• David Kelly, the chief global strategist at $1.7 trillion JPMorgan Asset Management, thinks stocks in Japan, Europe, and emerging markets will perform better than US indexes over the next few years.
• Stocks in many overseas markets have been punished by fears of an economic slowdown and trade tensions, and Kelly says that they've fallen to attractive levels.
• Meanwhile, he says there are few signs that the overall global economy or individual regions will go into recession.
• Kelly thinks it's going to be a bumpy few years for stocks as growth slows. But he says stocks are still a better option than bonds.

A top strategist for JPMorgan thinks the US economy could remain the envy of much of the world over the next few years. But when it comes to stocks, he says most other regions will do better.

David Kelly, chief global strategist for JPMorgan Asset Management, recently told Business Insider that investors in the US aren't buying enough stocks from overseas, possibly because of signs of weakened growth in Europe, China, and Japan.

But after a brutal year for equities worldwide, he thinks traders should be loading up, since those stocks are now available at much more attractive prices.

"There are better opportunities overseas if people have the guts to get in there," says Kelly, whose firm manages $1.7 trillion in assets. "International equities look cheap. Emerging markets look cheap relative to history."

Read more: 'The emerging opportunity of 2019': One expert says tech is passing the baton to an unloved area of the market that's set to explode higher

Most jaor global stock indexes have suffered badly in the last year— and in most cases they’ve done worse than the US. Despite substantial rallies early this year, the MSCI Emerging Markets index is down 19% since its peak in early 2018, Japan's Nikkei is 16% off highs reached in early October, and the Euro Stoxx 50 is down 12% since May. The S&P 500 has fallen almost 8% since September.

Kelly says the outsized losses have been a blessing in disguise, since all of those indexes are now less expensive than US indexes relative to their earnings.

The MSCI EM index is trading at 12.5 times its earnings over the past 12 months, while the Euro Stoxx and Nikkei are trading at 14 to 15 times. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 stands at 18 times trailing 12-month profits.

Read more: 'The tide is coming in': Wall Street is becoming increasingly convinced one of the stock market's most important sectors is headed for disaster

The reasons for the stock drops aren't a secret: global economic growth is slowing as China's economy loses steam, and the European Union is facing weakening growth and combined with Brexit and other political tensions. But Kelly said he sees little evidence that those areas, or Japan, are close to a recession.

He added that inflation isn't a big threat in a lot of regions, partly thanks to that slow growth. And all the while, theEuropean Central Bank and the Bank of Japan are keeping interest rates at ultra-low levels and are continuing to stimulate their regional economies, and US rates are also low by historic standards.

Kelly concedes stocks aren't cheap, and he said investors should expect limited returns and periodic shakiness in the market over the next few years. But he said stocks are likely to outperform bonds and other asset classes as the global economy shifts into a slower gear and stays there, potentially for several years.

SEE ALSO: As recession fears fade, the stars are aligning for one crucial part of the market — and BAML says its future returns could put stocks to shame

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Justin Theroux celebrated ex-wife Jennifer Aniston's 50th birthday by sharing a black-and-white photo of the "Friends" star on Instagram on Monday. 
• "Happy Birthday to this fierce Woman. Fiercely loving. Fiercely kind. ....and fiercely funny. [heart emoji] you B," Theroux captioned the photo.
• The pair got married in 2015 and revealed their split in February 2018. 

Justin Theroux shared kind words about ex-wife Jennifer Aniston to mark her 50th birthday.

The actor took to Instagram on Monday and posted a black-and-white photo of the "Friends" star wearing a tank top and showing off her toned biceps.

"Happy Birthday to this fierce Woman. Fiercely loving. Fiercely kind. ....and fiercely funny. [heart emoji] you B," Theroux wrote.

Theroux's Instagram message follows Aniston's star-studded birthday celebration, which included Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, John Mayer, Robert Downey Jr., and Ellen DeGeneres. The "Maniac" star was seemingly absent from the celebration. 

Aniston's ex-husband, Brad Pitt, was also in attendance. According to a source that spoke to "E! News," Aniston and Pitt, who were married from 2000 to 2005, "definitely aren't dating or on that path. They are friendly, but that's it."

Theroux and Aniston met in 2007, reportedly started dating in 2011, and got married in 2015 (days before Theroux's 44th birthday). The stars revealed their unexpected split in February 2018, in a statement given to the Associated Press by Aniston's publicist, Stephen Huvane.

Read more:Inside Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's Hollywood love story — and their shocking breakup

The couple explained that they "wanted to convey the truth directly," and said that they are "two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship."

"Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another," they added. 

Theroux also opened up about their "gentle separation" in September 2018.

"The good news is that was probably the most — I'm choosing my words really carefully — it was kind of the most gentle separation, in that there was no animosity," Theroux told the New York Times. "In a weird way, just sort of navigating the inevitable perception of it is the exhausting part."

Theroux went on to say that the split was "amicable" and the thing that changed the most is their friendship.

"It was heartbreaking, only in the sense that the friendship would not be the same, as far as just the day-to-day. But the friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we're both very proud of."

• Read more about Aniston and Theroux:
• The reported reason Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux split is a cautionary tale for any couple
• The 19 most shocking celebrity breakups of 2018
• Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux reportedly split because they couldn't agree on where to live — and couples can learn a big lesson from it

Join the conversation about this story »

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This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

The US prepaid card ecosystem is huge, with 10.7 billion prepaid card transactions made in 2016 reaching $290 billion. And it’s shifting focus from low-income, un- and underbanked consumers toward millennials and higher-income adults.

But as the market evolves, legacy prepaid issuers, like Green Dot, are under threat. The market is becoming more competitive as tech companies like Apple, Square, and Venmo develop their own prepaid offerings, likely as part of a push to drive customers to engage with their core peer-to-peer (P2P) transfer or digital wallet apps. These players’ robust digital offerings and ability to offer prepaid services for lower, or no fees are undercutting legacy businesses. And on top of crowding, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is implementing regulations next year that could impact some issuers’ monetization strategies.

As a result, the US prepaid card market is becoming an increasingly complicated space for issuers to navigate, so prepaid issuers need to rethink their strategies to best attract consumers. Companies can attract a bigger user base if they target younger users from both low-income and high-income segments. They should also provide convenient offerings, that integrate digital features to make account information accessible, to cater to young consumers’ preferences.

Business Insider Intelligence has put together a detailed report that explores the evolving prepaid card industry, identifies how issuers can maintain profitability in a market that’s being challenged by new players and impending government regulations, and evaluates various paths to success.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• There were 10.7 billion prepaid card transactions worth $290 billion in 2016, according to The Federal Reserve. Business Insider Intelligence expects that to grow to $396 billion by 2022. 
• The prepaid space has historically been filled with incumbents like Green Dot. But new players, like Apple, Amazon, and Venmo, are trying to gain share, which is pushing large prepaid firms to merge or acquire one another to grow.
• Issuers can adapt to the change in the space, and grow their share of the market, by providing convenient, multichannel access, and doing so in a way that facilitates profitability. Targeting younger consumers, both from the underbanked and high-income segments, as well as accessing users from physical as well as digital channels, can help facilitate this growth.

In full, the report:

• Sizes the US prepaid card market and estimates its future trajectory.
• Identifies industry leaders and the newcomers to prepaid that are threatening their market share.
• Evaluates growth factors and inhibitors that are increasing competition in the space.
• Issues recommendations and strategies that issuers can implement to stay ahead in such a rapidly shifting space.

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• Bill Gates is one of the wealthiest men on the planet.
• The Microsoft founder has thrown himself into charitable work in recent years. Gates and his wife Melinda run the philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• On Tuesday, the Gates Foundation released its 2019 annual letter, in which Gates and Melinda shared what they considered to be the nine biggest surprises of the past year.
• While running his foundation, Gates tends to have a pretty normal day: He exercises, catches up on the news, works out, and spends time with his family.

Bill Gates is worth $96.5 billion, making him the wealthiest person on planet Earth, according to Forbes.

What does one of the richest men in the world get up to all day?

Since stepping down from the helm of Microsoft in 2006, Gates has thrown himself into the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which donates money to research and charitable organizations.

Read more: Inside the marriage of Bill and Melinda Gates, who met at work, live in a $124 million home, and will leave their children only a small fraction of their fortune

His daily routine is often quite busy and varied, as he travels the world and launches new initiatives.

Here's a look inside the daily schedule of Bill Gates, the wealthiest man in the world:

SEE ALSO: A look inside the daily routine of Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who made $199 million last year and just cut his vacation short to deal with a leaked memo

Gates claims to enjoy the chocolate cereal Cocoa Puffs, but his wife Melinda told Betsy Layne High School students that he usually skips breakfast.

Source: Inc., Youtube

If he's not traveling, Gates starts the day in this staggering Medina, Washington property. The mansion was estimated to be worth $124 million as of 2016.

Source: Business Insider, The Economic Times

Back in 2008, Gates was known to work out on the treadmill after waking up, while "watching DVDs from the Teaching Company's 'Great Courses' series," according to the New York Times.

Source: The New York Times

• Actress Anne Hathaway gave birth to son Jonathan in 2016.
• In a recent interview, she revealed she took a parenting tip from the Duchess of Cambridge by getting on an eye-to-eye level with him when talking.
• Hathaway also recently stated she's avoiding alcohol for the next 18 years for her son.

Anne Hathway gave birth to her first child, son Jonathan, back in 2016 with husband Adam Shulman. Now, in an interview with The Sunday Times Style magazine, she revealed that she uses a parenting hack with her 2-year-old that she learned from Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"They get down on the child's level and speak to them eye to eye to make their child feel empowered," Hathaway told the publication. "I thought that was really cool. I started doing that with Jonathan."

Kate and Will have been spotted doing this many times before in photographs, crouching down and putting themselves on the same level as their children

According to Yahoo!, this is called active listening and helps to build respect within the parent-children relationship. When kneeled down at the same height as the child, there is no unfair distribution of power: It's an equal playing field, allowing for the child to feel comfortable expressing themselves.

Last month, Hathaway also revealed in an interview with Ellen that she had quit drinking alcohol since becoming a mother and plans to avoid it as much as possible for the next 18 years.

She added, "He's so beautiful. I'm not perfect, but if I'm frustrated or distracted, I'm good at making sure he's sage and walking away, calming down and then coming back to him ... I fall short every day, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it, I'm going to learn from it."

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Nestlé is closing a water-bottling factory in Phoenix, Arizona, that was intended to use 35 million gallons of water a year. 
• The factory sparked controversy when plans to open it were announced in 2016, as many questioned the decision to give Nestlé permission to source water from the drought-stricken state. 
• As the maker of the largest bottled-water brand in the world,Nestlé Pure Life, Nestlé is increasingly facing bottled-water backlash.

Nestlé is closing a controversial Arizona water-bottling plant after years of backlash from the drought-stricken state. 

On Monday, officials announced plans to immediately close a water-bottling plant in Phoenix, Arizona, according to local newspublications. 

The factory has sparked backlash since plans for its construction were announced in 2016. At the time, Nestlé said it planned to purchase 35 million gallons of water annually from the city of Phoenix, roughly 0.035% of the city’s total water usage.

Read more:The CEO behind the biggest bottled-water brand in the world says the industry needs to solve a massive problem

More than 48,000 people signed a 2016 petition calling for the deal with Nestlé to be called off. However, Nestlé moved along with the plan.

"By operating closer to local customers and consumers, Nestlé Waters North America will reduce its carbon footprint," Nestlé said on its website. "Despite its arid location, the city of Phoenix provides renewable water supplies to municipal users, and carefully monitors withdrawals to safeguard the environment for the long term." 

Nestlé did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment on why the factory is closing. In a statement to the Arizona Republic, Hugues Larente, the company's Phoenix factory manager, said that the brand is "evolving" operations in response to the currently "highly competitive" nature of the bottled-water industry. 

As the maker of the largest bottled-water brand in the world, Nestlé is increasingly facing bottled-water backlash. 

"The challenges, I think they are real," Fernando Mercé, the president and CEO of Nestlé Waters North America, said of the backlash against bottled water during Beverage Digest's Future Smarts conference in December.

"I think you have to first, make sure that as an organization, you behave in a responsible way — that you are treating both the sourcing of water and the packing in the most responsible way you can," Mercé continued.

SEE ALSO: The CEO behind the biggest bottled-water brand in the world says the industry needs to solve a massive problem

Join the conversation about this story »

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This story was delivered to Business Insider Intelligence "Digital Media Briefing" subscribers hours before appearing on Business Insider. To be the first to know, please click here.

Amazon is launching a live-streaming video version of a home shopping network called “Amazon Live,” according to TechCrunch.

The new live-streaming offering will feature live video shows hosted by Amazon talent as well as by individual brands, which will be able to broadcast their own shows live via a new app called Amazon Live Creator, launching as part of the initiative. The shows will talk viewers through products for sale on Amazon, which will be shown in a carousel underneath the video streams.

Amazon Live highlights how the tech giant is expanding the integration of e-commerce and digital video on its platform. Although Amazon is first and foremost an e-commerce platform, it’s likewise a powerful streaming video provider.

With its legacy e-commerce business and its growing focus on original programming for Prime Video, Amazon is strongly positioned to drive purchases on the back of digital video content. This isn’t the first time Amazon has tried selling products through video on its platform. In 2016, Amazon launched "Style Code Live,” which ran live on the platform on weekday evenings, though was canceled after 15 months. 

With its newest announcement, the e-tailer has merchandising efforts in the works across three different types of digital video – live-streaming, unscripted reality, and scripted shows. In addition to Amazon Live, Amazon is also reportedly developing a shoppable competitive fashion reality series that will be hosted by fashion gurus Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn of TV’s “Project Runway,” though that show is expected to be exclusive to Prime members, while Amazon Live shows are available to anyone who visits the site or app. The e-tailer is also reportedly working on a scripted series with A-list actress Blake Lively that will feature a merchandising element.

Brands that partner with Amazon on the new live-streaming venture stand to boost discoverability, customer acquisition, and conversions all in one fell swoop. Brands will not only find central placement in front of Prime’s global membership of 100 million subscribers in more than 200 countries, but will be accessible to non-members as well.

Further, because video content is viewed on the e-commerce platform itself, Amazon creates a more streamlined path to purchase directly from the point of engagement with content. Amazon has an increasingly central role in the consumer online purchase journey: Almost 90% of Amazon's product views come from the platform's own product search, rather than advertising, merchandising, or product aggregators, per Jumpshot.

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SEE ALSO: Traditional TV usage is declining across every demographic — here's how digital media companies are recreating content bundles

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• Lindsey Vonn ran the final race of her Alpine ski career on Sunday.
• Waiting for her at the bottom of the Swedish slopes was a pre-recorded message from Roger Federer.
• Vonn could barely contain her excitement and screamed "Roger!" at the top of her lungs.
• Federer congratulated Vonn on a "wonderful career," told her that he was thinking of her, and said that she should be "so, so proud."
• Vonn, clearly elated, screamed "Roger! at the top of her lungs once again, before telling Federer she loved him.

Roger Federer sent Lindsey Vonn a personalized video message to watch after the final race of her career, and she responded by telling him she loves him.

Vonn is widely considered to be one of the greatest Alpine skiers of all-time. The American has won an Olympic gold medal, two bronze medals, two World Championship gold medals, and four overall World Cup titles.

On Sunday, Vonn ran her final race, collected her last bronze medal at the Are ski resort in Sweden, and retired from the sport forever.

But waiting for her at the bottom of the slope was a broadcasting crew from RTS Sport, Radio Television Suisse, who had a pre-recorded message from Switzerland's favorite athlete — Roger Federer.

Read more: Lindsey Vonn suffered an ugly crash in her penultimate race just 4 days after announcing her retirement because her body is 'broken'

Before Federer's message was even played, Vonn failed to contain her excitement and screamed at the top of her lungs: "Roger!"

Federer then said: "Hey Lindsey, it's me. Many, many congratulations on a wonderful career. I know you tried everything the last few months to get ready. I was thinking of you, and watching you.

"I saw the fall as well in the Super-G a few days ago and I was really feeling sorry," he went on. "I was sitting there with my children and hoping for you. So I'm just going to say well done, you can be so, so proud. Take care, bye, bye."

Vonn once again screamed: "Roger!" before Federer's message ended and, visibly elated, promised to watch Federer attempt to win a ninth Wimbledon Championship title from courtside in London this summer.

"Rog," she said. "You're the best, man!" The clip finished with Vonn saying: "I love ya, thank you." Off camera, she was heard shouting "oh, that's awesome!"

Watch the clip in its entirety right here:

Vonn took to Twitter after the event to describe the moment as "awesome," and thanked Federer one more time.

SEE ALSO: 10 times the normally mild-mannered Roger Federer went wild in the middle of a tennis match

DON'T MISS: Serena Williams praised Roger Federer as 'the greatest of all time' after losing to him in a historic doubles match

Join the conversation about this story »

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• From flat-top kabuki brushes to silicone sponges, there are almost too many tools to apply foundation.
• The Sephora Collection PRO Flawless Airbrush #56 is a basic, non-gimmicky foundation brush that gives you a seamless finish with your favorite cream or powder products.

There are so many options for applying face makeup these days, from sponges to silicone sponges to oddly-shaped brushes that claim to give you an airbrushed finish. But regular old foundation brushes shouldn’t be overlooked.

Even within that category, the possibilities are seemingly endless. There are flat-top kabuki brushes, paddle brushes, angled brushes, round brushes, and electric brushes. How can you choose just one? And what’s the difference between them all, anyway?

A lot depends on what kind of coverage you prefer and what your makeup application goals are, but you don’t need to amass a huge collection — one brush can work for the majority of base products.

I tend to apply light BB creams and skin tints with my fingers and use brushes for medium or higher coverage. A foundation brush can also help blend out stubborn cream products. If my makeup is starting pill up from the warmth of my fingers, I’ll switch to a brush to get rid of any weird clumps.

Here are the best foundation brushes you can buy:

• Best foundation brush overall: Sephora PRO Flawless Airbrush #56
• Best foundation and concealer brush: IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7
• Best drugstore foundation brush: Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
• Best kabuki foundation brush: Sigma Beauty Flat Kabuki Makeup Brush F80
• Best electric foundation brush: Clarisonic Sonic Foundation Brush Head

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best foundation brush overall

Why you'll love it: The Sephora Collection PRO Flawless Airbrush #56 is the only brush you need to perfectly blend your favorite cream or powder foundations.

Are you sick of looking at 75 different foundation brushes cluttering your makeup area? Feel free to declutter them all and pick up the Sephora Collection PRO Flawless Airbrush #56. It’s cleverly designed to work with just about any foundation formula, which means you can use it with liquid or powder foundation.

A video on Sephora's website specifically recommends using this brush for medium-coverage products. The slightly dense bristles allow you to layer and build product without creating a cakey finish. Apply foundation directly on the brush, place it on the back of your hand first, or apply it directly on your face before swirling the brush in circular motions.

This brush has a 4.7-star rating based on 884 reviews. One Sephora shopper writes, "When you apply your foundation, you don't see the marks that bristles can sometimes leave behind. It is the best brush out there, believe me you're gonna fall in love with it!!!!!!!"

Best Products also named the Sephora Collection PRO Flawless Airbrush #56 a top pick foundation brush for its ability to apply different formulas with equal precision.

Pros: Not tested on animals, synthetic bristles, works with multiple formulas

Cons: Pricey

Buy the Sephora Collection PRO Flawless Airbrush #56 at Sephora for $32

The best foundation and concealer brush

Why you'll love it: The IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7 is one brush that does it all — or at least blends out both your foundation and concealer in two seconds flat.

The IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7 first came to my attention — like most things beauty — on YouTube. Every single makeup expert I watch seems to use this brush, and after reading the reviews online, I finally understand why.

This duo allows you to get a flawless face in about five seconds flat. The two different sized brushes ensure you’ll be able to reach every single crevice for a gap-free blend. Like all IT Cosmetics brushes it is cruelty-free, vegan, and 100% synthetic.

The foundation side is of the brush is big, fluffy, and domed, while the concealer side is like the baby version, featuring dense bristles and a rounded tip. IT Cosmetics makes beautiful brushes (I use several almost daily for eyeshadow) with super soft bristles that don’t shed no matter how much you reach for — or neglect to wash — them.

The Complexion Perfection Brush has a 4.6 rating on Ulta and has been featured by Rank and Style, not to mention countless influencers’ social media profiles.

"I've been using this brush for years," writes one Ulta reviewer. "Definitely got my money worth. It applies cream & powder foundation, bronzer,& blush beautifully."

Pros: Double-ended, works for concealer & foundation, cruelty-free, vegan

Cons: Pricey

Buy the IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7 at Ulta for $48

The best drugstore foundation brush

Why you'll love it: Real Techniques makes high-quality brushes at drugstore prices, and the Expert Face Brush is your ideal foundation application tool.

Even though the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush is the top drugstore foundation brush on this list, it really is one of the best options out there, period. If you’re not interested in dropping $30+ on a brush, I urge you to check this one out.

This is a basic dome-shaped foundation brush that’s super densely packed to pick up and blend both thicker cream formulas and liquidy ones. The bristles are widely distributed, so you can move product around your skin quickly before it dries down.

It has close to 2,000 5-star ratings on Ulta and over 4,500 ratings on Influenster. Reviewers on both sites give the brush an overall 4.7-star rating.

"I normally use mineral powder foundation and this works great for that - but was curious how this would work with a heavy cream. Result: you TRULY can multitask with it! I have NEVER been able to do this with one brush before ... I applied, one after the other with no wiping or cleaning between," reads the most helpful 5-star review on Ulta.

As Rank and Style points out, the brush actually stands on its base, so you technically don’t need to store it in a cup or drawer between uses.

Pros: Affordable, dense, works with multiple formulation formulas, stands on its base, cruelty-free

Cons: Some reviewers complained about shedding over time

Buy the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush at Ulta for $8.99

• Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, married Melinda French in 1994.
• They met at Microsoft when Melinda was brought on a product manager. She initially turned down Bill's request for a date at a company picnic.
• Today, they run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has an endowment of $50.7 billion. On Tuesday, they released their 2019 annual letter, in which they broke down the nine "biggest surprises" of the past year.

Melinda French was less than impressed when her boss asked her out on a date.

It was 1987, and the recent Duke graduate had just joined Microsoft as a product manager. CEO Bill Gates approached her at a company picnic and asked if she'd be interested in grabbing dinner in two weeks. She responded, "That's not spontaneous enough for me,"Fortune reported in 2015.

Fast-forward three decades, and Bill and Melinda Gates are married with three kids, worth $96.5 billion, and run a namesake philanthropic enterprise boasting a $50.7 billion endowment.

Here's a look at their marriage.

SEE ALSO: A look inside the marriage of world's richest couple, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos — who met at work, were engaged in 3 months, and own more land than almost anyone else in America

DON'T MISS: Inside the daily routine of billionaire Bill Gates, who loves cheeseburgers, tours missile silos, and washes the dishes every night

At the picnic, Melinda gave Bill her number and told him to call her closer to the day he had in mind.

Source: Business Insider

Instead, he called her up later that night with a wry question: "Is this spontaneous enough for you?" Turns out, it was.

Source: Business Insider

Melinda and Bill dated for seven years before they wed. Melinda told Fortune her mom didn't think that seeing the CEO was a good idea in the beginning.

Source: Business Insider, Fortune

• Game publisher Electronic Arts has a sudden megahit on its hands with "Apex Legends," a free Battle Royale game for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
• In less than a week, over 25 million people played "Apex Legends"— a much faster growth rate than even "Fortnite."
• There's no sign of "Apex" slowing down, and one chart perfectly demonstrates just how fast the game went from unknown to wildly popular.

It's hard to overstate how explosively popular "Apex Legends" has been. 

The free Battle Royale game launched on February 4, and — less than a week later — over 25 million people had already played it. During the game's first weekend, it had "well over 2 million concurrent players" at one point.

But all of those are just abstract numbers without additional context, and this chart from Australian financial portfolio manager Thomas Rice offers exactly that:

As you can see above, "Apex Legends" grew from nothing to 25 million players in just seven days. For "Fortnite" to achieve the same growth, it took 41 days.

To be clear, "Fortnite" also grew rapidly.

Like "Apex Legends," the Battle Royale mode of "Fortnite" was free at launch in September 2017. It was only available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC — also like "Apex"— before expanding to Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android devices across the following year.

Simply put: Comparing the two games is relatively straightforward, and EA's "Apex Legends" is already off to a stronger start than the biggest gaming phenomenon since "Minecraft." Pretty impressive!

It's no surprise that EA's stock price reflects the wild, sudden success of "Apex Legends." 

The game is the first hit from EA in quite some time, and its first straight-up blockbuster in the past several years. Recent entries in the "Battlefield" and "Star Wars Battlefront" series have failed to meet critical and commercial expectations, and the publisher has become more and more reliant on its annual sports games in the "FIFA" and "Madden" franchises.

With "Apex Legends," EA has a bonafide hit on its hands — and there's no sign of it slowing down.

Check out the latest video from the game's creator, Respawn Entertainment, below:

SEE ALSO: Forget about 'Fortnite': A new, free game makes 9 brilliant changes to the Battle Royale formula

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The World Health Organization called "vaccine hesitancy" a global health threat for 2019.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is "no link between vaccines and autism."
• Celebrities including Julie Bowen, Hillary Clinton, and Jennifer Garner have spoken out about the necessity of vaccinations.

Despite extensive amounts of research, the myth that vaccinations cause autism or other life-changing side effects persists.

The World Health Organization (WHO) listed "vaccine hesitancy" as one of the 10 global health threats for 2019, saying, "vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease — it currently prevents 2 to 3 million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among many other organizations, also has a section on its website addressing vaccinations and autism. "Studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing ASD [autism spectrum disorder]," it says.

We've rounded up 14 celebrities who have used their platforms to shut down anti-vaxxing myths and speak out about the need for vaccinating our children and ourselves.

Kristen Bell wrote an article for HuffPost in support of vaccinations.

"As to the benefits of vaccinations, it has been proven; they work," the "Good Place" actress wrote in an article for HuffPost. "That's enough for me to climb up on a soap box, make some ugly cardboard sign in my garage, and let other mothers know that it's safe, important, and bigger than emotion: It's the truth."

Julie Bowen's kids are vaccinated.

Julie Bowen reached out to her loved ones when deciding whether to vaccinate her kids.

"I spoke with my sister, who is an infectious disease doctor — and then also with my own doctor and my pediatrician, who said to me: 'By not vaccinating your children, you're putting them at serious risk.' That was it for me," the "Modern Family" actress said in an interview with WebMD. "Once I made that decision, there were a few tears — mostly mine — but now all three boys are on regular vaccination schedules."

Sarah Michelle Gellar wants to protect everyone's children.

"Having children is the greatest gift anyone's ever given me, and if I can help protect anyone else's gift, then it's not just my pleasure, but it's my responsibility to do it," the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" actress told Parade of her decision to encourage parents to get their kids vaccinated against whooping cough.

• 21-year-old William Byron will start in pole position at the Daytona 500 this Sunday after posting the fastest trial ahead of the race.
• Byron's rise through the racing world has been swift, as he did not race competitively until he was 15.
• Before then, Byron honed his skills with iRacing, a simulator that gives users a realistic racing experience and view.

This Sunday, the NASCAR Cup series will officially begin with the Daytona 500, and when the drivers start their engines, 21-year-old William Byron will be sitting in the pole position.

Byron, racing in the 24 car for Hendrick Motorsports, won the pole after posting the fastest trial ahead of the race, completing the 2.5-mile qualifying laps in a blistering 46.319 seconds.

Any 21-year-old racer winning the pole would be an impressive feat, but Byron's case becomes even more striking when you consider he didn't start racing competitively until he was 15.

Byron fell in love with driving when he happened across a stock car race on television at age 6, and attended his first race three years later. But he didn't get behind the wheel in competition until he was 15 — relatively late for someone who would go on to race in the Daytona 500.

Rather than racing go-karts or driving in other competitions, Byron honed his skills with iRacing — a racing simulator used by fans and pros alike. The service emphasizes realism — while video game series such as "Forza" and "Gran Turismo" are entertaining and often stunningly beautiful, iRacing focuses on giving its users a realistic view from the cockpit.

"I started racing on iRacing, which is kind of unique, and very different than other guys start racing," Byron told FoxSports in 2018. "I didn't run go-karts as kids. I didn't grow up in a racing family."

As Byron rose through the ranks in iRacing, his father eventually warmed to the idea of him driving a real car in competition. Byron joined the U.S. Legend Young Lion Division in 2013 and wound up winning 33 of the 69 races he started.

From there, he progressed through the levels of racing with astounding speed and wound up the driver for the iconic No. 24 car in 2018, his rookie NASCAR season.

While Byron is now spending more of his time driving in real races, he's still gaining insight from his iRacing days.

"Most of the track layout is exactly the same, which is really helpful if you're going to the racetrack for the first time," Byron told Fox Sports.

Byron will only be racing in the Daytona 500 for the second time in his young career when he starts in pole position on Sunday, but chances are he already knows the track quite well.

SEE ALSO: There is a new pro football league starting and here is everything you need to know

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• The SonyPlayStation 4 has been a monumental success over the last five years, selling more than 91 million consoles.
• The biggest driver of the PlayStation 4's boom has been the steady cadence of exclusive games, many of which have been released to positive reviews and massive sales.
• Shawn Layden is the chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Worldwide Studios, which oversees the 16 global studios that produce exclusive PlayStation 4 games, including Naughty Dog ("Uncharted,""The Last of Us"), Guerrilla Games ("Horizon Zero Dawn"), and Santa Monica Studio ("God of War").
• In an interview with Business Insider, Layden shared the secret sauce behind the PlayStation 4, and how he and his team navigate the ever-changing world of video game development to achieve critical and financial success.

The PlayStation 4 has dominated the current video game cycle over the past five years — and exclusive games like "Marvel's Spider-Man,""Uncharted 4," and "God of War" are a big reason for that.

The numbers highlight the importance of exclusives: Five of the top 10 best-selling PlayStation 4 games of all-time can't be played on any other console, and 13 of the 28 PlayStation 4 games that made more than $1 million in sales — about half — are also PS4 exclusives. 

It's not just sales. On Metacritic, which aggregates reviews from different publications, six of the top 10 best-reviewed PS4 games are exclusives, and roughly one-third of the PS4 games with a Metacritic score of at least 90 are exclusives as well.

Not every exclusive PS4 title has been a mega-smash hit, and some releases feel directed towards different audiences. But there's an underlying quality where each production, while extremely different in tone and style, has a consistent level of polish.

"We have to lead from the front," said Shawn Layden, chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios.

Layden, 57, has been with Sony PlayStation for more than 30 years. He understands Sony's global footprint better than anyone.

The Notre Dame grad started working for Sony in Tokyo, not the US, in its corporate communications department under the the late Sony cofounder Akio Morita. He eventually moved to the UK to manage software development at the company's London Studio, and shortly afterwards he became VP of Sony Computer Entertainment's (SCE) Europe division.

After nine years in Europe, Layden returned to Tokyo to serve as president of SCE Japan, and in 2010, he was named chief operating officer and executive vice president at Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI).

In 2014, Layden's international work paid off back in the states: He was named president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, succeeding veteran Jack Tretton and becoming the official face of PlayStation at all of the company's big press events, including E3, the annual gaming expo in Los Angeles. Then last year, in a corporate reorganization, Layden was named chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Worldwide Studios.

Now, Layden is charged with managing the dozen-plus studios around the world that develop exclusive games for PlayStation consoles. Layden is routinely emailing, calling, and visiting these studios in person to talk with employees, check in on the status of upcoming games, and ensure the companies are reaching their goals, which Layden calls "milestones" or "check-in points."

Layden says managing the 13 game studios around the world under the SIE umbrella — seven in the United States, three in Europe, and two in Japan — is like managing different personalities.

"We are an entertainment business, which means the folks involved in creating the content are artists," Layden told Business Insider. "I believe that to be true."

On a recent phone call, Layden offered insight into his work schedule, how he copes with so much travel, and how Sony's global approach, and focus on quality, has been key to the PlayStation 4's success. 

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Dave Smith: How important is it for you to have studios all around the world, instead of just focusing on one region like the US?

Shawn Layden: We have a pretty broad tent with studios throughout the US, and Europe, and Asia. I think one of the interesting, unique features that we can claim from Worldwide Studios here at PlayStation is that we have the ability to create — and have shown the ability to create — triple-A content in three different regions.

PlayStation was always intended to be a global platform. When we brought out the PlayStation back in 1994, we came out of Japan, but quickly moved to establish businesses in Europe and America.

So together with that, the role of Worldwide Studios has been to not dominate the gaming market, not take the largest market share or dominant share of that, but to bring content to the platform, which really makes the hardware sing.

To be truly a good platform, we have to be able to deliver, at that quality bar, content that appeals to our European fans, our Japanese fans, and our American fans.

Smith: I'd love to know about how you control the quality and consistency across so many games that are exclusive to the console. SIE Worldwide must be a huge part of that.

Layden: It's our mandate. You know, we talk about this inside the studios: the rubric of 'first,' 'best' and 'must;' The content we make has to fulfill one of those three rubrics.

When we come out with a racing game, we're gonna come out with the best racing game in the world — "Gran Turismo." When we lean into action adventure, we're gonna give you "Uncharted," or "God of War," or "Horizon [Zero Dawn]"— games like that.

Since we only code to one platform, we really want to be the leader in showing everything that platform can deliver. We don't have to make choices to create technologies which will run across many different target technologies. We just lean into the PlayStation thing solely. And it allows us to focus our attentions there.

The working week

Smith: What is a typical day like for you? 

Layden: I think my typical day, typically involves the airport. (laughs) Let's just do this from the assumption that I'm in California, which is not a bad assumption, but it's certainly not the majority [of my time].

Like most people, the first thing you do when you get up in the morning is you reach for your phone and, you know, see what has blown up somewhere. In the morning, I can talk to Europe. Quite often I'm touching base with a studio or leadership in our European studios.

Throughout the day it's, like so many business, really email driven. I spend a lot of time on the phone. And then in the evening, that's the time when I can get in touch with our Japanese studios, and Japanese leadership. So it goes from early in the morning to late in the evening kind of cycle. I don't think that's any different from anybody else in this business.

Smith: What are the biggest challenges you face at work on a day-to-day basis?

Layden: I find the biggest challenge of my job is that we're such a distributed entity, as far as Worldwide Studios go.

We have studios scattered across the Pacific Northwest and California spine of the country. And our studios in Japan and Europe.

So, what I really try to do is to get around the world as much as I can. Because everything you can get from a WebEx [teleconference], or an email, but at its heart, game production is a creative activity. And as a creative activity, it really comes down to the people behind the project.

To really understand what their challenges are, or what their ambitions are and hopes are, you're going to have to get there in person and, and speak to them about it.

Smith: It seems like you're on the road a lot. How do you cope with so much travel? Any good tips?

Layden: I was very, very late to the party. But one of the greatest things about traveling is I finally bought a Kindle. The Paperwhite. It's awesome. I don't know how they managed to get a battery that lasts four weeks, but it's a great piece of technology, and it has helped my carry-on luggage slim down, from carrying hard books.

I still carry a Vita from time to time, but my Vita is a dedicated "Everybody's Golf" machine. That remains my favorite pick-up-and-play game. I think it's just the nature of it, you know. You can play a hole, and pause, and come back to it later. It's very dip in, dip out.

But traveling is all about reducing your carry weight. And so Kindle was a great move for me.

Why Sony is skipping E3

Smith: It sounds like you're spending a lot of time with each studio. But when you talk to them, what are the sorts of things you discuss?

Layden: Well, I have a powerful partner in managing the studios — you know, the man, the myth, the legend, Shuhei Yoshida, who is president of our Worldwide Studios. And with him in the president's seat, and me in the chairman seat, that gives us really good management coverage and visibility on the studio activities.

Shu is as much or even more peripatetic than I am; that guy's on the road all the time. He also believes the only way to really understand the day-to-day of the game development process is to really be there, be in the studios, be with the teams, and speak with them.

So Shu and I have very close contact on a weekly basis to discuss what's up with him, what's up with me, and where we're going with the teams. And then we have regular cadence amongst the leadership of Worldwide Studios that fits on a monthly basis. And then we try to get them out in the world.

I try to see every studio at least quarterly. But things like GDC, or D.I.C.E., or GamesCom, those kind of events, actually brings us all together in the same space, and we always take advantage of those opportunities to huddle up and talk about the future.

Smith: Speaking of those opportunities, you guys are not doing E3 this year, for the first time. Is this the future of Sony, to hold your own events and invite your developers into the fold that way? How do you plan on keeping tabs on everyone without E3?

Layden: I think if you look at the industry over time, with E3, we were an original founder of that event through our association with ESA, and the other industry partners, 25 years ago. But it was a much different world then.

I remember going to the first E3, and the only guests we had there were from retail. You'd come across people who would say things like, "Hi, I'm the Sears buyer, and I'm in charge of Barbie, Hot Wheels, VHS, and video games. Can you tell me about your industry?" So it was a real education process, talking with a guy from Sears, and explain to him what PlayStation 1 was all about.

Fast forward to today, and our buying partners are Best Buy, or Target, or GameStop. I mean, they are as up to speed, or in some areas, more up to speed on the entire industry than we are. They're plugged in 24/7, all year long. So the idea of coming together on a day in June to learn about the industry, that role for a trade show has kind of evaporated.

We took the decision not to attend E3 this year, because we wanna make sure that when we do come together at some point, bring all our fans in under the invitation that PlayStation has something marvelous to share with you, we wanna make sure that we do. And E3 this year just wasn't the right time for us.

The importance of deadlines

Smith: I want to talk about management style for a bit. Do you feel like your approach with the studios is more hands on or hands off? How important are deadlines to you?

Layden: You know, we've been at this for over 25 years now. And I think we are understanding better the power of unleashing the creative — and really being able to speak with individuals, or with teams, that have a vision for a game they wanna bring forward.

Having done it so often over so many years, I think we're just getting better at it. We're more experienced at it. We understand what the real cost, time and money, for a great scope is, and prepare ourselves to deliver that.

Deadlines are important, but they're not an end unto themselves. Deadlines, or milestones, are ways that you measure your progress across a trajectory. They're check-in points. Are we achieving this level of artistic quality? If the story works, what are the beats? Are the animations executed? And more often than not, if we feel that we need to spend a little more time in any one of those categories, we've made provisions, and we're prepared to move a date if it's in service of achieving a greater result.

And I know in the game community, people are disappointed to find out that, "Hey! What do you mean you're moving it up 30 days, or 60 days, or 90 days?" But once we've come to market, everyone says, "Oh my God, I'm so glad you did." (laughs) Because we can only answer that disappointment by delivering an awesome result.

Smith: Do you find that you manage each company a little differently? Do you find that each company has its own kind of personality?

Layden: Oh, absolutely. I mean, we are an entertainment business, which means that the folks involved in creating the content are artists. I believe that to be true. And when you're working with artists, and the creative process, sure, it's different every place you go.

We have a team in San Diego that makes the world's best baseball game, and I would argue the world's best sports game — "MLB: The Show." But they have to deliver every year by opening day. If you think about it, that's an incredible business cycle.

Others in the gaming community deliver sports titles annually as well, so they'll understand the challenge of that, but to deliver that consistently at a quality bar, which is amazing, and keep your fans happy. They effectively work a 10-month development cycle.

Then you have other teams, like Media Molecule, who have spent the last four or five years working on the Dreams technology, which we've just looked at the data a few weeks ago, and people are blown away by the power of that platform — to put games creativity into the hands of fans.

And every other studio is as different as those two examples I've just given. So yes: Studios develop very differently, but we're all committed to one thing, which is we will bring the best experiences on the PlayStation platform, better than anybody else. We have to do that. We have to lead from the front.

What Sony doesn't do

Smith: The PlayStation 4 has been a huge success, but do you find there's anything over this past cycle that you think PlayStation whiffed on? Was there anything you thought you guys could have done better, or just didn't do it at all — and want to do better on the next cycle?

Layden: For all of the advances we've made, and the high bar we've focused on in storytelling. I mean, I dare anybody to experience something like "The Last of Us" and not feel emotional about it; and with "God of War," that story of a father and son; and "Horizon [Zero Dawn]," and the power of Aloy, the protagonist.

All of these things, I believe we've done quite well. I'm very happy with the "Spider-Man" game that went out last year. And looking forward, "Days Gone" is coming in a couple months. That's not only compelling and gripping, but it will emotionally try you very hard. I think all those things we do really well.

What we don't do so much in is multiplayer.

Smith: Do you mean local multiplayer, where two people can play in the same room next to each other, or online multiplayer games?

Layden: Couch co-op — I mean that's a whole category I think the industry needs to look back at. We have that with sports titles, and some racing titles, but not with much else. And I think that speaks to the power of the internet on the one hand, but otherwise we might wanna revisit that to get more family engagement in the gaming experience.

But, no, I was referencing more with the things like "GTA 5 Online," or you look at "Call of Duty," or "Fortnite," or any of those experiences. Worldwide Studios, like I say, we've been going really heavy into story-driven gaming. The power of the narrative. Big, spectacular experiences. But not a whole lot in the multiplayer side of things, I think. That's an area where you will likely see us start to make more noise in the new term.

No competition 

Smith: Before we go, I wanted to ask you about the competition. How do you feel about your direct competitors? Is there anything you like about the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One?

Layden: I don't know if you got a chance to see Geoff Keighley at the Game Awards last December, but it caused a bit of a ruckus when the industry saw [Nintendo of America president] Reggie [Fils-Aimé], [Xbox boss] Phil [Spencer] and myself standing on stage at the introduction of the event.

You know, we all have our Twitter feeds, and we all see the traffic that goes through there, and it seemed to create a bit of commotion. And I was struck by that thinking. People act like it's the first time the three of us have ever gotten together.

We all serve on the board of the Entertainment Software Association, the ESA. You'll see us all together at events where we celebrate movements of the gaming industry, and just last year we got to award Laila Shabir, the founder of Girls Make Games, for the wonderful things she's doing, for bringing young women into the gaming sector and learning about how that works.

Reggie and Phil and I, we all have a lot of time for those outreach activities. And we work pretty well together. So, you know, I'm hoping that we've changed the conversation from "competing platforms" or, you know, which console won the holiday, or which platform won E3, and just look at what we're all bringing to the video game industry from our different perspectives.

I think Nintendo's doing wonderful things with Switch, and the platform. And it's sort of blurring the lines between what's at home gaming, what's on-the-go gaming.

But also I think Xbox has really raced with us on how we're pushing the bar out on technology and quality. And what they've done recently with their introduction of an adaptive controller, to increase accessibility in gaming, is a wonderful innovation. I hope to see more across the industry in support of that. We've been working with accessibility issues quite heavily for quite some time, particularly with Naughty Dog Studios and what they've done with giving gamers a variety of settings changes you can put into their games, depending on what your particular abilities are.

So I think as an industry, we all move forward. And, I for one, am gonna stop talking about using phrases like competitive platform, because I think we're all supporting and leading an entertainment revolution of gaming. You know, all hands to the till. We're all in this together.

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• "Inside Edition" released an investigation into New York subway fare jumpers in which they confronted commuters who appeared to be doing so.
• The reporter questioned commuters on why they were skipping out on paying, and the commuters questioned why they were being confronted in the first place.
• As New York City increases fares, trains continue to be delayed, and construction abounds, many people on Twitter asked why the investigation was done at all.

"Inside Edition"'s investigation into New York subway fare evaders backfired as viewers accused the program of unnecessarily accosting commuters.

In a video published earlier this month, "Inside Edition" reported that New York lost $215 million in revenue in 2018 because of people who skipped out on paying their subway fares.

The show's chief investigative reporter, Lisa Guerrero, looked into why people avoided the fares by visiting subway stations and stopping people who were apparently leaping over turnstiles and walking through open doors.

As New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) faces budget issues, fare increases, further delays, and an abundance of construction, many people on Twitter asked why "Inside Edition" decided to investigate fare jumpers in the first place.

Others applauded the commuters who asked Guerrero why she was confronted them:

About 4% of riders — or 208,000 people — ride the subway each day without paying, according to The New York Times.

Last November, the MTA warned of fare increases and further service cuts as it faced a looming budget crisis.

Read more:New York City is using technology that's never been used in the United States to fix a damaged subway tunnel and avoid commuting hell

When asked about fare evaders, officials told The Times that some New Yorkers can't afford the rising fares, while others might be protesting the delay-ridden system.

Another factor could be the Manhattan district attorney's office's decision not to prosecute people over fare evasion.

Fare jumpers now only face a fine up to $100 if they're caught.

• Read more:
• I rode the subway in Taiwan and saw why it's one of the best mass transit systems in the world
• New York City subway cars are cleaned by hand — and it takes one person 3 and a half hours to do it
• New Yorkers are freaking out that a plan to shut down an entire subway line has been canceled. Here's why it was a disaster from the start.

Join the conversation about this story »

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network.

• FICO announced a new credit scoring model that could result in a credit score increase for 33 million Americans.
• To find out whether or not your credit is on the rise, you'll need to start monitoring your credit score.
• Here are five credit cards that offer free credit score monitoring services — and lucrative rewards, whether you're looking for travel points or cash back.

Credit scores are crucial to your financial health. While an excellent credit score — 800 or above — will save you thousands of dollars on a mortgage or auto loan, a bad credit score can wreck your dreams of purchasing a house or car at all.

Luckily, credit scores aren't forever. It's always possible to build or rebuild your credit — and thanks to a new credit scoring model from FICO, a jump in your score may come sooner rather than later. But you'll need to get on board with a trustworthy credit monitoring service if you really want to commit to joining the 800 club.

Will your credit score increase this year?

Roughly 40% of credit applicants could see a jump in their credit scores of 20 points or more this year.

That's all thanks to a new credit scoring model called the UltraFICO, which will take into account your banking data — everything from your checking account activity to your savings and money market accounts.

Set to pilot in early 2019, this new model should expand access to credit, particularly for Americans who are bordering on good credit or have no credit at all. This means that if your credit score is in the upper 500s or 600s, or if you have a short or non-existent credit history, you could find yourself suddenly on the way to a good FICO score— 670 or greater.

That is, of course, as long as you've been responsible with your bank accounts. That means no late payments, overdrafts, or delinquent accounts.

Going from no credit or bad credit to good credit can open a lot of doors for you financially. If you're currently in debt, your newfound credit score might give you some leverage to negotiate a lower interest rate or refinance your debt at a lower rate. If you plan to borrow money in the near future — whether to purchase a car or a home or to invest in your new business — it's important to get your credit score up in order to qualify for the lowest rates available.

Even if you're debt-free and have no plans to borrow money in the future, good credit gives you access to some of the best rewards credit cards. Taking advantage of these can save you hundreds of dollars per year in the form of cash back or free travel. Regardless of your financial situation, credit is important in today's world.

Read more: Using credit cards is actually really important for your overall financial health — here's why

How to monitor your credit score

The best way to improve or maintain your credit score is to closely monitor it. This gives you a better understanding of which financial habits cause your score to go up or down.

Many people assume that checking their credit too frequently will drag their score down, but this is actually a myth. Hard inquiries can harm your credit score, but these are inquiries into your credit report that are performed by a potential lender when you apply for a loan or line of credit. When you check your credit report yourself, that's called a soft inquiry, and it won't affect your credit at all.

If it's been a while since you've peeked at your credit, you might want to start by checking your full credit history to get a sense of where you're at financially. Thanks to government regulations, you're entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus every year. All you have to do is go to AnnualCreditReport, where you can request all three free credit reports once every 12 months.

While all consumers should do this on an annual basis, it's also important to monitor your credit throughout the year — ideally on a monthly or weekly basis. Not only will this help you keep track of changes in your credit score, but it will also keep you in the loop if any bad marks or suspicious activity show up on your credit report.

You can pay for a monthly subscription to a credit monitoring service, but the best things in life are free. If you want to track your credit without paying a monthly fee, get a credit card that offers free credit scores.

Read more: Here's how to collect valuable credit card sign-up bonuses while helping your credit score

The best no-annual-fee credit cards that offer free credit scores

A number of credit cards now provide cardholders with free credit score monitoring. All you have to do is log into your cardholder account, and you'll have access to your credit score.

Here are our favorite credit cards with no annual fee that give you free access to your credit score.

For flat-rate cash back: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

• CreditWise credit monitoring
• $150 cash bonus when you spend $500 in the first three months
• Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases

Capital One makes it easy for you to check and monitor your credit score anywhere, at any time. Simply log into your cardholder account on mobile or desktop, and you'll have access to Capital One's credit monitoring service CreditWise.

Not only will CreditWise give you access to your credit score for free, but the app will also track your credit report and social security number. You'll get credit alerts each time your TransUnion credit report changes so you can stay on top of your finances and protect your credit. The app even includes a simulator that lets you see the potential impact any given financial decision could have on your credit score.

On top of this, the Quicksilver from Capital One card comes with a generous cash sign-up bonus and 1.5% flat-rate cash back on all purchases — all at no annual fee.

For consistent earning: Discover it® Miles

• Get your FICO Credit Score for free
• Earn 1.5x miles on every dollar spent
• Discover will match all the miles you earn in the first year
• Miles are worth 1¢ each toward travel

Discover lets cardholders see their FICO Score each month on their monthly statement, allowing you to track your score over time and see whether or not it's increasing. This statement comes with a credit Scorecard that explains how different factors are impacting your score. You can also sign up to receive free social security number alerts and notifications if new accounts are opened on your Experian credit report.

For balance transfers: Amex EveryDay Credit Card

• MyCredit Guide credit monitoring
• $0 balance transfer fee on balance transfers requested within the first 60 days
• 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 months (then variable APR rate of 15.24% to 26.24% applies)
• 10,000 Membership Rewards points if you spend $1,000 in the first three months
• Earn 2 points per $1 spent at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year

American Express cardholders get access to the American Express MyCredit Guide, which provides weekly credit updates, a credit score simulator, and credit alerts to help you detect identity fraud. You'll also get a detailed copy of your TransUnion credit report.

In addition to free credit score monitoring, the Amex EveryDay Credit Card offers one of the best balance transfer offers on the market. If you're looking to pay off debt using a balance transfer, the $0 balance transfer fee makes this card worth considering — especially because you'll want to continue tracking your credit score as you pay down debt.

You'll even earn rewards at a rate that's pretty generous for a balance transfer credit card with no annual fee. American Express's flexible Membership Rewards program is great for folks who want to save money on travel because the points you earn can be transferred to a long list of travel partners.

Earn bigger rewards and track your credit score with these credit cards

If you already have good credit and want to maximize your rewards potential, there are a number of lucrative rewards credit cards that allow you to monitor your credit score while earning free flights and cash bonuses.

These higher-earning rewards credit cards do come with an annual fee. However, the benefits associated with them usually make up for the cost.

If you're hoping that padding your wallet with some hotel points and airline miles will bring a few more vacations your way this year, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is worth considering.

This credit card charges a reasonable $95 annual fee, and it's even waived the first year. It also offers one of the best sign-up bonuses on the market: 50,000 bonus miles — worth $500 in travel spending — if you spend $3,000 in the first three months.

All Capital One credit cards come with access to CreditWise, a free credit monitoring service that sends credit alerts when there are changes to your file.

If you prefer the ease of cash back, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express will get you a higher cash-back rate than credit cards with no annual fee.

Although it charges a $95 annual fee, you'll get 6% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 (then 1%), 3% cash back at US gas stations, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The Blue Cash Preferred Card also comes with a $200 statement credit if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months.

All American Express credit cards offer the MyCredit Guide service so you can check your credit score each week. This feature also allows you to sign up for credit alerts and a free copy of your credit report.

Choosing the best credit card for you depends on your financial goals and spending habits. While some people manage to squeeze a lot of value out of travel rewards, others prefer the simplicity of earning cash back that can be used for anything.

Knowing your credit score and monitoring it regularly, however, is universally beneficial. If you don't already have a credit card that offers free credit scores, it's time to get one.

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• March Madness is around the corner, and so is the struggle of finding cheap ways to watch all 67 games.
• We did some research and found the best ways to stream the 2019 NCAA tournament on a budget.
• Check out our March Madness streaming tips below and all of INSIDER's 2019 NCAA tournament coverage here.

It's almost time for the most exciting three weeks in sports.

The 2019 NCAA tournament is set to tip off with Selection Sunday on March 17, meaning there's only a few more weeks to find ways to watch all 67 games without breaking the bank.

All NCAA tournament games — from the First Four to the national championship game — will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, or TruTV, so the easiest way to watch March Madness is on your TV if you have cable.

Read more: Here's when March Madness starts and where you can tune in to watch

If you have a cable subscription, there are also added options for streaming the tournament from your laptop, cell phone, or tablet. You can log in using your cable account and watch all of the games NCAA March Madness Live or through CBS All Access, the former of which has a three-hour trial period if you're only interested in catching one game.

If you're a wire cutter, you may have to get a bit craftier in order to access individual NCAA Tournament games. You'll likely be able to tune into CBS — which will host 21 of the 67 games — with a digital antenna. The cheapest way to access the games broadcast on any of the Turner networks, however, is to sign up for a free trial of a live TV streaming service. DirecTV Now, fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV all offer seven-day free trials, while PlayStation Vue offers a five-day preview at no cost. Depending on where you live, CBS could also be included with these trials, so this may be the best option for those without cable.

Outside of cable and streaming, your best bet may be to find a local sports bar and camp out for a few weeks.

Here's the NCAA tournament schedule and channel guide:

SEE ALSO: Zion Williamson made his most athletic play yet with a blocked shot that will blow your mind

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In the last few years, there’s been a major shift as to how consumers interact with social media.

Rather than posting content that lives on the platform in perpetuity, users are now posting and viewing more “Stories,” video or images that live for only 24 hours.

Many platforms have introduced some form of Stories format — whether it be Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or WhatsApp. Snapchat was the company to introduce it to the world, but Instagram has surpassed it in terms of volume and perhaps usability.

Business Insider Intelligence has compiled a slide deck that looks into how Stories work on Instagram and Snapchat, and how brands and publishers should be using the Stories feature to reach their audiences.

This exclusive deck can be yours for FREE today. As an added bonus, you will gain immediate access to our exclusive BI Intelligence Daily newsletter.

To get your copy of the FREE slide deck, simply click here.

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• A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed 7 million Americans are behind on their auto payments by at least 90 days.
• Most of the Americans who have recently fallen behind on their car payments have low credit scores or are younger than 30 years old.
• Fed economists said the rise in the number of delinquent borrowers is "surprising" considering a strong labor market and economy.

Millions of Americans are struggling with their car payments, and even economists are surprised.

According to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, more than 7 million Americans have reached serious delinquency status on their auto loans, meaning they're at least 90 days behind on payments.

Fed economists said this is "surprising" considering a strengthening labor market and economy.

People often prioritize car loans because many need to drive to get to work and earn a paycheck, The Washington Post's Heather Long reported. The fact that a record number of Americans aren't making those payments is "usually a sign of significant duress among low-income and working-class Americans," Long wrote.

"The substantial and growing number of distressed borrowers suggests that not all Americans have benefitted from the strong labor market and warrants continued monitoring and analysis of this sector," Fed economists wrote in a blog post dissecting the report.

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The data shows that most of the borrowers whose auto loans have recently moved into delinquency are people younger than 30 years old and people with low credit scores. Eight percent of borrowers with credit scores below 620 — otherwise known as subprime — went from good standing to delinquent on their auto loans in the fourth quarter of 2018.

And the data shows that most delinquencies come from auto-finance lenders, rather than banks and credit unions.

The Fed found that half of outstanding loans from auto-finance companies are made to subprime borrowers, and 6.5% of those loans are more than 90 days overdue. That's compared with just 14% of outstanding loans from credit unions made to subprime borrowers, 0.7% of which are delinquent.

The delinquency figure represents a new high in the auto-loan market — more than 1 million more people are behind on auto-loan payments now than at the end of 2010. More people have auto loans now than in 2010, so while the overall rate of delinquency is down, the total number of people who have fallen at least 90 days behind is higher.

Read more:American household debt just hit a new record high

The Fed has been tracking the auto-loan industry for more than five years, the economists said in the blog post, and it's not the first time the group has sounded the alarm. In 2017, a quarterly report from the Fed highlighted the near doubling of the rate of delinquencies in subprime auto loans originated by auto-finance companies since 2011, Business Insider's Matt Turner reported. 

Turner also said at the time that Wall Street was expressing concern over the subprime-auto-loan market as well. Meanwhile, Business Insider's Lauren Lyons Cole reported that Americans borrowed more money to buy cars than to attend college between 2016 and 2017.

SEE ALSO: Student debt has prevented hundreds of thousands of millennials from buying homes, Fed says

DON'T MISS: Financial experts say there's no reason to panic if your tax refund is smaller this year

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• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers reportedly set up a fake university in Michigan to crack down on immigration fraud.
• Emails from the school show how the university portrayed itself as a "nationally accredited business and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) institution" to prospective students.
• ICE’s fake university reportedly led to the arrests of eight student recruiters on charges of participating in a conspiracy to help at least 600 foreign nationals stay in the US by committing visa fraud.

Emails from a fake university in Michigan show how Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers set up the school to enroll hundreds of foreign students in an attempt to crack down on immigration fraud.

The messages obtained by The Detroit Free Press show that the university portrayed itself as a "nationally accredited business and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) institution" to prospective students.

Emails obtained by the Free Press show interactions with Ali Milani, who is described in a LinkedIn profile as the president of the University of Farmington.

At the bottom of an email seen by the Free Press, the university was described as "a nationally accredited institution authorized to enroll international students by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security."

The sting led to 8 arrests of student recruiters

The Detroit News broke the news on the sting last month, reporting that ICE's fake university led to the arrests of eight student recruiters on charges of participating in a conspiracy to commit visa fraud in order to help at least 600 foreign nationals stay in the US.

Most of the eight recruiters who were arrested are from India, but they all live in the US, the newspaper reported, adding that the recruiters didn't know ICE was running the university.

The indictment said"the University was being used by foreign citizens as a 'pay to stay' scheme which allowed these individuals to stay in the United States as a result of foreign citizens falsely asserting that they were enrolled as full-time students in an approved educational program and that they were making normal progress toward completion of the course of study."

Read more: ICE set up a fake university enrolling hundreds of foreign students as part of a sting operation

Emails obtained by The Free Press show how the university portrayed itself to recruit the students.

"Here at the University of Farmington we have created an innovative learning environment that combines traditional instruction with fulltime professional experiences. We offer flexible class schedules and a focus on students who do not want to interrupt their careers," one email said.

ICE detained 146 students on immigration charges

Federal prosecutors allege that more than 600 students enrolled in the university knowing it was fake.

ICE has detained 146 students on immigration charges, the majority of whom are from India, according to the Free Press.

The students' attorneys say their clients thought the university was real.

The attorneys and public records seen by The Free Press show that investigators with the Department of Homeland Security registered the University of Farmington with the state of Michigan as a university, listed it with a national accreditation agency, and placed it on a government-approved university of foreign students.

Prashanthi Reddy, an attorney in New York City, told the Free Press that the students were told they were following immigration laws.

"The students payed them the tuition fees and were trapped once they realized that classes were not being held, as some didn't have the money to transfer and pay tuition at another university," Reddy told the paper.

"Some did transfer out, some said they called and emailed the university and asked for SEVIS to be transferred but did not get a response, some others said they were reassured by the fact that the University was accredited and listed on the ICE website," Reddy added, referring to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program known as SEVIS.

The Detroit News said this isn't the first time federal agents have used a fake university to lure foreign students into a sting.

In 2016, DHS agents "used the fake University of Northern New Jersey to charge 21 people with student and work visa fraud."

Read the full story from the Detroit Free Press »

Business Insider intern Mariana Alfaro contributed to this article.

• Read more:
• Jay-Z hired a lawyer for 21 Savage to help him fight deportation after he was arrested by ICE
• Trump's immigrant crime hotline got off to a rocky start after 2,000 people called in pranks, while others called just to report people of color
• How presidential hopeful Kirsten Gillibrand went from pushing for more deportations to wanting to abolish ICE
• The government has spent $1 billion in the last decade to deport 100,000 people on planes per year. Here's what 'ICE Air' is like.

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