How companies, markets and work are changing, with the data behind the headlines.
Cocoa traded above $12,000 a tonne in 2024 and around $4,700 in November 2026. Chocolate prices have not followed, because manufacturers buy cocoa months in advance and are still working through beans bought near the peak.
Trials of a four-day week on full pay have consistently found less burnout and few signs of lost output, and most participating employers keep the model. The evidence is promising but comes mostly from organisations that chose to take part.
More large employers now require staff in the office three to five days a week, but working from home has not disappeared. In the US, about a quarter of paid workdays are still done from home, and office attendance peaks mid-week.
