On today's Biz Breakdown, Mastercard launches a biometric payment option, California's $6 Gas could spread across the country, and Tesla kicked off S&P 500 ESG Index.

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Biz Breakdown: Mastercard Launches Biometric Payment Option, California's $6 Gas Could Spread, Tesla Kicked Off S&P 500 ESG Index

time now to get you caught up on some of the other business headlines we're watching for you this morning. Mastercard launching some new technology that will allow shoppers to now make payments all by smiling or just waving their hand. Mastercard's biometric checkout program caters to the growing demand for contact less payments. So instead of just swiping your card, shoppers just show their face or their palm to make a payment. Mastercards, hoping to speed up the shopping experience and also offer more security than a bank card experts are forecasting the market for contact less biometric technology reached $18.6 billion 2026. Meanwhile the average gas price for gas in this country is hitting a lot California by the way, hitting $6 a gallon for the first time. And analysts are saying that could spread to be the national average by August. While California pays the highest price per gallon, the average cost nationwide is still about $4.57 per gallon. That's according to triple a, analysts at Jpmorgan say more states could see the $6 price at their pumps before the end of the summer. Gas prices are surging due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and also increased demand ahead of the summer travel season. Experts also note that gasoline inventories in the US sitting at their lowest seasonal levels since 2019 and the S and P 500 has removed Tesla from their E. S. G. Index that despite being an electric car company, the head of E. S. G. Indices says that it could not include Tesla based on how their index race there are their entries. While Tesla plays a role in taking fuel powered cars off the road, the electric carmaker fell to the bottom 25% of their peers. That's when examined through a wider E. S. G. Lens factors contributing to Tesla's lower score included its lack of low carbon energy and also code of business conduct. In response to the development, Elon musk shamed S and P Global's list. He called E S. G. A scam.