• Facebook Inc. announced last week that it will pay $19 billion for a startup messaging company, WhatsApp. The deal will be the largest acquisition of a startup company in history, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Natural Gas prices are on the rise again in response to forecasts that there will be another polar vortex in March. Natural gas prices are up nearly 44 percent since the start of the year, according to CNBC.
• G Asset Management, a private investment management firm, offered to buy 51 percent of either Barnes & Noble or the Nook business. The firm offered to pay $22 per share for Barnes & Noble, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• With beef prices in America on the rise, consumption of Bison is expected to increase. The meat is much leaner than beef and popular with those on the Paleo diet, according to CNBC.
• Google Maps is getting updated. Now users can have better access to street views, have public transportation maps, make reservations and know what events are at their favorite venues all through Google Maps, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Under Armour, the popular athletic-wear company, received underserved criticism during the Sochi Olympics when it was thought that suits made for the Speed Skating team added drag to racers. It was later revealed that the suits had no impact on skaters’ performance, according to the New York Times.
• The second season of Netflix’s hit, “House of Cards,” was released on Valentine’s Day. The new season’s episodes were released all at once and led to fans everywhere beginning their Netflix binging, according to the New York Times.
• The Federal Reserve released transcripts from several emergency meetings that were held during the days before the markets crash in 2008. The transcripts were able to provide a clear timeline of the volatile year, according to the Wall Street Journal.
