On today’s edition of Rob Black’s Winners and Losers, financial expert Rob Black and KRON4’s Darya Folsom talk about Netflix, Apple, and the continuing government shutdown. 

Rob also answers the viewer question, “Can I deduct my big Bitcoin losses on my 2018 taxes?”

Economic growth: Jamie Dimon, the J.P. Morgan Chase CEO who has been bullish on the U.S. economy, said that the government shutdown could wipe out growth from the world’s biggest economy.  “Someone estimated that if it goes on for the whole quarter, it can reduce growth to zero,” Dimon told reporters. “We just have to deal with that. It’s more of a political issue than anything else.”

Netflix raising prices: The rate hikes constitute a jump of between 13 percent and 18 percent. The new prices take effect immediately for new customers. Existing subscribers will be grandfathered in over the next three months. Previous rate hikes have had little effect on subscribers, and have traditionally buoyed the stock. Netflix’s cheapest Basic plan will cost $9, up from $8; its most popular HD Standard plan will cost $13, up from $11; and its 4K Premium plan will cost $16, up from $14.

Cheap iPhone:  Apple replaced 11 million batteries through the program, up from the 2 million it normally would. It shows that more people would replace their phone batteries if the price was lower.   Apple’s $29 battery program is over, but it has quietly reduced the price for battery replacements: To replace the battery on an iPhone that came out this year costs $69, and older model battery swaps now cost $49.

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