Is WeWork rethinking its value? CVS, Walgreens, ban open carry in stores, and more top news

The news professionals are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation on today's stories in the comments. 

WeWork plans to slash its valuation by more than half ahead of an expected initial public offering, reports Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources. The money-losing startup was valued at $47 billion earlier this year. The company, which leases office space, is preparing to “kick off its IPO roadshow as soon as next week,” Bloomberg says, with an estimated share sale of $3.5 billion. The possibility of a dramatically lower valuation follows disappointing IPOs by other loss-making startups, including Uber — after which WeWork’s offering would be the second-biggest this year. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Several major U.S. retailers, including CVS, Walgreens and Wegmans, say customers will no longer be allowed to openly carry guns in their stores — even in the states that allow the practice. The announcement follows Walmart’s, which banned open carry, as well as halting the sale of certain ammunition, after a shooting at its store in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 dead. Kroger also said this week that it is banning open carry. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Separate antitrust investigations will be launched into Facebook and Google-parent company Alphabet, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources. More than half the country's state attorneys general have joined to investigate Google’s impact on digital advertising, according to the Journal, while Facebook’s probe will focus on its "control" of personal data. The investigation “mark[s] a major escalation in U.S. regulators’ efforts to probe Silicon Valley’s largest companies,” and is expected to be announced Monday, said The Washington Post. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Homebuyers of today look different than those from 20 years ago. White Americans made up 66% of first-time homebuyers in 2017 — a 5% drop since 1997, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. Meanwhile, households identifying as Asian and other have jumped from 5% to 11% — the largest gain among all races. On the other hand, households identifying as black fell five percentage points during that time. The proportion of married buyers also dropped from 61% in 1997 to just over half. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

More than half of U.S. workers don't believe they have the skills required to compete in ten years from now, according to a survey by Prudential. Despite societal talk about the future threat posed by technology, Americans believe that softer skills, such as adaptability, people management and time management, will be most useful in the long term. Three-quarters of respondents said technology makes them more efficient by automating redundant tasks in their day. The survey results also show that workers want to stay with their employers longer than previously suggested. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Lastly: What do Snowflake, Dosist and Samsara have in common? They’re some of the nation’s hottest startups, according to LinkedIn’s Top Startups 2019 list. ? See the full list and join the conversation: #LinkedInTopStartups

Idea of the Day: We should be equipping students with a curiosity to problem solve, says Michael Dell, CEO and Chairman at Dell Technologies.

“The person who can understand data, explain it to the business and make it actionable will become the most valuable employee of the future.”

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