New Year, New Us

Hi, today we explore: (1) New Year's Resolutions, (2) X's valuation, 14 months after Musk's acquisition and (3) Democracy in 2024. Today's Topics Hello and Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a wonderful 2024... we have some big news here at Chartr (more below). Today's charts explore: - Self-improvements: Americans' resolutions for the New Year. - X marks the spot: Fidelity has cut its valuation of X again. - Election season: 2024 is set to be a record year for voters around the world. Have feedback for us? Just hit reply — we'd love to hear from you! A note from the Editor for 2024 We’re kicking off the New Year with some incredibly exciting news — Chartr has been [acquired by Robinhood]( Since sending the very first Chartr newsletter back in 2019, I’ve been exploring how to use data to tell different stories. Now, thousands of charts later, I am most proud of the extraordinary team of 7, which has assembled around a core idea: that data can give valuable context and insights into an increasingly complex world. That team is joining [Sherwood Media]( the independent media brand launching under Robinhood. What this means: We’ll still be in your inbox, but with more charts, more data and more visual storytelling to come! — David [Sherwood Media Grows with Chartr Acquisition]( Viva la resolutions Dust off the exercise bike; dip into that new cookbook; dig out your gym membership; devise an unsustainable savings plan… It’s that time of year when millions of us make — and, yes, often break — new resolutions in our quest for self-improvement. While setting annual goals certainly isn’t [for everyone]( those who do resolve to change aspects of their lives tend to have different ideas about what “new year, new me” actually means, and age is often a major factor. Issue already resolved Putting aside more cash, for example, is a bigger priority for Americans aged 18-29 than those over 65. Indeed, some 37% of the younger cohort said they’re planning to save more in 2024, compared to just 9% of the oldest group that YouGov surveyed [in December](. That’s perhaps not surprising, given that the Baby Boomer generation [reportedly holds]( some $78 trillion of the nation’s wealth, a little over half of the total. Adults between 18-29 are also more likely to prioritize their mental health, with 35% of those respondents aiming to improve their mental well-being, while the most common 2024 goals for the 65+ cohort tend to be physical health-related (losing weight or exercising more). Interestingly, 15% of Americans are hoping to read more in the new year — a bar that shouldn’t be too high for many, given that another recent YouGov survey found that only 54% of Americans finished a book [last year](. Xcavated Elon Musk’s X (the platform formerly, and often still, known as Twitter) has shed ~72% of its value since the billionaire took over, according to a monthly fund [disclosure]( from investment giant Fidelity. It’s been a tumultuous 14 months for the social media company since Musk completed the $44 billion acquisition in October 2022, with Fidelity cutting the value of its stake in the platform [almost ever since]( the deal crossed the line. Indeed, political [controversy]( a smattering of content and feature [overhauls]( and a somewhat [heavy-handed]( response to an advertiser exodus have all contributed to a series of markdowns from the mutual fund. Fidelity now values its X investment at just $5.6 million, down from $19.7 million when Musk finalized [the deal]( although it’s worth noting that it’s not clear how much, if any, additional insight Fidelity has into X’s financial performance. Ad hoc While a number of sources, including comments from Musk himself, have reported that the company’s advertising revenue has dropped 40-50% in recent quarters, execs have been keen to tout X's newly diversified revenue streams, with subscriptions and data licensing deals [making up some of the advertising shortfall](. The company has also, presumably, reduced costs, given that some [80% of the workforce]( was cut after the takeover. Indeed, Musk has generally remained optimistic, seeing a path to a $1 trillion market cap for the company back in [August]( — a figure that would make it worth more than Meta, and ~37x more valuable than Snapchat. Election season It’s a good year to be in the business of political punditry, with more than 70 countries, representing over 4 billion people, set to head to the polls in 2024, according to [The Economist](. While the US Presidential election will likely dominate international headlines, it is India that will actually undertake the largest democratic exercise globally: its 900 million registered voters are set to take center stage in May, as Narendra Modi's ruling BJP looks to secure a third term in power. Of course, significance isn’t determined solely by numbers. In 10 days, Taiwan’s population of 24 million will [elect a new leader]( to steer the country through its rocky relationship with mainland China, as tensions [escalate sharply](. Not all votes count the same The record number of elections this year is testament to the decades of progress that have seen democracies flourish, with a majority of countries [now classified as democratic regimes](. But not all elections are created equal: some 33% of countries — including Russia, which is set to hold an election in March that is all but guaranteed to yield Putin as the winner — are classified as “electoral autocracies” by the V-Dem project, meaning that their elections lack meaning, freedom, and fairness. Indeed, some analysts believe democracy has [lost ground]( in recent years. Zooming out: This year’s elections offer another fresh challenge, as [generative AI tools]( may now be used to spread misinformation more effectively than ever. More Data • Higher [minimum wages]( in the US went into effect on Jan 1st — and are estimated to boost the incomes of almost 10 million workers across 22 states. • A chess player was fined €100 ($111) by the [International Chess Federation]( for wearing a pair of Burberry sneakers that were deemed too “sporty”. • The FDA recommends 2-3g of sodium daily, but new research suggests that 4-6g could be optimal for active lifestyles. With a science-backed ratio of electrolytes, [LMNT]( is the missing link for healthy hydration — [check it out here]( • Gone flat: [Beer drinking]( in the US fell to the lowest level in a generation last year, after shipments dipped below 200 million barrels for the first time since 1999. • Following a series of successes, [Universal Pictures]( overtook Disney as the highest-grossing studio at the 2023 box office for the first time since 2015, after raking in $4.9 billion globally. **This is sponsored content. Hi-Viz • Happy 2024! Here’s how the [New Year]( was celebrated around the globe. • Sometimes Apple does fall far from the tree…12 of the iPhone-maker’s most [rotten products](. Off the charts: What annual health trend, started a decade ago in the UK, are we charting about below? [Answer below]. [Answer here](. Thanks for reading — see you on Friday! Have some [feedback](mailto:daily@chartr.co?subject=Feedback&body=Hi%2C%0A%0AI%20like%20the%20newsletters%2C%20but%20I%20had%20a%20thought%20for%20you...) or want to [sponsor]( this newsletter? Not a subscriber? Sign up for free below. [Subscribe]( Copyright © 2024 CHARTR LIMITED, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: CHARTR LIMITED 231 Vauxhall Bridge RoadLondon, SW1V 1AD United Kingdom [Add us to your address book]( Don't want charts in your inbox anymore? Break our hearts and [unsubscribe](.