Wednesday’s business headlines
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Here’s a look at Wednesday’s business headlines with Jane King.
‘Barbie’ movie banned in Vietnam for maps of China
The Barbie movie has been banned in Vietnam for its use of a map depicting territory that both China and Vietnam claim as their own.
China claims to have historical ties to the area of the South China Sea and has in recent years used popular media to legitimize its claims, according to researchers.
U.S. box office lagging behind pre-pandemic sales
While the domestic box office has tallied 4.5 billion in movie ticket sales through June 30, a nearly 20% increase over the same period in 2022, it still lags behind pre-pandemic levels from 2019.
Box office experts noted that 2023 has several big releases still to come in the second half, including “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “The Exorcist: Believer” and “Dune: Part Two.”
Anheuser-Busch contractor shuts down 2 bottling plants
A major contractor for Bud Light maker Anheuser-Busch is shutting down two of its glass bottling plants in North Carolina and Louisiana, laying off about 600 employees, amid declining sales of the beer.
The Ardagh Group is one of the largest glass producers in the world with more than 100 plants in operation.
Workers at both bottling plants have reportedly noticed decreased production after transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney’s marketing partnership with Bud Light, according to the New York Post.
FBI: Gun sales over 1 million for 47 straight months
The FBI says gun sales have been over 1 million for 47 months straight. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the industry representative, said there were 2.1 million background checks last month.
Survey: ‘The American Dream’ getting more out of reach
A poll finds the American dream is becoming increasingly out of reach.
The Norc at the University of Chicago polled the number of Americans who say success is out of their reach and no longer view the United States as the “land of opportunity” rose from 18% percent last year to 24% in 2023.
Younger and less educated Americans were the most likely to say the American dream is out of reach.