America’s largest REIT fast-food chain has a brilliant new strategy: make its stores “easier to run” and “more enjoyable to visit.” Also, work on “improving quality.” Genius-level stuff, really. The larger aim behind McDonald’s new global growth strategy, “McDonald’s > NEXT,” is to put the experience of franchisees at the center, which account for over 95% of the chain’s global footprint.

The S&P 500 gained on Thursday while chip stocks dragged down the Nasdaq 100. Information technology was the worst-performing sector, while healthcare was the best.