☕️ Beam me in

Fierce business rivals strike a partnership... March 03, 2021 [View Online]( | [Sign Up]( [Daily Brew]( TOGETHER WITH [The Motley Fool]( Good morning. A friendly reminder that this week we are giving away limited-edition, Brew-branded water bottles for all your hydration needs. All you need to do is get five people to sign up for the Brew by Sunday. - One idea: Pop your referral link into the chat of the first Zoom call you’re on today, but wait until after your boss is done talking. [Get started here](. MARKETS NASDAQ 13,473.77 - 0.85% S&P 3,897.06 - 0.12% DOW 31,570.97 + 0.11% GOLD 1,734.30 + 0.66% 10-YR 1.409% - 1.70 bps OIL 59.73 - 1.50% *As of market close. [Here's what these numbers mean](. - Covid: Texas Governor Greg Abbott is [lifting]( the state's mask mandate and allowing businesses to operate at 100% capacity, effective next Wednesday. Abbott defended the decision by citing lower hospitalization numbers and the need to get people back to work; critics said it would kill Texans. - Markets: Stocks, especially of the tech variety, [ticked lower]( following the S&P’s best day since June. COVID-19 [Teamwork Makes the Vaccine Work]( [Michael Scott on "The Office" saying, "Old hatreds dissolve into new friendships"]( Giphy In the most surprising pharma partnership since Walter White and Gus Fring, Merck and rival Johnson & Johnson [will work together]( to scale up production of J&J's single-dose vaccine, the Biden administration said yesterday. President Biden also said that, with Merck’s added capacity, the US will have enough supply to vaccinate every adult in the country by the end of May. His initial estimate was the end of July. How the partnership came together The FDA [authorized]( J&J's vaccine for emergency use over the weekend, and the company is on track to deliver 100 million vaccines by the end of June. But its production timeline has been lagging for weeks because of process stumbles, including glitches from supplier Catalent. Biden administration officials reportedly [began searching]( for possible sources of support soon after the inauguration. Merck was an ideal candidate—as one of the world's largest vaccine makers, there's a good chance a Merck-developed product has been injected into you while you pretended to be too cool to get freaked out by needles. Merck's approved vaccines include shots that prevent Ebola, HPV, and the mumps. - Merck did try to enter the Covid-19 vaccine race, but it got a late start and folded the effort in January after clinical studies for its vaccine flopped. - It's one of several pharma firms that, despite being benched from the vaccine game, is handing out water bottles and back slaps nonetheless. Sanofi and Novartis are [helping]( with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, and Sanofi is assisting J&J as well. Looking ahead...J&J's vaccine is expected to be limited in the next couple of weeks, but with Merck's help, J&J will ship 20 million doses by the end of March. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=Covid%20Vaccine%3A%20Rivals%20Merck%20and%20Johnson%20%26%20Johnson%20to%20Join%20Forces%20on%20Production%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fstories%2F2021%2F03%2F02%2Fcovid-vaccine-rivals-merck-johnson-johnson-join-forces-production%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3D4904f90a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A TECH [Zoom Fatigue? Microsoft Has an Idea]( [A screenshot of Microsoft Mesh's introduction video; a man is wearing a VR headset and standing in around a table talking with three cartoon avatars]( Microsoft There's work to do before those holograms make George Lucas proud, but yesterday, Microsoft [introduced]( its vision for our mixed reality future: Mesh. First, buzzword check: - Virtual reality is a fully immersive digital experience. - Augmented reality overlays digital objects on the real world (think Pokémon GO). - Mixed reality combines the real and digital, letting users interact with both. This is Mesh's domain. How will it work? Mesh users strap on their VR headsets and [beam into]( meetings, where their avatars can hang out and virtually collaborate. Tablet, PC, and smartphone users can join, too, but the experience won't be as interactive. - Eventually, Microsoft wants to put your Monday all-hands on steroids and integrate Mesh with business apps like Teams. Zoom out: Tech giants have spent years developing augmented, virtual, and mixed reality tech. But since you're reading this in your kitchen and not in the virtual Bahamas, we don't need to tell you it hasn't taken over. Microsoft thinks Mesh can help push adoption forward. "Think about what Xbox Live did for gaming—we went from single player to multiplayer, creating communities that helped people connect and achieve together," CEO Satya Nadella said. Read more in today's upcoming edition of [Emerging Tech Brew](. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=Microsoft%20Unveils%20Mesh%2C%20a%20Mixed%20Reality%20Platform%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fstories%2F2021%2F03%2F02%2Fmicrosoft-unveils-mesh-mixed-reality-platform%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3D4904f90a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A GRAB BAG [Key Performance Indicators]( [WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 30: Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman...] Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. This was taken pre-Covid. Quote: "Technology has provided greater access, but it also raises interesting questions. What does it mean when balloons and confetti are dropping and you have behavioral prompts to get investors to do more transactions?"—Gary Gensler, Biden's pick to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission, said in his nomination hearing yesterday that he'd [review]( the business models of no-fee trading apps like Robinhood. Stat: In 2020, Target’s revenue [increased]( by more than it had in the previous 11 years...combined. The retailer will invest $4 billion annually in the next few years to keep up its pandemic-era momentum. Read: A deeeeeeep dive into the history of Reddit and why it may be undervalued. ([The Generalist]() �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=Key%20Performance%20Indicators%3A%20March%203%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fstories%2F2021%2F03%2F02%2Fkey-performance-indicators-march-3%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3D4904f90a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A SPONSORED BY THE MOTLEY FOOL [What Would You Do With 1,000 Buckaroos?](#) [The Motley Fool]( While spending buckaroos on hiring a kangaroo bodyguard sounds enticing (have you seen those things box?!), one should probably put their money toward something with greater returns than a marsupial sidekick. [Motley Fool Stock Advisor]( thinks a tiny American company (1/500th the size of Apple) might be a more lucrative way to invest those buckaroos and play the possible 5G iPhone boom. And if you're wondering why you should turn to The Motley Fool with your precious moolah, it’s because they have a track record of picking trends before they get big. Take a look at a few of [their past stock picks](: - Netflix, up 28,686% - Amazon, up 20,676% If you’d invested $1,000 in each of those companies way back when they recommended them in Stock Advisor, as of Feb. 26, 2021, you’d be sitting on $700,865. Now that’s a lotta kangaroos.  [Check out The Motley Fool’s report on the 5G Supercycle today](. EXPLAINER [Reader Q&A: Yielding to the Market]( [Weird stock market ]( Francis Scialabba Every Wednesday, we answer a reader-submitted question about business and the economy. Got something to ask us? [Click here](. Grant's Q: “Why is everyone so concerned about the 10-year Treasury yield? Why does it matter so much?” Morning Brew's A: We miss the days when bond speculation meant assessing Cillian Murphy's odds of replacing Daniel Craig. Alas, today's hottest bond is the 10-year Treasury note, which the government issues to borrow money (the 10 means it matures in 10 years.) So who buys the 10-year? Investors who want a "safe-haven asset"—something that's dependable in times of uncertainty because it still earns a return. In the world of bonds, returns are known as "yields." - As demand for the 10-year , the yield . Investors are often willing to accept lower yields because they know their investment is safe. Yields were very low during most of the pandemic. - When the economy is popping, or recovering like it is right now, demand usually falls and yields rise. Last week, investors feared the economic recovery would run too hot and lead to inflation, so they sold bonds and yields shot up. This week, yields have stabilized. Big picture: The 10-year yield is an all-important benchmark for other interest rates, like those used for mortgages. It also signals investor confidence in future growth. P.S. The 10-year Treasury is one of six indicators tracked in the markets section at the top of this newsletter. For a brief explainer on the other five, [head here](. Or ask us another question [here](. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=Explainer%3A%20What%20Are%2010-Year%20Treasury%20Notes%20and%20Yields%3F%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fstories%2F2021%2F03%2F02%2Fexplainer-10year-treasury-bonds-yields%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3D4904f90a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A SPORTS [Starting a Media Company Like]( [Soccer player Alex Morgan celebrating ]( Giphy Yesterday, we in the media biz got some new competition from women who made careers out of competing. Sports stars Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Simone Manuel, and Chloe Kim [launched]( TOGETHXR, a new media + commerce company. The pitch: Men's athletics kind of hog the limelight—a 2018 UN report found that only 4% of total sports media coverage focused on women's sports. To combat that asymmetry, TOGETHXR [will produce]( original content and partner closely with social media platforms, serving an audience of girls and young women. It also plans to ink licensing deals and sell merchandise. - In the pipeline is a series on 17-year-old boxing champion Chantel "Chicanita" Navarro, and another on young women surfers in Hawaii. The war chest: TOGETHXR nabbed a "mid-seven figure investment" from Magnet Companies, a private equity holding company run by longtime media mavens, per the NYT. Zoom out: Efforts by athletes to start media companies haven't always stuck the landing; Derek Jeter's The Players' Tribune reportedly guzzled $80 million before being sold in 2019. TOGETHXR hopes to better position itself by catering to an underserved audience. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew%21&body=New%20Media%20Company%20TOGETHXR%20Aims%20to%20Tell%20Stories%20of%20Female%20Athletes%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fstories%2F2021%2F03%2F02%2Fnew-media-company-togethxr-aims-tell-stories-female-athletes%0A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%20%E2%80%94%20Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley%2C%20daily.%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningbrew.com%2Fdaily%2Fr%2F%3Fkid%3D4904f90a%26utm_source%3Demail_share%0A WHAT ELSE IS BREWING - [President Biden]( withdrew Neera Tanden's nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget at her request. - [Vernon Jordan](, civil rights activist, corporate influencer, and close adviser to former President Bill Clinton, died Monday at 85. - [Instacart]( raised $265 million at a valuation of $39 billion, doubling its valuation from just five months ago. Axios's Dan Primack writes, "This feels like a pre-IPO round." - [Lyft]( said that the last week of February was its best week for ridesharing since pandemic restrictions began last March. - [Rocket Companies](, the heavily shorted mortgage provider, shot up more than 70% in what some are calling GameStop-like trading activity. - [Golden Globes]( viewership fell 62% over last year. BREW'S BETS Break your sugar habit with this plant-based Metabolism Super Powder. [Sakara's best-selling powder]( contains Gymnema Sylvestre, an herb that reduces sugar cravings and regulates cortisol. [Fight your sugar addiction and get 20% off with code MARCHBREW](.* Bonjour. Olà . HallÃ¥. Hallo. Cześć. Hej. With 14 languages to choose from, [Babbel]( is proven to help you learn a new language in as little as three weeks. [Get up to 50% off your #1 language app subscription here](.* Operation Varsity Blues: The trailer for the Netflix documentary on 2019's college admissions scandal [is here](. Shots shots shots shots shots shots: Use the site [VaccineFinder]( to learn where you can get a vaccine, if eligible. *This is sponsored advertising content GAMES [Real Estate Appraiser](#) Welcome back to Real Estate Appraiser, the game where we show you a house for sale, you guess the listing price, and then we both say, "What the heck are we doing living in NYC?" In today's edition...let's kick it to Buffett's backyard with [this wild apartment]( in the heart of Old Market Omaha.  Better Homes and Gardens The highlights: - 4 bed, 5 bath corner penthouse covering 3,193 square feet. - Floor-to-ceiling windows offering "breathtaking" views...of Omaha. - A custom upper-level bar inspired by Fender. - Martini glass-shaped sink, because why not. So, how much is it going for? SHARE THE BREW When you [share the Brew]( with your network, you earn free swag like our classic Morning Brew t-shirt. Are you one of those people who is always going places? Then you probably need a shirt. Might as well be this bad boy with the Morning Brew logo plastered across the chest. [Click here to get free swag.]( Hit the button below to learn more and access your rewards hub. [Click to Share]( Or copy & paste your referral link to others: [morningbrew.com/daily/r/?kid=4904f90a]( ANSWER $1.5 million             Written by [Alex Hickey](, [Eliza Carter](, and [Neal Freyman]( Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. WANT MORE BREW?  Retail newsletter → [Retail Brew](  Tech newsletter → [Emerging Tech Brew](  Marketing newsletter → [Marketing Brew](  Recommendations newsletter → [Sidekick](  Business podcasts → [Business Casual]( and [Founder's Journal]( [ADVERTISE]( // [CAREERS]( // [SHOP]( Update your email preferences or unsubscribe [here](. 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