face value. The rest are divvied up among the league, which gives a lot to corporate sponsors, and the teams. Those tickets are either auctioned off to season tickets holders, or sold by brokers on the secondary market.

In the past few years, many buyers have held out until the last minute and, in fact, got a good deal as prices fell in the days leading to the game.

Game day is actually the busiest in the resale market, Gregoire said.

But this year prices have gone up. It's not entirely clear why. But there are fewer tickets than expected on the secondary market. That will leave some fans out of luck.

Related: Is a $45 million Super Bowl ad worth it?

First Published: January 30, 2015: 4:50 PM ET

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January was a terrible month for stocks

Stocks have been having a pretty bad 2015 so far.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Dow shed 3.7%, the S&P 500 has lost 3.1%, and the Nasdaq is over 2.1% lower.

Talk about a bad start to the year. A quick glance at the chart below shows what a whiplash ride 2015 has been so far with 7 days where the market swung up or down more than 200 points.

Related: Bears warn: A crisis could be near

There's an adage on Wall Street that the early days of the year are a good predictor of the full-year. Historically speaking, there's only about a 50-50 probability that the stock market will end the year on a positive note if January saw market declines, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac.

Dan Greenhaus, chief strategist at BTIG, points out that five of the last six down January's (2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014) have not prevented the S&P 500 from finishing higher for the full year.

The one exception was 2008, but that was the year of the financial crisis.

But investors might take comfort that January of 2014 was even worse and stocks rebounded significantly to hit record highs in December.

"In an effort to note something positive we can say that while the [S&P 500] index is down [3]% or so this year, the index finished January 2014 down by 3.6%!" Greenhaus wrote in a recent research note.

This time last year the market was worried about an emerging markets meltdown and the impact of the Federal Reserve pullback on so-called quantitative easing (aka bond buying). Those fears are mostly gone. This January investors are worried about cheap oil and the global economic slowdown.

The energy and financial sectors were the biggest losers for the month. Energy is easy to understand. Oil fell below $50 for first time in early January and acted as a psychological trigger that spooked investors. This was followed up by earnings reports and announcements from Big Oil showing major cutbacks in spending and operations. There's little doubt that it will be a leaner year ahead in the energy sector.

Related: America's No. 2 oil company cuts spending

Financials were a bigger surprise. The big bank CEOs blamed Washington regulations for sluggish performance, but the reality is many bank's core investment banking and trading have been suffering.

There was one bright spot in January: Bonds.

As the stock market gyrates, investors have been fleeing to bonds. Several European nations even have negative yields on their bonds, a sign of just how much demand there is for a so-called safe asset.

In the U.S., the 10-year government bond yield is now down to 1.66%, the lowest point since the spring of 2013.

First Published: January 30, 2015: 3:54 PM ET

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Seahawks' Paul Allen is the NFL's richest team owner

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen is by far the richest in the league. The Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) co-founder is worth about $17 billion, according to various estimates.

The Seahawks head to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. This year they face off against the New England Patriots which are owned by Robert Kraft, who has a net worth of $4 billion, making him the sixth richest owner in the NFL.

The two men made their money in very different ways.

Related: NFL gets billions in subsidies from taxpayers

Allen helped Bill Gates start Microsoft when both were students at Harvard, and left the company with a chunk of its then privately-held stock in 1983 which translated in to the bulk of his wealth. Allen also made about $2 billion from the appreciation in value of the Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, both of which he bought decades ago.

Bob Kraft, left, and Paul Allen, right, owners of the two Super Bowl teams, made their fortunes in very different ways.

By contrast, Patriots owner Robert Kraft made most of his $4 billion fortune in football. He bought his team for a reported $172 million in 1994, and today it's worth an estimated $2.6 billion.

Related: Seahawks vs. Patriots - How do the fans measure up?

There's only one NFL team with owners that aren't worth billions. The Green Bay Packers is actually publicly owned by its fans, who hold a special issue of stock in the team that can not be sold or traded.

Related: NFL earns record profits despite ugly image

First Published: January 30, 2015: 4:05 PM ET

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Russia slashes interest rates to avert slump

LONDON (CNNMoney)

The central bank said it was cutting its key lending rate to 15% from 17%, giving greater priority to preventing a protracted slump than fighting inflation or propping up the ruble.

Russia's economy relies heavily on oil and gas exports. Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine made it even more vulnerable to the collapse in global crude prices late last year.

As the ruble plummeted to record lows against the dollar in December, the Bank of Russia jacked up interest rates to defend the currency and prevent inflation spiraling out of control.

Related: Russia raids infrastructure fund to save banks

The emergency move drew howls of protest from Russian borrowers and businesses. Inflation has continued to accelerate in January -- as of this week it was running at 13% -- but the central bank said Friday it expected price pressures to begin to slow due to the fall in economic activity.

"A further substantial decrease of output is expected amid the deterioration of external conditions resulting from the oil price drop and foreign financial markets inaccessibility for Russian borrowers," the bank said in a statement.

The ruble fell on news of the rate cut to trade at nearly 71 to the dollar. That's down about 3% but still some way off the record low of nearly 80 hit in mid December.

Russia's economy will shrink by 3.2% in the first half of this year, the central bank said.

First Published: January 30, 2015: 6:15 AM ET

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Uber sued in U.S. over alleged India rape

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco on Thursday, claims that Uber did not adequately screen its drivers, or implement other basic safety measures that would have kept the plaintiff safe.

"Opening the Uber app and setting the pick-up location has proven to be the modern day equivalent of electronic hitchhiking," the lawsuit says. "Buyer beware -- we all know how these horror movies end."

The alleged rape, which took place in December, sparked protests in India's capital city, and calls for reforms that would safeguard women against sexual assault.

The Uber driver accused of carrying out the rape was found to have a long rap sheet, including at least four pending criminal cases in his home state. City transport officials subsequently banned the transportation app.

Uber said in a statement that its "deepest sympathies remain with the victim of this horrific crime."

"We are cooperating fully with the authorities to ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice," the company said.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages on behalf of the plaintiff, and the addition of safety measures including tamper-proof cameras and GPS tracking systems in Uber cars.

The victim, who remains anonymous, is represented by Douglas Wigdor, a high-profile attorney who previously represented the hotel maid who accused former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault.

Related: Uber's global ambitions hit roadblocks

Uber restarted operations in Delhi last week after applying for a local Radio Taxi license, a concession to regulators who are pushing the company to behave more like a traditional taxi service.

A license has not yet been issued. On Tuesday, Uber said it was operating as a not-for-profit in Delhi and waving all fees until "regulatory ambiguity is resolved."

Related: Uber restarts in New Delhi

Following the alleged rape, Uber has committed to adding new safety measures in Delhi, including an additional layer of screening and independent background checks on all drivers.

The company is no stranger to regulatory roadblocks. It faces legal challenges in a number of other markets around the world, a byproduct of its aggressive expansion and controversial product.

First Published: January 30, 2015: 1:16 AM ET

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Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

Click on chart for more premarket data.

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

Here are the 4 things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Even more earnings: Chevron (CVX), MasterCard (MA) and Mattel (MAT) are reporting earnings before the opening bell.

Chevron earnings will be a particular focus as investors look for signs of how rock-bottom crude prices are affecting the company's plans. Mattel shares tumbled nearly 5% premarket after the company said sales and profits fell in the fourth quarter. Barbie sales dropped 12%.

U.S. stock futures were sharply lower ahead of the open.

On Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 1.3%, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq gained 1.0%.

2. Amazon jumps: Online retail giant Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) reported earnings Thursday that beat Wall Street's expectations. Its shares soared by more than 11% in premarket trading. Google (GOOG) shares were also firmer premarket.

3. A little bit of data: The University of Michigan will report the final version of its January consumer sentiment index at 9:55 a.m. ET.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

4. International markets overview: European markets opened firmer on Wall Street's gains, but turned lower in morning trade.

Greek stocks were steady, with banks continuing to recover after slumping earlier this week on fears about the future of the country's international bailout. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet eurozone officials in Athens Friday for the first time since winning Sunday's election.

Russia slashed interest rates to 15% from 17% in a bid to prevent an even deeper recession.

Asian markets ended mixed. The Shanghai Composite shed 1.6% and the Hang Seng lost 0.4%. Japan's Nikkei gained 0.4% as the yen weakened.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

First Published: January 30, 2015: 5:15 AM ET

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Average 401(k) balance hits record $91,300

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

At Fidelity, the average 401(k) balance hit $91,300 by the end of 2014. While that's up just 2% from 2013, it's a jump of more than 30% from 2011's average balance of $69,100, Fidelity reported.

The increase was due in part to the stock market, which saw the S&P 500 climb by more than 10%-- its third year of double-digit gains. But a spike in worker contributions also played a significant role.

Workers and their employers contributed an average of $9,670 in 2014, up 4% from the year before.

"The 401(k) is the sole source [of retirement savings] for many," said Fidelity vice president Jeanne Thompson. "I think there is heightened awareness of the importance of putting money into the 401(k)."

On average, employees socked away 8.1% of their salary, the highest savings rate recorded by Fidelity since 2011. Including an employer match, workers saved around 12% of their salary, which falls within the 10% to 15% recommended by financial planners.

Thompson credited the increasing savings rate to a growing number of employers who are automatically enrolling workers into their 401(k) plans at a contribution rate of 5% or more.

Consistent savers are doing especially well. Savers in their 401(k) plan for 10 years or more had an average balance of $248,000 -- an increase of 11% from what similar savers had a year ago.

Related: My biggest retirement mistake

The bad news: most people will need far more than that for a comfortable retirement. The common 4% rule for example, dictates that $250,000 would provide only $10,000 a year in retirement income.

Of course, 401(k) balances are just a snapshot of the retirement savings landscape since savers often have multiple investments and accounts like Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and annuities. Fidelity, for example, found IRA holders had an average balance of $92,200 in 2014.

With the stock market starting out on rocky footing this year, Fidelity urged savers to ignore the market turmoil and instead to focus on long-term savings goals.

"The typical American worker will see markets go up and down many times during their career," Jim MacDonald, president of workplace investing at Fidelity, said in a statement. "Commitment to a long-term savings and investing strategy will put individuals in the best position."

First Published: January 29, 2015: 12:56 AM ET

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Stocks: 5 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the five things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Expecting earnings: Alibaba (BABA, Tech30), Ford (F), Coach (COH) and Time Warner Cable (TWC) will report earnings before the opening bell, as well as oil companies Valero (VLO), Phillips 66 (PSXP) and ConocoPhillips (COP).

Google (GOOGL, Tech30), Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) and Visa (V) will report after the close.

U.S. stock futures are holding steady but Thursday's direction will likely depend on how well those earnings are received.

All the major indexes fell on Wednesday. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 196 points, while the S&P 500 slid 1.4%. The Nasdaq fell by nearly 1%.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

2. Market movers -- Facebook, Qualcomm: Facebook (FB, Tech30) shares were edging down by 1% premarket after the social networking giant reported fourth quarter results.

Qualcomm (QCOM, Tech30) shares were dropping by about 8% premarket after the company cut its sales and earnings outlook. The company blamed the lower outlook on increased competition in China, among other things.

Shares in Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) fell by about 3.5% in London after the company said it would cut spending on oil projects by $15 billion over the next three years.

This "confirm[s] that many projects are indeed unsustainable and unfeasible [with] the currently low oil prices," said Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets.

Shares in Samsung (SSNLF) dipped by just over 1% in Asia after the company reported another set of disappointing results.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

3. Investors lovin' McDonald's news: Investors are bidding up shares in McDonald's (MCD) ahead of the open after CEO Don Thompson announced his retirement. This comes a week after McDonald's reported awful financial results.

4. Greece markets steady: The main stock market index in Greece stabilized, trading up by about 2% after plunging Wednesday.

The index has fallen 12% since the start of the year as investors have grown increasingly worried about Greece's financial health following the election of a new government that wants to renegotiate the terms of its international bailout.

European markets were all edging down in early trading. Asian markets mostly closed with losses.

5. Economic announcements: The U.S. government will report weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET.

At 10 a.m., new U.S. data on pending home sales will be released from December.

First Published: January 29, 2015: 5:01 AM ET

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Close Sesame! Alibaba plunges as sales miss

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But here's the bad news: Even though the Chinese e-commerce leader reported a 40% jump in sales, that still wasn't as much as what Wall Street was expecting. And investors are not happy.

Shares of Alibaba (BABA, Tech30) plunged 7% in premarket trading.

The stock tanked Wednesday after Yahoo (YHOO, Tech30) announced plans to spin off its remaining stake in Alibaba to its shareholders.

The Chinese government also issued a harsh rebuke of the company, saying that Alibaba was too lax when it comes to policing its sites for counterfeit and pirated goods.

Related: China issues scathing report on Alibaba

The stock is now nearly 25% below the all-time high it hit in late November.

Even though Alibaba's earnings report clearly disappointed Wall Street, Jack Ma's company has made a big splash with investors since its blockbuster initial public offering in September.

Alibaba has proven that online commerce can be a solidly profitable business. American online retailing giant Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) has often reported big losses despite large increases in sales.

Amazon will report its fourth quarter results after the closing bell Thursday.

First Published: January 29, 2015: 7:25 AM ET

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Why neon is taking over the world

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Fluorescent colors that look like they came straight out of a highlighter are taking over the sports world in a big way. They will be featured in this week's Super Bowl.

They're all over the Australian Open. They were a big part of last weekend's Pro Bowl and NHL All-Star games. They were in this year's college football playoffs, and they will make several March Madness appearances.

The neon spectacle across multiple sports isn't a coincidence. Fluorescent colors are currently trending with young people -- the target demographic of sports equipment makers.

"Uniform designers have come to the realization that kids prefer fluorescent colors," said DayGlo Business Manager Brian Skelly. "We've definitely seen a spike in sales in the last couple years."

DayGlo, which manufactures fluorescent pigments, recently conducted a study, which found that children prefer neon colors four-to-one over conventional colors. The company also found that customers stop to look at brightly colored clothing twice as long as they spend looking at non-fluorescent items.

"It's a cliche, but kids do like shiny objects," said Paul Lukas, who reports on sports uniforms for his Uni-Watch blog and ESPN. "The neon and fluorescent colors you see on sports uniforms play into that. When teams change their uniforms, the first question is, 'How will this sell?'""

Sports uniform makers have gotten the message. Nike (NKE) redesigned the Super-Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks' uniforms in 2012 to include neon green highlights and trim. Nike also designed the highlighter-like Australian Open outfits, Pro Bowl uniforms and Oregon Ducks jerseys.

Reebok's 2015 NHL All-Star uniforms featured fluorescent green stripes -- a standout for a typically conservative league. Unsurprisingly, Reebok said it had young fans in mind when designing the uniforms.

"To showcase the heroes of the game, we thought we could have a design more targeted towards a younger demographic," said Dom Fillion, Reebok's lead designer. "We think it will get them excited about the game."

Since none of the NHL teams feature neon colors on their uniforms, Reebok is turning to team-licensed apparel such as t-shirts and hats to feature the popular color.

"Demand for these colors has definitely gone up," said Keith Leach, Reebok's director of NHL merchandising.

Hot, bright colors have been around for a few decades. They were big in the 1980s, but they didn't have quite the same vibrancy that they do today. Ultra-bright colors have become far more prevalent in recent years, because fabric and dye technology has vastly improved.

Today's fluorescent colors pop more, they don't rub off on your skin and they stay bright after washing them, DayGlo's Skelly noted.

Related: NHL partners with GoPro

"It's definitely having an impact on what people are buying," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "It's a huge attention-getter; the human eye cannot avoid looking at a color with that much intensity and sparkle."

But Pantone's Eiseman isn't so sure about its lasting impact.

"I think that just like most trends, they have their moments," she said. "It's just a given in the fashion world that a trend can only last so long. The consumer will eventually look at fluorescent colors as ho-hum."

But Lukas expects the neon craze to stick around for a long time, as sports apparel makers Nike, Adidas (ADDDF) and Under Armour (UA) try to outshine one another -- literally.

DayGlo also believes fluorescents will be here for the long haul, calling the current trend "more than just a moment."

So your eyes may get a rest in a few years. But don't count on it.

Related: Sports Illustrated lays off photographers

Related: Belichick talks #DeflateGate in front of Gillette #Flexball ad

First Published: January 28, 2015: 6:39 AM ET

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China issues scathing report on Alibaba

Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma has called counterfeits a "cancer."

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The Chinese government has released a report that accuses e-commerce giant Alibaba of turning a blind eye to illegal activity, and failing to police its online marketplaces. The company has been "far too lax" in its business operations, allowing some merchants to sell counterfeit goods, from designer bags to smartphones, according to the State Administration of Industry and Commerce.

Regulators said the scathing report, which stems from a July 2014 meeting between the company and government officials, wasn't released earlier to avoid interfering with Alibaba's landmark IPO in September.

Counterfeits have long been a problem for Alibaba, which operates popular online shopping sites such as Taobao and Tmall. Co-founder Jack Ma has even called fakes a "cancer" to the company.

Related: Alibaba has a major counterfeit problem

"Taobao has done a tremendous amount of work towards fighting counterfeits, but it is far from complete," said company spokesman Bob Christie. "We need more law enforcement agencies to join us in the fight and eradicate the cancer at the roots."

Alibaba (BABA, Tech30) took issue with the government review, saying the process was marred by misconduct and has "inflicted irreparable and serious damage to Taobao and Chinese online businesses." The company will file a complaint to the SAIC.

Fake goods were a concern for investors as Alibaba's market debut drew closer last year. Leading up to its IPO, the company signed a handful of anti-piracy agreements with luxury brands and industry groups. The company also launched a policy for some of its platforms that bans sellers after "three strikes."

Related: Chinese courts are selling seized assets on Alibaba's Taobao

In 2013, Alibaba removed 114 million product listings from Taobao over a period of 10 months. But major consumer brands, such as Columbia Sportswear, have said that they feel fighting fakes is a losing battle.

Alibaba shares closed on Tuesday at $102.94 in New York, up 51% from the IPO price.

Read next: Yahoo soars on Alibaba spinoff

First Published: January 28, 2015: 5:08 AM ET

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Stocks: 5 things to know before the open

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the five things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Big tech gets a boost: Shares in Apple (AAPL, Tech30) are expected to jump at the open after the company posted the biggest profit in corporate history in the last quarter, when it sold 74.5 million iPhones.

Apple's earnings are helping ARM Holdings (ARMH, Tech30) in London, a company that sells chip designs to Apple and other smartphone makers. Shares in ARM were rising by 2% in London.

Yahoo (YHOO, Tech30) shares are also expected to soar at the open after the company said it would spin off its remaining stake in Chinese e-retailer Alibaba (BABA, Tech30). The deal is expected to save shareholders $16 billion in tax, according to Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

2. Greek stocks and bonds plunge: Greek markets plunged again, with banks suffering the most, after the country's new anti-austerity government was reported to have canceled a planned privatization -- one condition of its international bailout. The benchmark Athens index has now fallen nearly 10% already this year.

The yield on Greece 10-year government bonds jumped 60 basis points to more than 10%.

European markets were mostly weaker, while Asian markets ended mixed.

3. Tech results lift Nasdaq: The tech-heavy Nasdaq index is rising by about 1% premarket as it gets a lift from Apple and Yahoo.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average are relatively flat. The S&P 500 is bumping around.

Tuesday was a down day in the markets.

The Dow Jones industrial average plunged by 291 points, while the S&P 500 lost 1.3% and the Nasdaq shed 1.9%.

Investors were in a selling mood after Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30), Caterpillar (CAT) and Procter & Gamble (PG) all disappointed heavily with their quarterly results.

4. More earnings: Quarterly results are coming in thick and fast.

Boeing (BA), Hess (HES) and Fiat Chrysler (FCAM) are among the main companies reporting earnings before the opening bell.

Facebook (FB, Tech30) will report after the close.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

5. Focus on the Fed: At 2 p.m. ET, investors around the world will be focusing on the latest announcements from the U.S. Federal Reserve. The Fed is concluding its two-day meeting Wednesday and investors will be parsing through the Fed's new statement to guess when the central bank may be ready to raise interest rates.

First Published: January 28, 2015: 5:05 AM ET

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Can Apple live up to the iHype?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The popular tech company reports its results after the closing bell Tuesday. But will they be strong enough to satisfy fickle Wall Street traders?

Analysts are forecasting that Apple (AAPL, Tech30)'s earnings per share surged 25% and that sales rose 17%. The main reason? This was the first full quarter that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were on the market.

Apple's earnings are expected to be so iNormous that they are helping to distort the estimated growth rate for the tech sector and entire market.

If you exclude Apple, FactSet Research says that tech earnings will be flat. With Apple, the growth rate jumps to 4%.

For the overall S&P 500, analysts predict that earnings without Apple and biotech Gilead Sciences (GILD) would be down nearly 2%. With those two companies, earnings should rise slightly. Gilead, a maker of hepatitis C drugs, is expected to report a 300% jump in earnings per share.

Related: Smarter people use iPhones

Repeat success? Still, Wall Street wants Apple to do more than beat expectations, it wants the tech giant to crush them.

Apple has beaten consensus earnings estimates for the past eight quarters ... and by an average of 5%.

Apple's stock has pulled back a bit in the past few weeks. It's down 5% since hitting an all-time high in late November ... and exceeding $700 billion in market value for the first time in the process.

But could Apple hit a new record after reporting earnings? Hedge fund titan Carl Icahn has predicted the stock could go as high as $200 a share.

Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley has a $135 price target on Apple. That's 20% higher than current levels. (The average price target for the stock is $122.77 according to FactSet.)

He said in a recent report that his surveys of the top four wireless carriers in the U.S. -- Verizon (VZ, Tech30), AT&T (T, Tech30), Sprint (S) and T-Mobile (TMUS) -- show that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were "by far" the most popular smartphone models in the fourth quarter. He added that this has continued into January.

Walkley argues that demand should remain strong for the higher-memory models of the latest iPhones in the coming months as well. That's because the 64GB and 128GB versions were in limited supply following the phone's launch last September.

Related: Tim Cook was CEO of the year in 2014

What's next for Apple? Apple will also need to show Wall Street that there is life beyond the iPhone. Apple's smartphones accounted for 56% of its total revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter.

Sales of iPads are slowing and there are concerns that this product has peaked, especially since the iPhone 6 Plus has a screen size that's not too much smaller than an iPad mini tablet.

Mac sales are heating up, but they only make up about 16% of Apple's overall revenue.

That's why Apple CEO Tim Cook will have to prove to investors that newer products such as the upcoming Apple Watch and its new Apple Pay service can also become big revenue generators.

Cook will also probably be asked about what Apple plans to do to boost sales in China. Revenues in China rose only 1% in its fiscal fourth quarter and the company faces a tough challenge from upstart smartphone company Xiaomi.

But Apple is clearly in a good spot right now. Samsung (SSNLF) and other smartphone makers that use Google's (GOOGL, Tech30) Android have been unable to stop the iPhone juggernaut in the U.S.

Related: Xiaomi wants its new phone to be an iPhone killer

The company had $155.2 billion in cash on its balance sheet at the end of December. It invested more than $6 billion on research and development last year.

And Apple remains an attractive stock for both value and growth investors.

Shares trade at 14.5 times earnings estimates for this fiscal year -- a discount to Google and Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30). The company pays a dividend that yields 1.7%. That's only slightly lower than a 10-Year U.S. Treasury.

And earnings are expected to increase more than 20% this year and at a 13% clip for the next few years.

So if Apple winds up blowing away forecasts and also issues good guidance for this fiscal year, some investors may once again start wondering how long it might take before Apple is worth $1 trillion.

First Published: January 27, 2015: 5:29 AM ET

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Winklevoss twins: Bitcoin will explode beyond $1 trillion

The Winklevoss twins at ETF.com's Inside ETFs Conference.

Hollywood Beach, Florida (CNNMoney)

The brothers, known for their legal battle with Facebook (FB, Tech30) founder Mark Zuckerberg, believe the controversial cryptocurrency is the payments network of the future. That's despite Bitcoin's 60% plunge in 2014.

They predict Bitcoin's market capitalization could easily skyrocket to at least $400 billion, or roughly the combined size of modern day payments companies like American Express (AXP), Visa (V), MasterCard (MA) and Western Union (WU).

But the Internet entrepreneurs are taking it one step further. They believe Bitcoin could one day morph into a gold-like asset class -- or even surpass it.

"If Bitcoin is a better gold or seen as a type of gold-like asset, then it could be in the trillions on a market cap," Tyler Winklevoss told CNNMoney. "We do feel those are very real possibilities."

Related: Gold is sexy again as it jumps above $1,300

Reaching over $1 trillion in market cap is hard to fathom, especially because Bitcoin's current market cap is less than $4 billion.

Many skeptics remain convinced Bitcoin was a bubble that will soon die out. Jeffrey Gundlach, the new so-called "bond king," recently said Bitcoin is "on its way to being relegated to the ash heap of digital currencies."

Related: Will Bitcoin ever rebound?

Buying opportunity? Don't tell that to the Winklevii, as they are sometimes called. The twins are huge backers of Bitcoin and stand to profit handsomely if their vision comes true.

They're not worried by the currency's recent glitches or its price decline. One Bitcoin is currently worth about $265 -- a big drop-off from its peak of more than $1,200 back in late 2013.

"It's a buying opportunity. We've never sold a Bitcoin. We're in it for the long haul," Camerson Winklevoss said during a presentation at ETF.com's Inside ETFs Conference.

Related: Spent bitcoins? Expect a tax headache

But the WInklevoss twins realize Bitcoin needs help. The 2014 bankruptcy of Mt. Gox, a Tokyo-based Bitcoin exchange, has raised questions about the currency's security. Price declines and volatility also spook some potential investors.

"People get fixated on the cost," Cameron Winklevoss said. "It's going to have lots gyrations. But it's new and you have to bare with it."

Improving the system: To help Bitcoin get through its growing pains, the twins are building infrastructure aimed at legitimizing and securing the currency. Last week they unveiled Gemini, the one of the first Bitcoin exchanges for U.S. consumers. They hope it will become the "Nasdaq of Bitcoin."

They may have been beaten to the punch by Coinbase, a U.S.-based Bitcoin exchange that opened on Monday with backing from the likes of the New York Stock Exchange.

Second, the Winklevoss twins are awaiting regulatory approval for the first exchange-traded fund holding Bitcoins. Just like GLD (GLD), the popular gold ETF, the fund would trade securities based off of Bitcoin.

The twins believe such an ETF would appeal to gold bugs because Bitcoin, just like gold, can be used as a hedge against inflation. They say Bitcoin is more durable, divisible and affordable than the yellow metal.

"If you like gold, there are many reasons you should like Bitcoin," said Cameron Winklevoss.

Of course, gold has been around as an asset class for thousands of years. By comparison, Bitcoin is still just a baby.

First Published: January 27, 2015: 6:17 AM ET

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Europe is on sale for American travelers

Many parts of Europe are on sale now that the euro is at an 11-year low against the U.S. dollar.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Christopher Vecchio spends his days analyzing the moves of the U.S. dollar, British pound, Swiss franc and other global currencies. At the moment, he's extremely excited about booking a trip to France because the euro is so weak.

"I'm looking forward to spending my dollars over in Europe. Literally, they haven't been stronger in 11 years," said Vecchio, an analyst at DailyFX.

He and his fiancee want to spend their August honeymoon in Europe. They have a short list of countries they are debating. Vecchio crossed Switzerland off after the Swiss franc spiked 30% earlier this month. But any country that uses the euro looks like a great deal.

Related: Sleep Switzerland jolts currency markets

The exchange rate dipped as low as $1.10 to €1 over the weekend. That's the best rate for Americans since 2003, and some experts predict the dollar and euro could equal each other soon.

It's a heck of a departure from late 2008, when the exchange rate was $1.50 to €1.

"Head for the Alps, either France or Austria to ski this winter," jokes Sebastien Galy, senior currency strategist at Societe Generale. "It's going to be significantly cheaper than the U.S. slopes."

To put it another way, a Big Mac currently costs $4.79 on average in the United States. In Europe, a Big Mac goes for about $4.26, according to the latest calculation from The Economist.

What's making Europe cheap? Europe's economy is going through a bumpy patch. While the U.S. economy continues to rebound, Europe's is teetering on another recession. The prices of goods in many parts of Europe are actually falling, a phenomenon called deflation, which one hedge fund manager recently compared to Darth Vader.

Related: Deflation 'Death Star' shows up in Europe

As Europe struggles economically, so does its currency. The euro took another hit over the weekend when Greece voted Syriza into power, a political party that campaigned to roll back austerity measures. It could possibly mean Greece will leave the euro, a move that would send further unrest in the European markets.

"I haven't booked [my trip] yet. I still think the euro is going to fall," Vecchio says.

Greek and European leaders are currently in talks to figure out next steps, especially over what to do about Greece's substantial government debt.

Flight problem: While Europe will feel cheaper when you get there, airlines haven't cut their prices much despite the dramatic fall in fuel costs.

Delta (DAL) expects to save $2 billion this year on fuel costs, but those savings aren't being passed on to the consumer.

Galy also notes that while the euro is much more of a bargain than it was before for American travelers, many places in France and Germany are still pricey relatively speaking. The best deals are likely to be found in Spain and Greece where the economies are even more depressed.

Related: Why airfares are sky-high when jet fuel is dirt cheap

European wine looks good: Even if you aren't planning a trip to Europe, you could still benefit from less expensive European goods.

"Anybody who has European roots will be happy importing Italian shoes and French wine," Galy says.

The average consumer might also notice a drop in the price of cars and car parts, especially on European brands like Mercedes-Benz.

Related: Hershey lawsuit angers fans of British chocolate in U.S.

First Published: January 27, 2015: 6:24 AM ET

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Greece's new anti-austerity government worries markets

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The euro hovered around $1.12 against the dollar, after earlier falling near the 11-year low reached last week after the European Central Bank announced a massive stimulus program. Greek stocks dropped more than 3% in early trading, while the country's banks were harder hit. Yields on Greek 10-year government bonds rose to 8.7%.

Syriza's victory was fueled by populist anger over severe austerity measures that critics felt prioritized payments to creditors over an economic rebound in Greece.

Greece accepted its first bailout in 2010. Since then it has received €240 billion ($277.8 billion) in emergency loans from the European Union and International Monetary Fund to rescue its battered economy. In return, the country agreed to deep cuts in government salaries, tax hikes, a freeze on state pensions and bans on early retirement.

Five years on, the broad economic picture is improving. But life for many Greeks is much worse. Unemployment has soared and wages have fallen even as people are working longer -- all of which fueled demand for change.

Alexis Tsipras, the Syriza leader who will be the next prime minister, has pledged to roll back austerity measures. He will govern in coalition with the Independent Greeks, a small party that also opposes the tough bailout terms.

Analysts say his choice of coalition partner raises the likelihood of a major clash with Greece's international lenders, and the risk of an eventual exit from the eurozone -- the Grexit scenario.

Related: Greece elections: Have 5 years of austerity paid off?

On the campaign trail, Tsipras said he would cut taxes and force Germany and other creditors back to the bargaining table to renegotiate the terms of the bailout package. He said restructuring the debt would allow the Greek government to increase spending and boost the economy.

European leaders oppose this plan, and still maintain tremendous leverage over Greece. Athens needs an infusion of cash to make an upcoming bond payment, and the country's banks need access to cheap financing from Europe's central bank.

"The vote is a mandate for renegotiation on debt and a plea for an end to austerity," wrote Kit Juckes, at Societe Generale. "With Mr Tsipras sounding so belligerent, markets will ponder what a 'Grexit' would do for European assets (unambiguously bad for the euro) and what concessions on Greek debt would do to other highly indebted economies."

Slideshow: Greek elections: Faces of austerity

Meanwhile, Greece's debt continues to grow. Net debt was around 130% of GDP in 2010 according to the IMF -- now it's close to 170%. The economy has shrunk, so the debt ratio has increased, meaning it's only getting harder for Greece to rid itself of debt -- it may be nearly impossible.

Read next: 2015: The global economy's 'sink or swim' moment

-- Mark Thompson and Virginia Harrison in London contributed to this article.

First Published: January 25, 2015: 11:37 PM ET

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Stocks: 4 things to know before the open

U.S. stocks closed mixed Friday.

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the 4 things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Greece votes: The left-wing Syriza party swept to victory in elections on Sunday, fueled by populist anger over years of severe austerity measures in Greece. Syriza has vowed to renegotiate the terms of the country's massive bailouts with the EU and IMF, who have lent Greece €240 billion ($277.8 billion) since 2010.

CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said the next few weeks are "likely to be crucial ones where one misstep could well cause Greece to leave the euro."

Greek stocks were down more than 3% in early trading, and big Greek banks were trading as much as 11% lower. The election result put renewed pressure on the euro, before it steadied around $1.12.

2. Futures fall: U.S. stock futures were poised for a soft start to the week. Dow and S&P 500 futures were down by 0.4%. Most major U.S. markets posted losses on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average slipping 0.8% and the S&P 500 down by 0.6% -- though the Nasdaq edged up 0.2%.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

3. Economics & earnings: The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index is released at 9 a.m. ET, and the Conference Board posts its monthly consumer confidence index at 10 a.m. ET. Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) will report earnings after the closing bell.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

4. International markets overview: European markets were mixed in early trading, with France's CAC down 0.1%. Germany's DAX added 0.2% after a survey showed improved business conditions in the largest European economy. Asian markets also diverged, with Shanghai's Composite up 0.9% while Japan's Nikkei index closed down 0.3%.

First Published: January 26, 2015: 4:58 AM ET

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To avoid Sony's fate, companies play war games

Here's a peek at PWC's custom-built corporate hacking simulator.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The suits at the PricewaterhouseCoopers consulting firm have figured out how to convince their corporate clients to take cybersecurity seriously: They built a hacking simulator. It has the strategic rigor of chess and the feel of a turn-based card game like "Magic: The Gathering."

On Wednesday, news reporters got a sneak peak at "Game of Threats," the unique computer game PwC presents to all types of executives at banks, retailers and others. It's simple, intuitive and downright fun.

Normally, PwC ushers its client's executives into a room and splits them into two groups. Half play as hackers on the offensive. The other half is the unsuspecting Acme Corporation.

Each side gets playing cards with special abilities. For example, hackers can send scam emails laced with malware. But the company can train employees to avoid clicking on fishy emails. Hackers might use malware to lock employees out of their computers. But the company can restart its entire computer network.

The challenge is that money is limited and you can only make one decision per turn. Do you build up your team of experts? Invest in better tools? Or respond to the present circumstances? The wrong move might let hackers steal your company's valuable intellectual property.

With 12 rounds of only 60 seconds each, you get fast-paced gameplay that mimics the stress of a real-life data breach. Sony (SNE) and Home Depot (HD) didn't get the luxury of time and perfect information last year. Neither do you.

"What this is at its heart is a critical decision-making game," said Craig Stronberg, a consultant at the firm who designed the game.

Related: Obamacare site tells marketers you smoke

PwC isn't normally thought of as a cybersecurity firm. But that expertise is in high demand nowadays, and PwC has a dedicated staff of computer specialists, ex-military and hackers. Stronberg, for example, was a Defense Intelligence Agency analyst at the Pentagon.

The idea here is to give company managers -- especially those with little technical expertise -- better perspective. That's why they play as both sides. The game is played for up to eight hours at a time by finance auditors, compliance employees and other boardroom executives, so they each get a taste of the battle their cybersecurity team faces everyday.

All companies are under some kind of cyberattack. They range from low-level scam emails seeking employee access to coordinated attacks that bring down corporate websites. And 2014 showed how much damage they can do when they break in.

Last year, hackers stole more than 60 million credit cards from Albertson's, Home Depot, Michaels, Neiman Marcus, P.F. Chang's, Staples and SuperValu. Chinese hacker spies took business plans from power plants. Russian hackers broke into oil and gas companies. North Korean hackers destroyed computers at Sony Pictures.

"We're at the point where CEOs are unbelievably concerned," said David Burg, PwC's top cybersecurity consultant. He cited a recent survey that showed more chief executives worry about cybersecurity than shifts in consumer spending.

Data from the Ponemon Institute shows the amount companies spend on cybersecurity has risen in recent years. But PwC thinks most companies don't spend enough or misplace resources.

Hence, its war games. Players learn every time the hacking team wins, or Acme Corp. runs out of money, or is forced to host a press conference to admit it lost customer data.

The game penalizes Acme Corp. if it talks publicly too quickly without assessing the facts. But Acme gets a boost for eventual honesty. Sound like real life?

PwC said the top computer security executives at major banks were scheduled to play a few rounds on Thursday in New York City. But don't expect to play this on your laptop or tablet anytime soon. PwC is keeping this one for clients only.

Related: President's committee says software alone can't replace spying on everyone

Related: How safe are you? CNN's cybersecurity magazine

First Published: January 26, 2015: 6:36 AM ET

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2015: The global economy's 'sink or swim' moment

The global economy is facing a 'sink or swim' situation now that central banks have done all they can to pump liquidity into the markets.

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

This week the European Central Bank unveiled a massive stimulus program -- worth $1.3 trillion -- to lift the region out of its economic malaise.

It was the latest in a long line of stimulus measures from central banks around the world. But it will only work if everybody else follows through.

European politicians and policy makers must now make decisive moves to increase productivity, investment and growth, which can involve reforming labor market rules, promoting entrepreneurship and tweaking tax codes.

"We all have a job to do," said ECB member Benoit Coeure during a panel discussion on Saturday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "We have done our part. Others have to do their part."

The stimulus certainly buys more time for European governments to press ahead with economic reforms.

But they had better move quickly! The head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, told CNN this week that "inaction" is currently the biggest global risk.

Related: See complete coverage from Davos

But as the ECB money starts sloshing around the financial system and flowing into other parts of the world, concerns have been raised about reckless risk taking and financial instability.

Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, warned that markets shouldn't assume central banks will always come to the rescue when asset prices fall.

Carney also said he was expecting more market volatility and cash crunches to emerge in different markets as diverging central bank policies in Europe, Japan and the U.S. lead to unexpected shifts in the flow of money.

In short, central banks are watching out for these risks, but investors had better be careful too.

ECB member Benoit Coeure (left) with Bank of England governor Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum.

There's also the distinct possibility that the new ECB program will fuel further wealth inequality, which could lead to growing social division.

Both Carney and Coeure recognized that central bank stimulus measures tend to benefit people who already have investments and assets, while hurting everyday savers.

"Monetary policy always has distributional consequences," said Carney.

Billionaire investor George Soros also warned about the issue this week.

"My main concern is that [the ECB stimulus] will make the divergence between the rich and poor bigger," he said, during a separate Davos event.

But growing inequality isn't a sure thing.

"You can have the best of both worlds" if countries implement programs to support the unemployed and improve the labor market, said Coeure.

But then again, these financial heavyweights don't have crystal balls to see the future.

In fact, as they try to predict what to expect in 2015, they are humbled by the fact that they did not predict falling oil prices, a crisis in Ukraine, a fall-out with Russia and a rise in the extremist group ISIS in 2014.

"I hope we're going to be a little better [with our predictions] this time," said Laurence Fink, CEO of BlackRock (BLK), who moderated the Davos panel on Saturday.

When it comes to expecting the unexpected, the panelists agree that technology has the power to reshape global dynamics.

For example, fracking technology created a glut of oil supplies and drove crude prices below $50 per barrel, causing a range of knock on effects around the world that no one could have predicted.

"Technology ... is under appreciated, at least by politicians, as to how [it's] transforming their societies," said Fink.

First Published: January 24, 2015: 2:48 PM ET

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Second record weekend for 'American Sniper'

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Oscar-nominated Iraq War movie, starring Bradley Cooper as the legendary sniper Chris Kyle, earned $18.3 million at the box office on Friday.

For perspective, the next biggest movie in the United States this weekend is "The Boy Next Door," starring Jennifer Lopez. It is on track to make $16 million for the whole weekend.

"We continue to rewrite the record books," Dan Fellman, the president of Warner Bros. domestic distribution, said Saturday.

He said he'd make a projection for the whole weekend on Sunday morning. Outside analysts are predicting a haul of $61 million to $65 million. That would give "American Sniper" one of the top ten "second weekends" in Hollywood history.

Watch: Will 'Sniper' debate affect veteran's trial?

The movie has generated new conversation -- and controversy -- about the Iraq War and about Kyle, who was killed in 2013. On Friday night Bill Maher called Kyle a "psychopath patriot."

Movies make most of their money Fridays through Sundays. In its opening weekend, including the Martin Luther King Day holiday on Monday, "Sniper" made $105 million, setting a new record for a January movie release.

The movie continued to perform well all week long, invigorating Warner Bros., the studio division of Time Warner. CNN, the parent of this web site, is also owned by Time Warner (TWX).

"It feels like summer in January," Rentrak senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said earlier this week.

"This film is swimming in blockbuster waters and generating numbers generally reserved for super-heroes and summer movies," Dergarabedian said.

The movie may go on to beat 2004's "The Passion of the Christ," which currently ranks as the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.

One sign of "American Sniper's" strength is the relatively small week-to-week drop-off in ticket sales. Movies like "Sniper" regularly see a 50% to 60% decline in week two. But the fall in ticket sales between the first and second Friday was only 40%.

Translation: "American Sniper' is still generating lots of interest.

Fellman said it was "the least percentage drop of any film that opened to an $85 million weekend or better."

The strong start for "American Sniper" was boosted by the Oscar nomination of star Bradley Cooper.

The movie was initially released in December to only two theaters in New York, one in Dallas, and one in Los Angeles.

The strategy, Fellman said, was to "get people to line up -- make it a hard ticket -- and have people see it in packed theaters."

The strategy worked, and there was widespread interest in the movie by the time it opened nationwide on January 16.

It wasn't a coincidence that the Academy Awards nominations were announced a day earlier. Cooper was nominated for best actor, and the movie was nominated for best picture. That gave "Sniper" even more momentum.

Controversies surrounding the movie have helped to sustain interest, even though some of the stories have been sharply negative.

Some people have celebrated the movie for its unflinching portrayal of combat in Iraq, while others have assailed it as war propaganda. The word "MURDER" was scrawled on one movie billboard near Hollywood.

Fellman, for his part, said the movie is open to interpretation: "Some people call it a war movie. Some people call it an anti-war movie."

--Molly Shiels and Frank Pallotta contributed reporting.

Related: Box office for 'Sniper' helps book sales

Related: Why it's a great time to be a filmmaker at Sundance

First Published: January 24, 2015: 2:51 PM ET

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#HeForShe campaign goes corporate

Emma Watson is a celebrity spokesperson for the HeForShe campaign.

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

The United Nations-backed campaign went viral last year on Twitter (TWTR, Tech30) after actress Emma Watson made an impassioned speech calling on everyday men and women to work towards a fairer society where males and females are treated as equals.

Three major companies pledged to support the movement this week at an event in Davos: Consumer goods giant Unilever (UL), Tupperware Brands (TUP) and global professional services firm PwC.

Political leaders, including the president of Sierra Leone and the prime ministers of Sweden and the Netherlands, also signed on.

The UN said it is making a point of signing up corporates and government leaders because women are underrepresented in the upper echelons of the workplace and in politics.

In her September speech, Watson noted that it is expected to take 75 years for the gender pay gap to close, unless action is taken.

Universities are also being encouraged to join the campaign.

Related: Try our Global Wage Calculator

Gender inequality was a big theme in Davos this week during the World Economic Forum, a high-brow event that's known for being overrun by political leaders and billionaires. Only 17% of attendees were female, up from 15% in the previous year, according to reports.

Facebook's (FB, Tech30) chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg was among the women who attended the World Economic Forum. During a panel discussion, Sandberg outlined the importance of providing Internet access to women in developing nations, saying it can empower them and help improve their lives.

"The benefits of getting women connected often ... outweigh the benefits of men getting connected because they will put those investments back into the education and health care of their children," she said.

According to recent statistics from McKinsey and Facebook, women are 25% less likely to be connected to the Internet than men.

Japan's top central banker, Haruhiko Kuroda, also discussed gender issues at the event.

Kuroda reported that the ratio of women participating in the Japanese labor market has hit an all-time high, though it's still well below the average for developed nations.

Japan has been encouraging female participation in the workforce in an effort to boost economic growth. While Kuroda didn't say what the new ratio was, CNNMoney has reported that Japan's female employment rate is around 60%, far below the 80% rate for men.

Japan's male-dominated corporate culture and inflexible maternity leave policies have been known to discourage educated women from pursuing jobs.

First Published: January 24, 2015: 5:55 PM ET

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Friday Links

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A weekly collection of design, data and interactive links.

Photo/Video
Fibonacci Zoetrope Sculptures | 3-D printed sculptures animate when spun under a strobe light
Woodworking | A look at Japanese joinery
Gotham 7.5K | A rare high altitude night flight above NYC
California Inspires Me | Narrated by Mike Mills
365 | One year, one film, one second a day
Lapka | Google's modular concept phone

Design/Data viz
Manuals 2 | Design and Identity Guidelines
Lilium | Kenichi Yoneda (Kynd) in collaboration with BRDG
Airbnb Map | Stylized WebGL 3d map
Ross Sonnenberg | How to make images with fireworks and photo paper
Homunculus | Innvotative portfolio site
Genetic Algorithm Walkers | Watch walking creatures evolve through genetic algorithms
See last week's links
Have a nice weekend

@dubly and @talyellin

First Published: January 23, 2015: 5:26 PM ET

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Sports Illustrated lays off its staff photographers

Sports Illustrated, which boasts a long history of indelible photos, laid off all six of its staff photographers this week.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Brad Smith, director of photography for Sports Illustrated, spoke about the move Friday in a report from the National Press Photographers Association.

"There was a decision made through the company to restructure various departments, including at Sports Illustrated," Smith said. "Unfortunately economic circumstances are such that it has cut the six staff photographers."

The layoffs occurred on Thursday.

The weekly magazine, which is owned by Time Inc. (TIME), will fill the void by leaning on what spokesman Scott Novak told CNNMoney will be "a broader worldwide contributor network."

Novak stressed that Sports Illustrated has a long history of turning to freelancers -- including in the magazine's last issue. He said the magazine has long had a small photography staff, averaging fewer than six over its six decades of publication.

"This approach is neither radical nor unprecedented for Sports Illustrated," Novak.

Novak acknowledged that the decision was driven in part by financial considerations.

"As a media enterprise, it's incumbent upon us to manage our business in a way that delivers the best products to our consumers and drives the most value to the bottom line," Novak said.

Photography has long been the lifeblood for Sports Illustrated, which boasts a number of iconic covers in its archives.

The magazine will maintain a photography department with editors and personnel like Smith still in place. Novak declined to comment about the magazine's freelance budget.

Time Inc. was spun off by Time Warner (TWX), the owner of CNN and CNNMoney, last year.

First Published: January 23, 2015: 4:08 PM ET

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Obamacare website reins in personal data sharing

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Earlier this week, the government came under fire after the Associated Press showed that Healthcare.gov was relaying users' personal information, such as zip code, income level, pregnancy status and whether or not you are a smoker.

That information was being shared with Google (GOOG), Twitter (TWTR, Tech30), Yahoo (YHOO, Tech30) and other companies that track people online, like the advertisement display service DoubleClick.

The evidence was on the website code itself.

But on Friday, CNNMoney read the code and found that Healthcare.gov was no longer relaying personal information to DoubleClick and others.

Obama administration officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

After last week's report, Republican Senators Orrin Hatch and Chuck Grassley wrote a letter to the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demanding answers.

Citing Healthcare.gov's many technology glitches, they wrote: "This new information is extremely concerning, not only because it violates the privacy of millions of Americans, but because it may potentially compromise their security."

To be fair, the software tools used by Healthcare.gov were popular services that help improve a website's design (CNNMoney uses them).

But health officials would not explain why DoubleClick, a company in the advertising industry that already tracks people's browsing habits, should be allowed to know whether users smoke or are pregnant.

For its part, Google told CNNMoney it doesn't desire your personal health information anyway.

"We don't want and don't use that kind of data," said Andrea Faville, a Google spokeswoman. "And we don't allow DoubleClick systems to be used to target ads based on health or medical history information."

When CNNMoney learned that the Health and Human Services Department was sending information to third parties in 2013, HHS would only assure that the data being shared with DoubleClick and others is transmitted to them securely.

That approach was criticized by privacy advocates such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Noah Lang, CEO of a health insurance startup Stride Health, said use of those tracking tools was sloppy and uncalled for.

"I don't think it's necessary to build a great user experience," he said. "Should they be sending identifying information to a third-party advertiser? The pretty clear answer there is no. It's a massive breach of personal privacy."

When CNNMoney read through the computer code on the Healthcare.gov website on Friday, certain lines of code that indicated the website was sending such personal information during the sign-up process were gone.

Cooper Quintin, a staff technologist at EFF, confirmed that the code was gone.

"That's a great first step for them to take," he said.

While Healthcare.gov is no longer relaying your personal information on the front end, there's no telling what information might get shared once it is stored in the government's computers, however.

Related: Obamacare website sends your data to private companies

Related: AT&T texts can be faked to hack you

Related: How safe are you? CNN's cybersecurity magazine

First Published: January 23, 2015: 4:48 PM ET

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Can 'lumbersexuals' save Land's End?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

L.L. Bean sold 450,000 of its handmade leather boots last year, a huge increase compared to the year before, according to a report. Certain boot styles sold out for the holidays.

Lands' End is also capable of catering to today's trendsetters, but so far, it's failing to do so.

The company announced dismal fourth quarter results Thursday, and Lands' End (LE) stock plunged over 17%.

Lumbersexuals like durable, inexpensive brands, says Mark-Evan Blackman, a fashion design professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

"People aren't realizing that they can go to Lands' End to get this look, but they can," Blackman says. The lumbersexual look, "just caught on fire in every major city...I've seen it on the East Coast, I've seen it on the West Coast. I've seen it in Ohio."

Related: Sears is selling hundreds of stores. Investors cheer

Smells like Sears: Experts believe the problem for Lands' End might be its ongoing relationship with Sears. Although Sears (SHLD) spun off Lands' End into separate company in April, Lands' End still has over 200 shops at Sears outlets.

"Lands' End has a real brand problem. I think they have a larger issue. I think the bloom is off the rose with that brand," says Robin Lewis, CEO of The Robin Report, a fashion newsletter.

Sears closed hundreds of stores last year and is quickly heading south.

Fewer people are going to Lands' End shops and its women's clothing line had "mixed customer reaction," according to the company.

Related: 6 designers shaking up fashion

One solution: Lands' End needs to find a new place to sell its clothing, says Paula Rosenblum, managing partner at RSR research, a retail research firm.

"It's been tarnished by its presence in Sears' store," Rosenblum says. "If traffic isn't going into Sears' stores, and I suspect it's not, it's going to impact Lands' End."

Lands' End's preliminary results aren't trendy: its net income fell about 20% in the fourth quarter compared to the same quarter in the prior year. Its sales declined as much as 18% from the same quarter a year ago.

It's clear that Lands' End needs to do something different, experts say.

Blackman's advice: "They're neglecting a customer who would buy them until the cows come home...On their next photo shoot, hire a guy with a beard."

First Published: January 23, 2015: 6:20 AM ET

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Google is becoming a wireless carrier

Google will sell wireless service directly to customers over Sprint and T-Mobile's networks, according to multiple reports.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Google (GOOGL, Tech30) will start selling cell phone service along with its Android phones, according to multiple news reports. This has been a long time coming.

For years, Google has been assembling just about all the pieces it needs to become a mobile provider.

The search giant already makes the most-used mobile software on the planet, it designs and sells phones online, and it has become an Internet service provider with its Google Fiber initiative. It even has its own VoIP phone service called Google Voice, which allows people to get a Google phone number and call people through Gmail or Hangouts over Wi-Fi.

The missing link has been the cell towers needed to build out a nationwide network.

Rather than spending the tens of billions of dollars it would cost to create a wireless network, Google reportedly will carry its service over Sprint (S) and T-Mobile's (TMUS) networks. Google declined to comment.

Google is expected to pay those carriers just $2 per gigabyte, according to Macquarie Securities analyst Kevin Smithen. That means Google could choose to provide super-cheap service that gives Verizon (VZ, Tech30) and AT&T (T, Tech30) something to worry about.

Related: T-Mobile rejects half of its customers because of bad credit

Adding Google to an already competitive field that is in the middle of a major price war isn't likely to make the big carriers very happy -- that's why smaller carriers Sprint and T-Mobile are helping Google.

But T-Mobile and Sprint, in particular, are being cautious about the deal. Sprint worked a usage cap into its contract with Google that would allow the wireless company to renegotiate its deal if Google signs up a ton of customers, according to the Wall Street Journal.

That could happen. In 2018, Smithen believes Google will pay Sprint $750 million and T-Mobile $250 million for its service. That means even if Google chooses to break even, it could sell $1 billion in wireless services just three years from now.

But the chances of Google surpassing any one of the Big Four wireless carriers is practically nil. Existing carriers don't want wireless service to become a commodity. Short of building out its own wireless network, Google will have to go through one of the Big Four to get national coverage.

Still, the plan makes sense for Google.

Google makes money on Android by licensing the software to smartphone makers and by driving customers to use its apps and search services. Rather than relying on wireless companies to provide service, Google Wireless would give the search company the ability to deal directly with its customers.

There have already been a few skirmishes between Google and the cell phone companies that threaten Google's business. Over the past few years, Verizon has banned Google's Wallet app and made Microsoft's Bing the default search engine in some of its Android phones. Also, Google has spoken out against the data caps AT&T and Verizon put on customers, as well as T-Mobile's slowing of customers' speeds once they reach a certain limit.

Google is hardly the first to try its selling wireless service. Best Buy (BBY), Staples (SPLS) and Wal-Mart (WMT)all offer wireless plans to their customers. LightSquared, a failed wholesale 4G carrier, tried to become the backbone for so-called mobile virtual network operators around the country. (The FCC determined that its spectrum interfered with GPS signals, and it ultimately went bankrupt).

If successful, Google's plan could pave the way for Apple (AAPL, Tech30) to sell its own wireless service with every iPhone. And Facebook (FB, Tech30) and other companies with a vested interest in connecting people to the Internet could get involved too.

But there's a lot of risk associated with being a wireless carrier too. When service inevitably goes down or connections fail, customers will blame Google -- not Sprint or T-Mobile -- for the disruptions.

Related: T-Mobile customers should enjoy it while it lasts

Related: T-Mobile is the tech company of the year

First Published: January 23, 2015: 6:18 AM ET

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Rocker Jerry Lee Lewis's Harley for sale

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

One huge selling point... This isn't a motorcycle once owned by Jerry Lee Lewis. It is owned by Jerry Lee Lewis and the legendary rock-n-roller, known to his many fans as "The Killer," will be there in person to send it off to its new home.

It'll be a long ride to reach the record auction price for a motorcycle, though. That record was set last October when a red-white-and-blue custom Harley-Davidson (HOG) chopper ridden by Peter Fonda in the 1969 movie Easy Rider sold for $1.35 million. The second-most expensive bike ever sold at auction, was a 1910 Winchester, which went for $580,000.

"I could see this going for $500,000," Bob Golfen, a writer who follows collectible cars and motorcycles, said of Lewis's Harley.

Had it been owned by someone without a plaque in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame it would still be worth a lot for a motorcycle, said Golfen. He estimated its inherent value, had it been owned by just anyone, at $100,000 to $120,000. Mecum auctions, the company selling the bike, broadly agrees with that estimate.

Photos - Cool cars from the Detroit Auto Show

At his professional peak the late 1950s and early '60s, Lewis was famous -- or infamous -- as the original bad boy of rock-n-roll. A brilliant showman, he played piano with a wildly aggressive style, attacking the instrument with fists and feet as if it were his detested opponent in a drunken bar fight. But he also knew how to slow it down and build tension, keeping his audience rapt while he pounded out a driving rhythm and they waited for whatever might come next.

The titles of his best-known songs went go along with his white-hot stage presence. Among the most memorable were "Great Balls of Fire," "Breathless" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On." He later found success as a country music singer and had a string of hits in that genre.

Lewis has owned the bike since it was given to him by Harley-Davidson in 1959. An identical motorcycle was given to Elvis Presley a little later. According to Lewis, "The King" was jealous that "The Killer" had gotten his Harley first and Lewis even offered, jokingly, to trade with him.

Lewis evidently didn't ride the motorcycle much. Despite 55 years of ownership, it only has 2,257 miles on the odometer.

It can be difficult to predict the impact that celebrity ownership will have on the value of a collectible motor vehicle. With automobiles, only past ownership by the actor Steve McQueen reliably adds value -- in his case, huge value -- to a vehicle. His name worked for motorcycles, too. A 1971 Husqvarna McQueen owned, otherwise worth about $6,000, sold for $144,500 last year.

To break the two-wheeler record, Jerry Lee Lewis's name would need to work similar mathematical magic. Of course, Jerry Lee Lewis has one huge advantage over McQueen. Lewis is alive and, if anyone knows how to pump up a crowd, it's him.

First Published: January 23, 2015: 6:24 AM ET

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Top executives freak out about hackers

Cybersecurity is a major threat.

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

In the light of the recent attack on Sony (SNE), fighting hackers is the top priority, not just for Barclays (BCS) but for any bank or big business, he told CNN at the World Economic Forum.

Jenkins told CNN's Richard Quest that the pace of change in technology was adding uncertainty to his industry.

Read more: Deflation is like Darth Vader

PwC International Chairman Dennis Nally said the number of customers coming to his firm with cybersecurity issues was at an all time high.

"Cybercrime is a big issue for governments and for businesses; and we are just beginning to see the risk associated with it," he said.

The huge hacking attack against Sony last year raised the alarm for many big businesses.

Cisco (CSCO, Tech30) CEO John Chambers warned that more cyberattacks were inevitable.

"If you think last year was bad, wait until this year," he said. "Every company will be broken into, every country will be broken into."

The Bank of England issued a warning about hacking last month, saying top bankers had to take the threat more seriously. Several banks had held stress tests to see if they could withstand a hacking attack, the central bank said. It urged other major financial institutions to follow the suit.

Losses to cybercrime cost the world economy more than $400 billion each year, according to data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Davos: Complete coverage of the World Economic Forum

First Published: January 22, 2015: 7:11 AM ET

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Snowmen battle the hot air of Davos

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

In the frozen Swiss ski resort of Davos, a group of campaigners set about this snowy task earlier this week, with the aim of melting the hearts of the global elite gathering for the World Economic Forum.

As the highest town in Europe welcomed the cavalcade of VIPs and power brokers, a group of chilled, unofficial delegates were being assembled by volunteers representing more than 1,200 organizations from over 125 countries.

Three feet high, identical, lined up in neat rows, and decked out in scarves -- each bearing the flag of a different state -- the icy figures slowly gathered a crowd as they gained in number.

"This is about trying to send a very serious message in a light-hearted way," said Brendan Cox, a spokesman for Action/2015 and director of policy and advocacy at Save The Children.

"What we're saying is that poverty, inequality and climate change have to be at the top of the agenda in Davos."

Action/2015 wants the "public to join them in their calls to ensure world leaders commit to a better world."

The campaign is linked to the United Nations Millennium Goals, agreed 15 years ago. They include halving extreme poverty and providing universal primary education. This is the year those goals were supposed to be met.

"In 2015 we've got an amazing glut of forums for action," Cox said. "What Davos should be about is building momentum, having those conversations, making sure that they're dealing with the tricky issues."

The snowmen, complete with carrot noses and neat black stones for eyes, gathered next to signs inviting visitors to take a #snowmanselfie and spread the word.

Many were enthusiastically taking up that invitation. In spite of the icy temperatures, the bright sunshine seemed to underline the snowmen's precarious position. The metaphor was clear.

Related: Compare your salary

"We think there's a key opportunity in 2015 to get this major breakthrough to the people of the planet," Cox continued. "But like the snowmen, those opportunities won't be here in a few months' time. They have to seize the moment to make that breakthrough."

There's a snowman for every country recognized by the United Nations. They have a short window in which to make their point, or else they will melt in vain.

First Published: January 22, 2015: 6:05 AM ET

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Chinese Premier: We'll slow down but we won't crash

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang spoke this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

Worries have swirled for years that China could take a dive after decades of booming economic growth.

Indeed, China's economy expanded at its slowest pace in more than two decades in 2014 -- 7.4% instead of the government's target of 7.5% -- but Premier Li characterized the growth as "medium to high speed."

"China's economy has entered a state of 'new normal'," the premier told a packed audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The premier compared China to a fast-moving train, saying it still had speed and momentum, but was becoming more steady as the country introduces economic reforms.

Those reforms are intended to boost entrepreneurship, encourage healthy competition and protect intellectual property, among other things.

Premier Li reassured the audience that his country was happy to have slower growth, so long as it was solid and stable.

"Regional or systemic financial crises will not happen in China," he said.

China continues to face a number of long-standing risks, such as ballooning government and corporate debt and a weak property sector.

In the face of a sustained downturn, the government has deployed incremental measures to boost the economy. Beijing has accelerated infrastructure projects, cut interest rates and tried to bolster the flagging property market.

China averaged economic expansion of around 10% a year over the past three decades, pushing it up the list of biggest economies and boosting household wealth.

First Published: January 22, 2015: 7:16 AM ET

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Hackers tweet 'I am not Charlie' from French newspaper account

"I am Charlie" is the unity cry that spread in the wake of the attack on Charlie Hebdo.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The message -- "I am not Charlie" -- was a corruption of "I am Charlie," the unity cry that spread in the wake of the attack on Charlie Hebdo, a satirical French magazine.

The paper said on its website it had been the victim of hacking attempts since Sunday, and that hackers had accessed some parts of its computer systems.

A group claiming to be affiliated with the Syrian Electronic Army claimed responsibility for the incident.

"We have successfully hacked Le Monde and we will never fail to deliver our message of peace and anti-terrorism," the group posted to their own Twitter account.

It further claimed: "The Syrian Electronic Army condemns terrorism in France, but @LeMondefr and French government supported terrorism in #Syria."

The fraudulent post to the "Le Monde" account had been removed about an hour later when the paper tweeted, "After the hacking of our account, our teams have taken it back into our hands. We apologize for any fraudulent posts on our behalf."

Related: Full coverage of cybersecurity

First Published: January 21, 2015: 7:13 AM ET

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Stocks: 6 things to know before the open

Click on the chart for more premarket data

LONDON (CNNMoney)

Here are the 6 things you need to know before the opening bell rings in New York:

1. Futures dip: U.S. stock futures were inching lower, pointing to a lackluster start to the session. Dow Futures were down 0.2%. Telecommunications equipment maker Qualcomm (QCOM, Tech30)was the sharpest decliner, with shares down nearly 5%.

2. ECB countdown: The European Central Bank is widely expected to unveil plans for massive bond purchases when it meets on Thursday. A Fed-style quantitative easing program is the last big weapon in the central bank's arsenal to boost the region's ailing economy and revitalize financial markets.

3. Gold rallies: Anticipation of a move by the ECB is driving up gold prices. The precious metal is trading above $1,300 an ounce -- its highest level 5 months. Gold benefits from bets from money printing as the commodity is seen as a safe store of value and a hedge against inflation.

4. Earnings & economics: American Express (AXP) and eBay (EBAY, Tech30) will post earnings after the closing bell. On the economic front, the U.S. Census Bureau reports monthly housing starts and building permits at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Related: Fear & Greed Index

5. International markets: European markets were mostly lower in early trading, though London's FTSE index edged up. Most Asian markets ended with solid gains -- including a 4.7% jump for the Shanghai Composite -- but Japan's Nikkei index closed down 0.5%.

Related: CNNMoney's Tech30

6. Market recap: U.S. markets notched slim gains Tuesday, with the S&P 500 up 0.2% and the Nasdaq adding 0.4%. The Dow Jones industrial average was steady.

Netflix (NFLX, Tech30) shares soared in after-hours trading as investors cheered better-than-expected earnings, strong subscriber growth, and plans for new original content.

But in the latest reminder that cheap oil isn't good for everyone, Baker Hughes (BHI) shares sank in extended trading after the energy company said it was slashing 7,000 jobs and cutting spending by 20%.

First Published: January 21, 2015: 5:29 AM ET

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India to overtake China as world's fastest growing large economy

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

That's the view of a growing number of economists, many of whom think China's economy will continue to slow this year and next, while India reaps the benefits of lower oil prices and policy reforms.

The International Monetary Fund became the latest organization to make the call, on Tuesday projecting that India's economy will grow by 6.5% in 2016, faster than China's predicted 6.3% expansion.

The IMF said it expects Beijing to tolerate weaker growth as policymakers push through needed structural reforms. India, meanwhile, will power ahead.

"In India ... weaker external demand is offset by the boost to the terms of trade from lower oil prices and a pickup in industrial and investment activity after policy reforms," the IMF said in its report.

Related: China posts its worst growth in 24 years

Earlier this month, the World Bank made a similar prediction -- although its economists think India will need an additional year to overtake China. The group is predicting 7% growth for both countries in 2016, but a 0.1 percentage point advantage for India the following year.

Related: Why Paul Krugman is scared of China

Even if it posts a faster growth rate, India will not approach China in terms of raw economic power.

India's economic potential was once mentioned in the same breath as that of China. But the world's biggest democracy has failed to deliver, and its economy is roughly a fifth the size of its Asian rival.

Another giant grain of salt: Economic predictions of this nature are very difficult to make, especially several years into the future.

Related: The world economy is worse off than the IMF thought

First Published: January 21, 2015: 5:51 AM ET

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Six ways to get free money for college

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Yes, his announcement went viral earlier this month, but this kind of change requires congressional action and Republicans now control both the House and Senate. Even if Congress acts, states could opt out of participating altogether.

For now, students need to come up with about $3,300 for a year at the average two-year college. And that only covers tuition and fees. Other expenses could ring up an additional $13,000, according to The College Board. Instead of waiting for Washington to make a change, here are other ways to foot the bill.

Pell Grants: The federal government gives out grants of up to $5,730 to about 9 million students a year. They can be used for tuition, fees, books and living expenses. It's based on financial need, and those making less than $60,000 typically qualify for at least some award, said Robert Kelchen, a professor of higher education at Seton Hall University. Students must submit the FAFSA form in order to be eligible.

Related: Obama wants community college to be free

Scholarships: Check the college's financial aid office, but don't forget about local groups that may offer awards based on special talents or interests. Some are merit-based, but others can be based on need, so be sure to fill out the FAFSA form early. Some states and colleges have a finite amount of money to dole out, and it's allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis each year.

Related: Colleges with the best bang for your buck

Think about a teaching career: You can get up to $4,000 a year from the federal government for pursuing a teaching degree. But you must agree to teach in a high-need field in a low-income area for at least four years after graduating, or you have to pay the money back.

Tax credit: Every student is eligible for a tax refund each year. Students making less than $80,000 are eligible for a maximum of $2,500. Of course, you still have to pay for tuition upfront before the credit comes your way.

Related: Nearly 8 out of 10 U.S. taxpayers get refunds

Move to Tennessee or Chicago: There are already programs here that help cover the cost of community college, similar to the one proposed by President Obama. The state of Tennessee will cover the cost of tuition at a community college or technical school that's not already covered by Pell Grants and other state scholarships.

Chicago will similarly cover the remaining cost of tuition, fees and books. Students who earn a 3.0 GPA in high school, place into college-level math and English courses, and are accepted into one of the City Colleges of Chicago are eligible.

Related: Why Chicago is mandating coding education

Ask your employer: Some companies, big and small, offer discounts on college tuition, but they often dictate which school is eligible. Starbucks (SBUX) offers some money to workers who take classes at Arizona State University's online program, and Wal-Mart (WMT) gives a discount to those taking classes at an online school called American Public University. Home Depot (HD) supports employees pursuing a degree at any accredited college, university or technical school.

Related: 5 hourly jobs that will help pay your tuition

First Published: January 20, 2015: 6:18 AM ET

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NFL earns record profits despite ugly image

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The season started about as badly as possible with Commissioner Roger Goodell under fire from fans, commentators and sponsors for the league's response to domestic violence charges against several star players.

But as the season winds down and league prepares for Super Bowl XLIX, it's becoming clear that the NFL's major revenue streams all grew, suggesting that profits will rise from a record of about $1 billion it earned last season.

Attendance was up about 2% at stadiums, while average ticket prices rose 3.5%, according to Team Marketing Report. Television ratings were also up, helped when the league moved half of the Thursday night games to CBS from the league-owned NFL network. That deal was renewed Sunday.

NFL owners like Paul Allen, seen here cheering his team's playoff win on Sunday, have a lot to cheer about.

Despite those gains, ratings for games on the other days of the week were slightly lower. Still, the league's profits won't suffer. New rights deals that took effect this season with the major networks meant a big jump in television money the NFL could spread among the 32 team owners. Further gains will come as a new deal to show out of market games on DirecTV (DTV) starts next season. That deal, reached in October at the height of the domestic violence controversy will net the league an extra $500 million a year over eight seasons.

Several top sponsors, including Anheuser Busch (BUD), criticized the league's handling of domestic violence cases, although others voiced support for Goodell himself. Even with all the criticism, few sponsors pulled back from their deals with the league. While final figures for the season are not yet in, sponsorship revenue likely rose between 4% and 5% from the $1.07 billion the league and its teams collected last season, according to research firm IEG, which tracks sponsorship deals.

Related: RadioShack's big Super Bowl bet goes bust

NBC, which is broadcasting the Super Bowl on Feb. 1, is charging a record $4.5 million for a 30 second spot on the big game and is almost sold out of time on the broadcast. While that money doesn't go to the league directly, it should mean even more lucrative rights deals still lay ahead.

The popularity of the sport in the United States, the world's largest television market, puts the NFL far ahead of any other league in terms of revenue. With advertisers desperately seeking programing that people still watch live, all sports have become especially valuable to advertisers and networks.

First Published: January 20, 2015: 6:10 AM ET

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