By BERNARD CONDON, Associated Press Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Sales of Tesla electric cars fell sharply in the last three months as boycotts over Elon Musk’s political views continue to keep buyers away, a significant development given expectations that anger with the company’s billionaire CEO would have faded by now.

The company reported a 13% plunge in sales on Wednesday in a sign that Musk’s embrace of U.S. President Donald Trump and far-right politicians in Europe has had a deep and enduring impact on Tesla’s brand appeal. The new figures show rival electric-vehicle makers have wasted no time to pounce on the company’s weakness to steal market share and suggest Tesla’s quarterly earnings report later this month could also disappoint.

A driverless Tesla robotaxi, a ride-booking service, moves through traffic, Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Sales fell to 384,122 in April through June, down from 443,956 in the same three months last year. During the latest period, Musk formally left the Trump administration as a cost-cutting czar, and hopes rose that sales would recover. Musk himself recently said that Tesla was in the midst of a “major rebound” in sales.

Still, some parts of the report were encouraging. Sales of the Models 3 and Y totaled 373,728, above the estimate of 356,000 from Wall Street analysts. Tesla shares rose 3.7% in morning trading.

“The numbers weren’t as bad as thought with all the analyst forecast cuts we saw over the past week,” said Morningstar’s Seth Goldstein, though he added the report overall showed the company faces big challenges. “The current product lineup is at market saturation and Tesla will need the new affordable vehicle to grow deliveries.”

Musk has promised a cheaper EV model would be coming this year that would boost sales.

It’s not clear yet if Musk’s latest feud with Trump will help lure back buyers who have been angry at the billionaire’s political positions. After Musk once again took to social media to criticize Trump’s budget bill, the president threatened Tuesday to use the power of his office to hurt his companies, including Tesla, pushing its stock down more than 5%.

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The new figures come as Tesla is focusing less on new models and more on robots, self-driving technology and robotaxis ferrying passengers around without anyone behind the wheel.

Tesla is in the midst of a test run of robotaxis in Austin, Texas, that seems to have gone smoothly for the most part. But it also has drawn the scrutiny of federal car safety regulators because of a few mishaps, including one case in which a Tesla cab was shown on a video heading down an opposing lane.

The competition from rival EV makers is especially fierce in Europe where China’s BYD has taken a bite out of its market share. Tesla sales fell 28% in May in 30 European countries even as the overall market for electric vehicles expanded sharply, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.

Musk has acknowledged that his work as head of the Department of Government Efficiency and his embrace of European far-right candidates have hurt the company. But he attributed much of the sales plunge to customers holding off while they waited for new versions of Tesla’s best selling Model Y.

Tesla reports second quarter financial result on July 23. In the first quarter, net income fell 71%.

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By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) — Fashion “dupes,” or less expensive versions of high-end clothing and other accessories, are just about everywhere these days. They’re also drawing some businesses into legal battles.

In the latest example, Lululemon filed a lawsuit against Costco on Friday, accusing the wholesale club operator of selling lower-priced duplicates of some of its popular athleisure apparel.

Across the retail industry, it’s far from a new phenomenon. But social media is pushing the culture of online dupe shopping to new heights as influencers direct their followers to where they can buy the knockoffs. Want a taste of Hermès’ $1,000 fuzzy slippers? Target has a version for $15. Looking for a $2,800 price Bottega Veneta hobo bag? There’s a version for $99 on online clothing and accessories upstart Quince, which has become a go-to for fashionistas.

It’s not even the first time Lululemon has encountered what it says are knockoffs of its clothing, which often carry steep price tags of over $100 each for leggings and sporty zip-ups. Without specifying additional sellers beyond Costco in Friday’s complaint, Lululemon noted that a handful of companies have “replicated or copied” its apparel to sell cheaper offerings — including those popularized online through hashtags like “LululemonDupes” on TikTok and other social media platforms.

Dupes aren’t new

For years, companies have rolled out a range of cheaper option for consumers to buy instead of pricey name-brands or designer labels — often through retailers’ house or generic brands. Unlike more direct copies of the product with an unauthorized trademark or logo of a patented brand, “pure” dupes that just resemble certain features are generally legitimate. They can even spark awareness of the original items.

But the rising frenzy for dupes, particularly in the fashion space, signals that many shoppers want a taste of luxury, but no longer want to pay for (or care about) getting the real thing.

Late last year, for example, discount chain Walmart created a buzz when it started selling a leather bag online that resembled Hermès’ coveted Birkin bag. The $78 item — sold by Kamugo, which doesn’t appear to have its own website — was a fraction of the price of the original, which goes from $9,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars on resale and auction sites. Influencers labeled the leather bag a “wirkin.” Other suppliers including BESTSPR, YMTQ and Judy were listed on Walmart’s site selling similar totes.

While popular among shoppers, these kind of look-alikes can frustrate the targeted companies. Following the viral fame of the “wirkin,” Hermès Executive Chairman Axel Dumas shared his annoyance, for example.

“Making a copy like this is quite detestable,” Dumas said in a corporate earnings call in February. Still, he acknowledged that it was “quite touching” to see so many consumers want a bag with the Birkin style — and that “difference in quality” was still evident, noting that nobody bought the dupe thinking it was from Hermès.

When dupes venture into uncertain legal territory

Alexandra Roberts, a professor of law and media at Northeastern University, said that “the term ‘dupe’ itself doesn’t tell us much about legality,” noting the word has also been used to describe more traditional counterfeits.

But overall, dupes can move into shaky legal territory, including copyright and trademark infringement, particularly if a dupe marketer makes false claims about the duplicate or the original.

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“With fashion, in particular, we’re going to get into some thorny questions,” Roberts said. That includes what intellectual property rights exist and how enforceable they are, she explained, and whether there is actual infringement or if a product is just “positioning itself as a less expensive alternative.”

Often such disputes boil down trademark questions around consumer confusion or patented product designs. Several businesses have already put this to the test, but not always successfully.

In December, for example, Benefit lost a lawsuit in California over E.l.f.’s $6 Lash ’N Roll mascara, which is similar to Benefit’s $29 Roller Lash mascara. The judge’s decision was “a resounding win for us,” E.lf. CEO Tarang Amin previously told The Associated Press.

“The basic reality is we always put our E.l.f. twist on it,” he said. “It’s an E.l.f. product that’s a much better value.”

FILE – An American flag flies outside a Costco Warehouse in Cranberry, Pa., on March 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Lululemon sues Costco

In its lawsuit, Lululemon argued that Costco had “unlawfully traded” on Lululemon’s reputation and that it was suing as part of wider intellectual property enforcement “directed to retailers who have chosen to copy rather than compete.”

Lululemon accuses Costco of making duplicates of several products, including its popular Scuba hoodies, Define jackets and ABC pants. Lululemon says one of the duplicates that Costco sells is the Hi-Tec Men’s Scuba Full Zip, with the lawsuit showing a screenshot image of Costco’s website showing the item priced at $19.97.

Roberts said she was “a little skeptical” of some of Lululemon’s claims, noting that the design patents in particular could be hard to challenge. And she pointed to Lululemon’s asserting common law trade dress over a “triangle kind of shape in the crotch region” of the ABC pants.

“My first reaction as a trademark expert is that looks pretty functional,” she said, and functional matter is not protected under trademark law. “I was just cracking up because that particular claim seemed really far-fetched to me. Those pants look really basic.”

Still, Roberts noted that Lululemon had some plausible claims.

Lululemon alleges that Costco is known to use manufacturers of popular branded products for its private label Kirkland brand, although the companies involved don’t clearly reveal that information to customers. Due to this, Lululemon claims some shoppers may believe that Kirkland-branded products are made by the authentic supplier of the “original” products.

Roberts said this could rule in Lululemon’s favor as something that “weighs toward consumer confusion.” Still, she noted that most of the products Lululemon mentioned in its complaint weren’t sold under the Kirkland brand, which could undermine the argument.

A message was left Tuesday seeking comment from Costco on the lawsuit.

Lululemon found itself in a similar dispute with Peloton in 2021, when it sued the exercise bike company over alleged “copycat products” in its then-new clothing lines. Two years later, the companies announced a five-year partnership that included Lululemon becoming the primary athletic apparel partner to Peloton.

AP Business Writer Michelle Chapman contributed to this report.

“Los arrendatarios son mayoría en Nueva York. Zohran Mamdani lo entiende y nos ha dado algo por lo que votar”, afirmó Cea Weaver, directora del New York State Tenant Bloc, sobre el candidato y nominado demócrata, que basó su campaña en la congelación de alquileres para los arrendatarios con renta estabilizada.

Zohran Mamdani en un mítin de campaña en la Terminal 5 el 15 de junio. (Facebook/ZohranKMamdani)

Este artículo se publicó originalmente en inglés el 25 de junio. Traducido por Victoria Moran Garcia. Read the English version here.

Zohran Mamdani, un asambleísta de Queens que realizó una campaña que promete congelar los alquileres para los arrendatarios con renta estabilizada y hacer la ciudad más asequible, es es el candidato demócrata en las elecciones generales de noviembre para la alcaldía, lo que los defensores de la vivienda dicen que es una victoria para los inquilinos. 

El exgobernador Andrew Cuomo admitió su derrota el 24 de junio por la noche. Los más reciente resultados de la Board of Elections (Junta electoral) de la cuidad muestran que Mamdani obtuvo una ventaja de 12 puntos sobre Cuomo y ganó las primarias con el 56 por ciento de los votos, frente al 44 por ciento del exgobernador.

“Los arrendatarios son mayoría en Nueva York. Zohran Mamdani lo entiende y nos ha dado algo por lo que votar”, afirmó Cea Weaver, directora del New York State Tenant Bloc, en una declaración el martes por la noche.

Durante meses el grupo ha estado organizado a miles de personas para apoyar a los candidatos demócratas que apoyan la congelación de los alquileres para los aproximadamente 2 millones de inquilinos en apartamentos de renta estabilizada de la ciudad.

La Junta de Directrices sobre Alquileres de la ciudad de Nueva York (RGB por sus siglas en inglés), compuesto por miembros nombrados por el alcalde, vota cada año sobre los cambios permitidos en los alquileres de estas viviendas. La junta aprobó un aumento del 3 por ciento en contratos de alquiler de un año y 4.5 por ciento en contratos de alquiler de dos años.

Mamdani se comprometió a congelar el alquiler durante los cuatro años de su mandato si es elegido. El RGB congeló el alquiler tres veces bajo el alcalde Bill de Blasio, aumentándolo un 5 por ciento en total en ocho años. Sus miembros han subido el alquiler un 9 por ciento en tres años bajo el alcalde Eric Adams.

Cuomo, quien ha recibido millones de donaciones del sector inmobiliario directamente y a través del apoyo indirecto del Super PAC (comité de acción política independiente), dijo que la junta debe operar de forma independiente y votar basándose en datos y en las condiciones económicas a las que se enfrentan los inquilinos y los propietarios de edificios.

Los grupos de propietarios y arrendadores están de acuerdo. Según ellos, la congelación de los alquileres perjudicaría aún más a los edificios que ya están luchando con el mantenimiento atrasado y el aumento de los costos operativos. Especialmente en el caso de los edificios con alquileres regulados al cien por ciento, que, según ellos, se deteriorarán aún más sin aumentos más sustanciales de los alquileres.

“Una congelación premeditada de los alquileres es ilegal”, dijo Kenny Burgos, director de New York Apartment Association, que representa a los propietarios de edificios con rentas estabilizadas, en una publicación en las redes sociales. 

“El alcalde nombra a los miembros de la RGB al igual que nombra a los miembros de la Junta de Financiación de Campañas y la Junta de Conflictos de Intereses”, escribió. “Estas juntas se crearon para ser independientes y deben seguir siéndolo”.

Escenas de la votación de la Junta de Directrices sobre Alquileres en 2023. Foto de Adi Talwar.

Pero los defensores de la vivienda dicen que la RGB lleva mucho tiempo votando a favor del alcalde de turno, muchos de ellos han optado por subir los alquileres año tras año, mientras los salarios de los inquilinos siguen estancados. La mayoría de los hogares que rentan en la ciudad gastan más de un tercio de sus ingresos en vivienda, lo cual significa que están sobrecargados financieramente con el alquiler.  

“Los resultados de esta noche envían un mensaje claro a los políticos apoyados por los propietarios como Andrew Cuomo: su tiempo ha terminado”, dijo Weaver en una declaración el martes por la noche. “Hemos terminado con el status quo. Estamos hartos de luchar por permanecer en la ciudad que mantenemos mientras los beneficios de los propietarios se disparan”.

El mensaje de Mamdani pareció resonar entre los votantes de las primarias, muchos de los cuales declararon a City Limits que el coste de la vivienda es una de sus principales prioridades para elegir al próximo alcalde.

“Aquí es difícil para la gente que intenta ganarse la vida. Creo que cualquier cosa que pudiera estabilizar el alquiler sería genial”, dijo Kevin Rutledge, de 23 años, vigilante de un parque de Manhattan, quien dijo que iba a votar a Mamdani.

Además de su promesa de congelar los alquileres, el plan de vivienda de Mamdani propone construir 200,000 “viviendas subvencionadas públicamente, asequibles, construidas por los sindicatos y de alquiler estabilizado” en los próximos 10 años. Él dice que ampliaría el número de unidades producidas a través de los programas de asequibilidad existentes para las personas mayores y los hogares con ingresos extremadamente bajos (que ganan menos de $72.000 dólares al año para una familia de cuatro personas), y que “financiaría plenamente y dotaría de personal” a las agencias de vivienda de la ciudad.

Dice que pagaría por su plan recaudando $70 millones de dólares a través de bonos municipales y reuniendo fondos de programas de ayuda al alquiler (como CityFHEPS) para financiar proyectos de vivienda asequible y solidaria.

“Lucharé por una cuidad que  trabaje para ti, que sea asequible para ti, que sea segura para ti”, dijo el legislador de Queens en un discurso el martes por la noche.

Cuomo aún puede presentarse como independiente en las elecciones generales del 4 de noviembre. El actual alcalde, Eric Adams, también se presenta como independiente, al igual que el abogado Jim Walden. El fundador de Guardian Angels, Curtis Sliwa, se presenta como republicano.

Con reportería de Patrick Spauster y Tareq Saghie.

Para comunicarse con la editora, escriba a Jeanmarie@citylimits.org.

The post Defensores de inquilinos celebran victoria de Mamdani en elecciones primarias appeared first on City Limits.

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Microsoft is firing thousands of workers, its second mass layoff in months.

The tech giant began sending out layoff notices Wednesday.

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The company declined to say how many people would be laid off but said that it will comprise less than 4% of the workforce it had a year ago.

Microsoft said the cuts will affect multiple teams around the world, including its sales division and its Xbox video game business.

“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” it said in a statement.

Microsoft employed 228,000 full-time workers as of last June, the last time it reported its annual headcount. The company said Wednesday that its latest layoffs would cut close to 4% of that workforce, which would be about 9,000 people. But it has already had at least three layoffs this year.

Until now, at least, the biggest was in May, when Microsoft began laying off about 6,000 workers, nearly 3% of its global workforce and its largest job cuts in more than two years as the company spent heavily on artificial intelligence.

Microsoft also cut another 300 workers based out of its Redmond, Washington headquarters in June, on top of nearly 2,000 who lost their jobs in the Puget Sound region in May, according to notices it sent to Washington state employment officials.