According to Reuters, businesses are contending with increased costs as supply chain issues continue to disrupt the economy. Companies have struggled to keep up with demand for consumer goods, which soared during the pandemic. Costs include rising prices for raw materials due to halted factory production and backlogs of ships waiting to unload cargo in American ports. Furthermore, employers must also factor in wage increases to attract and retain talent in an attempt to ensure that goods are produced and delivered as quickly as possible as labor shortages further compound the supply chain crisis. [Reuters; Feb. 25, 2022]

Yahoo Finance reports that the Federal Reserve has suggested raising interest rates in its semi-annual report to Congress, which was released on Friday. Citing a “strong” U.S. labor market, the Fed plans to raise rates at its March 15 meeting to counter high inflation. The Fed’s report also noted that lowering interest rates to nearly zero early in the pandemic contributed to elevated prices in riskier securities. [Yahoo Finance; Feb. 25, 2022]

Per Law360, Disney is once again battling a copyright infringement lawsuit from writer Jeffrey Scott, who claims the entertainment company stole his idea for a “Muppet Babies” spinoff in its 2018 reboot of the popular 1980s children show. Scott previously sued Disney in October 2020, alleging that Disney, which acquired Marvel Productions, failed to uphold his production deal with Marvel and Muppets’ creator Jim Henson by failing to pay him royalties and fees while employing his ideas for the reboot. The federal district judge in that case dismissed the complaint, ruling that Scott lacked standing because the claims were an asset of his bankruptcy estate. The Chapter 7 Trustee in Scott’s bankruptcy case revived the copyright infringement suit, filing a complaint on behalf of the bankruptcy estate in California federal court last Friday. [Law360; Feb. 22, 2022]