Welcome to Markets Desk, here's what's moving the conversation today.
In San Francisco, the sober-curious wave is reshaping how bars do business. Greg Lindgren, who operates three venues in the city, says young tech workers are increasingly skipping alcohol but still showing up and spending — on mocktails. Corporate event bookings remain strong, but the product mix is shifting, and smart operators are adapting their menus accordingly.
Shifting to infrastructure, a data center proposal in Dixon, Illinois has turned contentious. A local resident was arrested after police say he threatened a public official while attempting to organize opposition to a proposed development. It's a sharp reminder that the data center buildout sweeping the country is generating real friction at the community level, not just in boardrooms or permitting offices.
And on the streaming front, a link flagged by Marginal Revolution raises a striking question — roughly half of all new song releases on Spotify and Apple Music may now be AI-generated. If that figure holds up under scrutiny, it carries serious implications for music economics, royalty structures, and what the major platforms are actually curating for their listeners.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
