Markets whipsaw after rout, Lululemon CEO out for misconduct, and more trending news

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Markets are in turmoil following a two-day stocks rout. The Dow was back in negative territory after a brief rise of more than 350 points; the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq composite followed suit. The gyrations followed the Dow's largest intraday drop ever Monday, when it plummeted nearly 1,600 points in the afternoon before ending the day down almost 1,200 points (4.6%). The sell-off began with a 666-point drop on Friday, as signs of faster inflation ignited concerns about interest-rate increases. ? Share your thoughts: #DowDive

Lululemon CEO Laurent Potdevin is resigning for failing to follow company standards of conduct. The Vancouver-based athletic wear company said that Potdevin, who has been CEO since 2014, did not “exemplify the highest levels of integrity and respect.” No further details were provided. Allegations of workplace misconduct against top executives continue to surface across industries. ? Share your thoughts: #LululemonCEO

Bitcoin dropped to a two-month low. The digital currency fell below $7,000 on Monday, resulting in more than a 50% loss in value in 2018. Rival cryptocurrencies ripple, ethereum and litecoin also fell. The news comes as a growing number of major banks (most recently, UK’s Lloyds Banking Group) ban cryptocurrency purchases with their credit cards. Tougher government regulation, security breaches, and Facebook's decision to ban crypto ads have also contributed to the backlash. ? Share your thoughts: #BitcoinDropsAgain

Grocery chain Kroger will sell almost 800 of its convenience stores for $2.15 billion in a deal expected to close before May. The stores, purchased by UK’s EG Group, include Kwik Shop, Loaf ‘N Jug, Turkey Hill, and Tom Thumb. Amid rising competition from rivals like Whole Foods and Walmart, the move is part of a strategy by Kroger to refocus efforts on its supermarkets as it seeks to cut food prices, add technology to its stores, and invest in its online presence. ? Share your thoughts: #KrogerConvenience

Chipmaker Broadcom has raised the stakes in its takeover bid for rival Qualcomm. Broadcom said its "best and final offer" was $82 per share in cash and stock, valuing Qualcomm in what would be the biggest tech deal ever at more than $121 billion. Combining the two companies would create the third-largest chipmaker by sales, and put the entity’s products in nearly every smartphone. ? Share your thoughts: #BroadcomQualcomm

Idea of the Day: Poor workplace communication costs big companies $62.4 million per year, and can lead to lower productivity, poor customer service, and high employee turnover, according to Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes. Fortunately, there are easy ways to improve communication.

“Once a week or so at 4 p.m. we turn off the laptops and encourage everyone to, you know, actually talk to each other. This is a chance for people to get to know each other as human beings.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— Lorraine K. Lee / Share this using #DailyRundown