For: July 17, 2026

>>Trading Week Winding Down 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after a down day for stocks on Thursday.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 105 points to 52-552.  The S&P 500 fell 38 points to 75-33. The Nasdaq dropped 387 points to 25-881.

>>SpaceX Stock Suffers As Starship Test Flight Is Scrubbed

(Starbase, TX)  --  SpaceX stock took a hit Thursday as the company scrubbed its first test flight since its record-breaking IPO.  Warning alarms were triggered just before the planned liftoff of the massive Starship rocket from the company's Starbase, Texas launch site.  After-hours trading saw SpaceX stock hit lows of around 126-dollars a share, falling below its initial June IPO price of 135.  

>>Verizon To Sell Off Hundreds Of Retail Outlets

(New York, NY)  --  Verizon is selling hundreds of its retail locations.  The U.S. carrier said Thursday that 274 company-owned stores will be up for sale as part of its restructuring, and about 500 corporate jobs will be cut.  Verizon will still own about a thousand stores after the sale, which goes into effect August 16th.  Verizon also has thousands of franchise stores which are mostly run by six large operators.  

>>Coca-Cola Halts U.S. Production For Fairlife

(Atlanta, GA)  --  Coca-Cola is suspending production in the U.S. for one of its brands.  The company says a third-party recently gained access to production-related systems for Fairlife, which sells milk and protein shakes.  Investigators are now looking into the impact of the ransomware attack with the help of cybersecurity experts.  Canadian production is expected to continue.

>>TSMC Investing Another 100B In Arizona

(Undated)  --  A major chip maker is shelling out more money to the U.S.  Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company announced that it will invest another 100-billion dollars to expand their footprint in Arizona. That brings the company's total investment in the Grand Canyon State to 265 billion. TSMC currently has a campus in North Phoenix and the funds could result in four new semiconductor plants. The chip maker develops processors for tech giants like Nvidia and Apple. 

For: July 16, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher on Wall Street Wednesday.  It came as traders were digesting the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing the producer price index fell three-tenths of a percent last month. Analysts were expecting the rate to remain unchanged.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 150 points to 52-658.  The S&P 500 gained 28 points to 75-72.  The Nasdaq rose 162 points to 26-269.

>>FCC Chair On California's Lawsuit Against Paramount Skydance

(Undated)  --  The chairman of the FCC does not think California's lawsuit against Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is a "legitimate antitrust case."  Carr doubted the success of the legal challenge during an interview with The Hill while discussing California's reported stipulation to drop the lawsuit.  According to Carr citing news reports, California was floating the idea of dropping all antitrust litigation if CNN is spun off as its own media entity.  Carr quipped that he did not "understand what antitrust theory you have that says there's a problem with this acquisition that is made or broken based on one cable channel being included."

>>DC Council Approves Bill Capping Resale Ticket Prices

(Washington, DC)  --  The DC Council is capping the price of resale tickets for events and concerts in Washington, DC.  The council unanimously passed the RESALE Act this week.  In addition to capping the markup on resold tickets at ten-percent, the bill bans bot ticket purchases and the sale of speculative tickets.  It also prohibits surveillance pricing, which is the practice of adjusting ticket prices based on customer data.  The bill could take effect on January 1st if it withstands congressional review.

>>Frontier Airlines Getting Wi-Fi

(Denver, CO)  --  Frontier Airlines passengers will soon be able to use Wi-Fi.  The airline says that starting early next year, flights will offer high-speed internet through SpaceX's Starlink. Beyond watching movies on a flight, the airline says Starlink will also provide connectivity for pilots, flight attendants, maintenance teams, and ground operations.  Pricing hasn't yet been announced.

>>NFL Sets Date For Seahawks Sale Vote

(Seattle, WA)  --  NFL owners will vote next month on the proposed sale of the Seattle Seahawks.  The league has announced that a one-day owners' meeting will be held August 26th in Atlanta for the presumed vote.  The Paul Allen Trust is selling the defending Super Bowl champions to Silicon Valley's Khosla family for a record 9.6-billion-dollars.

For: July 15, 2026 

>>Watching Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher yesterday following the release of June inflation data that came in cooler than expected.  Oil prices also eased after President Trump dropped his demand for ships to pay a 20 percent toll to transit the Strait of Hormuz.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 9 points to 52-508.  The S&P 500 rose 28 points to 75-43.  The Nasdaq climbed 233 points to 26-107.

>>Fed Chair Vows To Get Monetary Policy Right

(Washington, DC)  --  Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh is vowing to "get monetary policy right" and bring down inflation.  He made the pledge Tuesday in remarks to Congress, saying the economy is in solid shape otherwise.  Warsh told lawmakers if the Fed gets it right, "the inflation surge of the last five years will be a thing of the past."  Warsh appeared before the House Financial Services Committee yesterday and will testify before the Senate Banking Committee today.  The remarks come just two months into Warsh's as Fed chair term.  

>>Texas Lawsuit Targets So-Called Ghost Jobs

(Austin, TX)  --  The state of Texas is suing LinkedIn.  AG Ken Paxton says they're profiting from fake or misleading job opportunities.  It's something that's commonly called "ghost jobs."  And the suit points to studies that estimate they account for between one-fifth and one-third of the online listings.  LinkedIn markets a paid Premium subscription to get access to job listings.  The AG wants access to the verification practice for what employers are posting.

>>Chipotle To Open First Restaurant In Mexico

(Nuevo León, Mexico)  --  Chipotle Mexican Grill is about to open its first restaurant in Mexico.  Doors will open this Thursday in Nuevo Leon in partnership with Alsea [[ All-see  ]], a leading restaurant operator in Latin America and Europe.  Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright says they are entering the country with deep respect for their culinary heritage along with a belief that there is strong interest in high-quality food that the establishment offers.  Chipotle and Alsea are planning to expand in Nuevo Leon later this year and into Mexico City in 2027. The company currently operates more than 41-hundred restaurants across the world.

>>Warren Buffett Snubs Bill Gates Foundation With Charitable Giving

(Omaha, NE)  --  Warren Buffett is accelerating his charitable donations of Berkshire Hathaway shares with a notable exception.  The former CEO of Berkshire is donating nearly six- billion dollars in shares to four foundations but the Bill Gates Foundation is not one of the recipients.  Gates has been tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but denies any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.  Buffett released a statement today saying his goal is to dispose all of his Berkshire shares within eight years, which are valued at 146-billion dollars.  Gates' Foundation has received over 60-billion dollars in charitable donations from Buffett in the past.

>>Researchers Warn Of AI's Potential For Economic Transformation

(Undated)  --  Economist and artificial intelligence researchers say policymakers "must act now" to address the massive economic transformation that AI could cause.  Stanford University's digital economy lab organized a letter warning that "AI may become radically more powerful over the next 10 years," and noted "it could bring risks, including large-scale job displacement, as well as opportunities such as major gains in living standards." It has been signed by more than 200 economists and AI researchers from leading organizations around the world, including 16 Nobel Prize laureates.  The letter urged industry leaders "to understand the economics of transformative AI and to build the incentives, guardrails, and institutions needed to steer AI in a direction that complements humans and benefits society."  

For: July 14, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after a down day on Wall Street with tensions escalating in the Middle East.  Oil prices surged after President Trump announced he's reinstating a blockade on Iranian ports and imposing a 20 percent surcharge on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz to cover the cost of protecting the waterway.  Tech stocks fell broadly during the session along with shares of major banks.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 138 points to 52-498  The S&P 500 fell 60 points to 75-15.  The Nasdaq dropped 408 points to 25-873.

>>Head Of Delta Says Airfares Are Likely To Stay High

(Undated)  --  It's not cheap to fly these days, and the head of one of the country's biggest carriers says it may get even more expensive soon.  Delta CEO Ed Bastian says the price of air fares isn't likely to come down, even if the cost of jet fuel does.  He tells Fox Business that fuel is only one of the many aspects of running an airline that's getting more expensive, including labor, airport infrastructure, technology, not to mention the planes themselves.  

>>States Reportedly Preparing Lawsuit to Block Paramount's Merger With Warner Bros. Discovery

(Burbank, CA)  --  Multiple state attorneys general are reportedly preparing a lawsuit to attempt to block Paramount's planned merger with Warner Brothers Discovery.  The New York Times reports California is leading the lawsuit and will be joined by New York, Washington state and Connecticut, among others.  Reuters previously reported the states could sue as early as this week.  The proposed 111-billion-dollar deal would be one of the largest media mergers in history.  A reported draft of the lawsuit currently circulating argues the merger would harm competition in the market for so-called tent pole films, the expensive blockbusters that account for a large portion of studio revenues.  A Paramount spokesperson says the company is prepared to address "legitimate antitrust issues" but goes on to say the planned acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery "raises no such concerns." 

>>Waze Adding AI-Powered Features

(Mountain View, CA)  --  Waze is adding new AI-powered features and customization updates. The navigation app will offer personalized routes based on previous trips, as well as a motorcycle mode - which includes "two-wheeler shortcuts and restrictions." The Google-owned platform will also use Gemini for "Conversational Reporting" when suggesting things like road closures or an outdated address. 

For: July 13, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks closed higher on Friday to end the week.  The major indexes rose as tech stocks including Meta Platforms and Nvidia added lift to markets.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 149 points to 52-637.  The S&P 500 rose 31 points to 75-75.  The Nasdaq added 74 points to 26-281.

>>This Week's Reports Will Offer Insight Into Inflation 

(Undated)  --  Coming up in the business week ahead, inflation data is in the spotlight.  The consumer price index is set for release on Tuesday.  The report is a favorite of the Fed's when it comes to determining interest rates.  Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh is scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Financial Services the same day.  Wednesday brings the producer price index, which measures prices on the wholesale level, before they reach consumers, and is also closely watched by the Fed.  Retail sales and weekly jobless claims are due Thursday, and the week comes to a close with a look at consumer sentiment, housing starts and building permits on Friday.

>>Goldman Sachs Restricting Employee Trading On Prediction Markets

(Undated)  --  Goldman Sachs is placing restrictions on what trades employees can engage in while using prediction markets.  According to reports, employees are allowed to bet on sports and entertainment but are barred from trading on markets tied to specific companies, financial markets or election outcomes.  The updated policy comes as prediction markets, like Kalshi and Polymarket, have come under heightened scrutiny in recent months over insider trading.  Lawmakers have also raised concerns about insider trading as House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer launched a probe into whether users are relying on nonpublic or classified information to place their wagers. 

>>Apple Sues OpenAI Alleging Trade Secret Theft 

(San Francisco, CA)  --  Apple has filed suit against OpenAI in federal court in Northern California.  The lawsuit filed last week alleges trade secret theft, claiming the artificial intelligence lab took the Apple's intellectual property in order to develop its own consumer hardware.  In the legal filing the company said, "OpenAI has been stealing Apple's trade secrets and confidential information."  Most of Apple's allegations in the Friday suit involve former employees who have interviewed with or joined OpenAI.  Apple claims that OpenAI's hardware chief, who is a former Apple vice president, directed Apple employees interviewing at OpenAI to share Apple secrets as part of the interviewing process. 

>>Starship Test Launch Window Opens This Week

(Starbase, TX)  --  SpaceX could launch another test flight of its massive Starship rocket this Thursday.  It would be the 13th test for the spacecraft, which will be carrying next-generation Starlink satellites into orbit for the first time.  The launch window opens at 5:45 p.m. local time at SpaceX's launch facility in Texas.

>>Thousands Of Grills At Walmart And Lowe's Recalled Nationally 

(Washington, DC)  --  The Consumer Product Safety Commission said thousands of grills sold online and at Walmart and Lowe's stores nationally are being recalled.  Over 12-hundred stainless steel Cuisinart Propel+Four Burner three-in-one Gas Grills are included in the recall.  The units include a pizza oven with tempered glass that has reportedly shattered during use, causing a serious risk of injury from lacerations.  Conair LLC, has received 37 reports of glass shattering and one report of a fire.  Consumers impacted by the recall may choose to be reimbursed for the original purchase amount or receive a 500 dollar refund by check. 
 

For: July 10, 2026

>>Trading Week Winding Down 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks closed higher yesterday.  It comes as investors are keeping an eye on the latest developments between the U.S. and Iran after President Trump's announcement that he considers the ceasefire over as of now.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 139 points to 52-487.  The S&P 500 gained 60 points to 75-43.  The Nasdaq rose 336 points to 26-206.

>>June Home Sales Drop As Prices Soar

(Chicago, IL)  --  Home sales for the month of June are coming in lower than expected.  According to the National Association of Realtors, sales of previously owned homes in June dropped over two percent from May despite projections of a slight gain month over month. The median price of an existing home sold in June was 440-thousand-600 dollars, which marks an increase of nearly two percent from the year before and the highest on record. High mortgage rates coupled with record-high prices are causing homebuyers to pull back. However, when looking on a regional level, home sales were down in June month over month everywhere except in the Northeast.

>>IMF Cuts Global Growth Forecast

(Washington, DC)  --  The International Monetary Fund is cutting its global growth forecast for the second time this year.  The agency blames the energy shock cause by the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.  Growth is now forecast at three percent, down from three-point-one percent in April.  The outlook would have been lower but was offset by AI-driven demand.  The numbers were cut after the U.S. resumed military strikes on Iran this week, apparently bringing an end to a ceasefire and causing oil prices to surge.  Global inflation is expected to rise to four-point-seven percent this year.  

>>Groundbreaking For Last WTC Building 25 Years After 9-11

(New York, NY)  --  Construction is underway on what is the last commercial high rise building at the rebuilt World Trade Center site nearly 25 years after the 9-11 terror attacks.  A ground breaking ceremony took place Thursday for Two World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.  American Express is making the 55-story building its global headquarters when it opens in 2031, complete with ten-thousand workers inside.

>>Pharr International Bridge Named Top Produce Crossing In America

(Pharr, TX)  --  The Pharr International Bridge, which connects Pharr, Texas with Reynosa in Mexico, has been named the top crossing for produce in the United States.  The city announced the achievement during a ceremony yesterday.  Seventy percent of all avocados entering the U.S. cross the Pharr bridge.  Officials say about 110 thousand shipments of produce use the bridge each year, a number that could grow when the bridge expands in November.

For: July 9, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell  

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks closed mixed yesterday.  It came after President Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was over after the two sides traded attacks.  Oil prices have also surged in response. West Texas Intermediate futures also jumped over four-percent. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 576 points to 52-348.  The S&P 500 fell 21 points to 74-82.  The Nasdaq gained 51 points to 25-870.

>>Survey: Confidence In Capitalism, Democracy Declining

(New York, NY)  --  Americans are losing faith in capitalism and democracy.  A new Wall Street Journal-NORC poll finds that just under half of Americans say capitalism is working very well or somewhat well, down from 60-percent a decade ago.  Just 35-percent are fairly sure that the county offers the opportunity for good jobs and the American dream.  There's even less confidence in our system of government.  Just 12-percent say democracy is working very well or extremely well.  More than two-thirds feel the U.S. is in decline.  Younger Americans were more likely to express pessimism than older Americans.

>>Airlines' Fuel Cost Soared In May

(Undated)  --  Newly released government data shows airlines' jet fuel costs are up this year.  According to the data, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics found that airlines spent six-point-six billion dollars on jet fuel in May, marking an 84 percent increase from one year ago.  Fuel is one of the industry's biggest operating expenses, and higher costs have forced carriers to raise fares.  The latest figures reflect the vulnerabilities airlines faced due to the Strait of Hormuz's closure disrupting global maritime shipping.

>>Ford Recalls 177,000 Vehicles

(Detroit, MI)  --  Ford is recalling over 177-thousand vehicles for a trio of defects.  The recall includes 2024-2026 Mustangs and 2025-2026 Mustang GTDs for a windshield wiper issue.  Mustang Mach Es model years 2021-2023 have a risk of a pinion shaft fracture.  And the 2024-2027 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and Explorer Hybrid could suffer from a software error that can cause the pedestrian warning to malfunction.  Dealers will make repairs free of charge.  

>>Meta To Build Data Center In Canada

(Menlo Park, CA)  --  Meta plans to start building data centers in Canada.  The company announced Wednesday it plans to break ground on its first facility north of the border in Alberta.  The one-gigawatt center is Meta's 33rd in its AI build-out plan.

For: July 8, 2026

>>Watching Wall Street

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after a down day on Wall Street that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average sink back below 53-thousand.  A selloff in tech stocks along with a surge in oil prices pressured markets.  This, after the Treasury Department revoked its authorization of Iranian oil sales Tuesday following a series of attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.  At the closing bell, the Dow lost 130 points to 52-925.  The S&P 500 slid 33 points to 75-03.  The Nasdaq dropped 302 points to 25-818.

>>SpaceX Sends First Nuclear-Powered Commercial Satellite Into Orbit

(Miami, FL)  --  The first ever nuclear-powered commercial satellite is now in orbit.  The Betavoltaic Orbital High-Reliability, or BOHR, satellite, was launched Tuesday morning on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from  Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.  The satellite uses the radioactive decay of tritium [[ trit-ee-um ]], a hydrogen isotope, to power itself.  Designed by Florida-based City Labs, the satellite is a test of the new technology's feasibility.  

>>USPS To Raise Forever Stamp Prices Sunday

(Washington, DC)  --  The cost of mailing a letter is expected to go up.  The USPS will raise the cost of a Forever Stamp to 82 cents starting Sunday pending approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission.  That's a four-cent increase.  Other services will also see price jumps, including mailing postcards and international letters.  The increases come after the USPS warned earlier this year that could run out of money within a year.

>>St. Louis City Committee Advances Data Center Regulations

(St. Louis, MO)  --  Officials in St. Louis, Missouri are one step closer to enacting new regulations on data centers.  A city committee has advanced a proposal that would regulate noise levels, add renewable energy requirements, and put restrictions on water usage.  The proposal now goes to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen for consideration. 

>>Fiat EV For Sale In U.S.

(Hoofddorp, Netherlands)  --  Stellantis is offering the Fiat Topolino [[ Toh-poh-lee-no ]] electric vehicle in the U.S., with orders starting at 14-thousand dollars.  The tiny vehicle looks like a car and works more like a golf cart, capable of top speeds of 19 miles per hour.  A conversion kit can crank that up to 25 miles per hour to make it street-legal on roads with a 35 mile per hour speed limit.  There's also a convertible version that comes with a rope instead of a door.  

>>Toyota Expansion Brings Mexico Truck Work To Texas

(San Antonio, TX)  --  Toyota is bringing production of its popular Tacoma pickup truck back to Texas.  The automaker announced a three-point-six-billion dollar expansion to build a second assembly line at its San Antonio plant, shifting that work out of Mexico.  The move is expected to create two thousand jobs and more than double the size of the existing South Side facility by 2030.  Local production of the Tacoma will phase in over the next four years, while Toyota's second factory in Guanajuato [[ gwah-nah-HWAH-toh ]], Mexico, will keep running.

For: July 7, 2026  

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher and the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched a record high, topping 53-thousand for the first ever.  Dell shares jumped four percent after President Trump promoted its computers after ringing the opening bell of the stock market from the Oval Office. The historic ceremony marked the launch of new investment accounts for children.  At the closing bell, the Dow gained 155 points to 53-055.  The S&P 500 added 54 points to 75-37.  The Nasdaq rose 288 points to 26-121.

>>SpaceX Stock Getting A Big Boost This Week

(Undated)  --  It's been less than a month since SpaceX became a publicly traded company, but the rocket maker is about to join a very exclusive Wall Street Group.  Starting today, the company owned by Elon Musk will be listed as part of the NASDAQ 100.  The move automatically forces massive index-tracking funds and exchange-traded funds, with more than over a trillion dollars in global assets, to buy the company's stock.  And that creates immediate market liquidity, increasing a company's mainstream credibility.  Most companies wait years, not months to join the exchange, if they're ever invited at all. 

>>Texas Stock Exchange Opens Trading 

(Dallas, TX)  --  The Texas Stock Exchange is up and running.  The Dallas-based startup is planning a phased rollout to unfold over the rest of the month after going live on Monday.  Yesterday's trades were only open to TXSE members, including approved broker-dealers, banks, and trading firms, to trade test stocks at first.  The symbols for thousands of stocks and other equities will come online through the end of July, as the public is allowed to start trading.

>>IL Gov. Pritzker Signs Artificial Intelligence Safety Law

(Chicago, IL)  --  Illinois is taking action to protect residents from harm when it comes to advancements in artificial intelligence.  Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, signed the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act on Monday.  The landmark legislation established what officials say is the nation's strongest framework for AI safety, transparency and accountability.  The law requires the largest AI developers to identify, disclose and mitigate risks while providing independent oversight and protections for workers who report safety concerns.

>>Microsoft Cutting Thousands Of Jobs From Xbox Unit

(Redmond, WA)  --  Microsoft is slashing three-thousand-200 jobs from its struggling Xbox video game business.  The move comes as part of a broader push by Microsoft to lower its labor costs, and it also follows voluntary buyouts the company began offering to employees in May.  Microsoft will immediately eliminate one-thousand-600 positions, while other jobs will be cut as four game development studios leave the Xbox unit.  

>>Lockheed Martin Seeking Multi-Billion Dollar Ultra Maritime Acquisition 

(Bethesda, MD)  --  Lockheed Martin is announcing plans to buy the naval defense group Ultra Maritime for over three billion dollars. According to reports from CNBC, Lockheed Martin is leading the race to buy Ultra and Guggenheim, along with JPMorgan, are advising on the sell side. Ultra makes radar and electronic warfare systems as well as torpedo defense countermeasures. After the deal closes, Ultra's team will reportedly become part of Lockheed Martin's Rotary and Mission Systems business area. 

For: July 6, 2026 

>>Watching Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after a holiday-shortened trading week wrapped up on Thursday with stocks mixed.  It came as investors combed through the latest jobs report from the Labor Department, showing the U.S. economy added just 57-thousand jobs in June.  That was well below expectations.  At the closing bell, the Dow gained 594 points to finish at a record high 52-900.  The S&P 500 added less than a point to 74-83.  The Nasdaq dropped 207 points to 25-832.

>>Trump To Host Opening Bell Ceremony 

(Washington, DC)  --  President Trump will host officials from the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq in the Oval Office this morning to mark the launch of new investment accounts for children.  The Treasury Department introduced the Trump Accounts on July 4th, enabling contributions and providing an updated app for parents to fund accounts and access financial education tools.  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the app was fully updated as of Saturday.  National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett noted that officials from both exchanges will ring their opening bells from the White House.

>>OPEC Boosting Oil Production

(Vienna)  --  OPEC-plus nations say they will boost oil production.  The group, which includes Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman, will ramp up output to 188-thousand barrels a day starting in August.  It's the fifth increase announced in five months.  OIl prices have recently dropped back down to pre-Iran war levels.

>>California Avocado Growers Want Limits On Mexican Imports

(Sacramento, CA)  --  California avocado growers want limits on Mexican imports, saying they can't compete.  They want fewer Mexican avocados allowed in during California's main harvest season which is March through September.  Growers say their costs are rising, and they're earning less.  The plan would let a certain number of Mexican avocados come in without extra taxes during California's harvest, but any more would face higher tariffs.  Mexico supplies 85 percent of avocados in the U.S., with lower costs in the region and other concerns making competition tough.  California has three thousand avocado growers and a one and a half billion dollar industry.

>>NCAA President Wants To Limit Prop Betting

(Undated)  --  The president of the NCAA is pushing back against prop betting at the collegiate level.  During an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation", Charlie Baker said the practice of sports betting has changed the "character and the culture of fandom."  Prop betting involves gambling on a player or event that's not necessarily tied to a game's final score.  Baker, who served as governor of Massachusetts from 2015 until 2023, said student athletes likely have people in their circle asking them to rig their performances for the sake of making a profit.  He called it incredibly demoralizing for student athletes, adding that he believes they're "starting to win this discussion and this debate with the public."

For: July 2, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after a down day on Wall Street.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 13 points to end the day at 52-305.  The S&P 500 fell 16 points to 74-83.  The  tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 173 points to 26-040.  Markets will be closed tomorrow in observance of Independence Day.  

>>Jobs Report Due 

(Undated)  --  The government's June jobs report will be released today - a day earlier than normal due to the upcoming July 4th holiday.  Most analysts expect to see that 115-thousand jobs were added last month.  In comparison, May's jobs report showed the economy added 172-thousand new jobs.  

>>Federal Chairman Says Inflation Risks Are Declining

(Sintra, Portugal)  --  Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh says inflation risks have declined over the last few weeks.  This is due to energy prices dropping following the U.S and Iran signing a memorandum of understanding to end the ongoing war last month.  During a gathering of central bankers in Sintra, Portugal Walsh said the central bank still has more work to do, but it will stay independent regardless of what President Trump wants.  The Fed Chairman also added the Reserve is monitoring the AI industry and predicts that it will create jobs due to a boom in capital expenditures.

>>Sony To Stop Making Physical PlayStation Discs

(Tokyo)  --  Sony will stop making physical game discs for PlayStation starting in January 2028.  After that, all new games will only be available in digital format.  The switch won't affect games already released on disc.  

>>Ford Recalling Over 741,000 Vehicles Due To Park System Issue

(Dearborn, MI)  --  Ford Motor Company is recalling over 741-thousand vehicles due to a park system issue that could cause the vehicle to roll away.  The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Agency says the recall is for certain Ford Expedition, Explorer, and F-150 trucks along with Lincoln Aviator and Navigator vehicles made between model years 2018 and 2021.  Owners will get a notice in the mail.  Ford is aware of 24 instances of property damage and nine injuries.  

For: July 1, 2026 

>>Watching Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched another record high yesterday and stocks closed solidly in the green.  At the closing bell, the Dow gained 136 points to close at 52-319.  The S&P 500 rose 58 points to 74-99.  The tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 393 points to 26-213.

>>Consumer Confidence Edges Higher In June

(New York, NY)  --  Consumer confidence edged higher in June.  The Conference Board reported its headline confidence index rose six-tenths of a point from May's downwardly revised reading.  The board's chief economist said falling oil prices provided some relief to consumer inflation fears in June.  Looking ahead, buying plans for big ticket items improved slightly with expectations for homebuying and auto purchases both trending higher for the next six months.    

>>U.S. Lifts Anthropic Export Controls

(San Francisco, CA)  --  The public will have access to some of Anthropic's advanced AI models starting today.  The company said Tuesday the U.S. government is lifting export controls put in place over cyber security concerns.  The move by the Department of Commerce to end its block on Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 comes after the artificial intelligence company installed new safeguards to address vulnerabilities.  

>>Trump Made Millions From Crypto

(Washington, DC)  --  President Trump has made at least 635-million dollars from cryptocurrency deals in his second term.  In a nearly one-thousand page financial disclosure Tuesday, Trump revealed he made the money from a licensing deal that put his name on crypto coins, giving him more than a billion dollars in total crypto holdings.  The president has pushed for loosening regulations on cryptocurrency.  Trump also bought and sold stock in GEO Group, a private prison company and a huge contractor with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Trump differs from past presidents in that he didn't divest his assets or place them in a blind trust before serving.  

>>Blue Origin CEO Discusses Next Steps

(Cape Canaveral, FL)  --  Blue Origin still wants to return to flight this year.  That's what CEO Dave Limp said yesterday in an update he shared on the company's website.  One of the company's New Glenn rockets exploded on the launch pad last month, but Limp says the company has made a remarkable recovery since that "significant anomaly," as he calls it.  He says there's no word on what caused the explosion, but he's confident they'll find the root cause.  Looking ahead, Limp says the road to space doesn't pause here, and they're preparing to come back stronger than before.

>>Authentic Brands Group Acquires Care Bears IP

(Undated)  --  Authentic Brands Group has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property of Care Bears.  The sale expands Authentic reach into family entertainment and marks its first character-based franchise, previously securing IP into their portfolio that includes Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe.  They also launched Authentic Studios in 2023 to develop and produce films, television, commercials, live stage experiences and audio.  The companies will play a central role in extending the Care Bears universe through new stories, audiences and fan experiences.  The Care Bears has reached consumers in more than 190 countries, appearing in dozens of languages.

For: June 30, 2026 

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks closed higher to start the week with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 52-thousand for the first time.  A tech rebound along with a pause in hostilities between the U.S. and Iran boosted stocks to start the holiday shortened trading week.  Markets will be closed Friday for Independence Day.  At yesterday's closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 306 points to close at 52-182.  The S&P 500 rose 86 points to 74-40.  The Nasdaq climbed 522 points to 25-820.

>>Bipartisan Support For Tighter AI Regulation

(Washington, DC)  --  New polling shows there is bipartisan support for tighter regulation on AI.  According to an Artificial Intelligence Policy Institute poll, 68 percent of respondents said they would be in favor of the government making "a formal review process for the most advanced AI models before they can be widely released."  When looking along party lines 64 percent of Republicans, 76 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of independents backed the formal review process.  Findings come as efforts to restrict data center construction have gained steam at the state and local level.

>>Student Loan Changes Kick In July 1

(Washington, DC)  --  Major changes are coming to student loans starting tomorrow that will limit how much people can borrow and how they repay.  The changes are part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Trump last year.  Loans will be capped for parents at 20-thousand dollars a year and 65-thousand dollars per student.  Grad students will be capped at 100-thousand dollars.  Borrowers will also have only two repayment options, the Tiered Standard Plan and a new plan based on income called the Repayment Assistance Plan.  The law also gets rid of the Biden-era SAVE plan, so borrowers there will have to find a new option.

>>NBCUniversal And Sky Spinning Off From Comcast

(Philadelphia, PA)  --  Comcast is announcing plans to spin off its NBCUniversal and Sky businesses into a new publicly traded company.  The move will separate Comcast's media and entertainment assets from its broadband and wireless business.  NBCUniversal will include the Universal Pictures film studio, NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, NBC News, Peacock streaming service, the cable channel Bravo, the theme parks division and British TV broadcaster Sky.  Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh will become CEO of NBCUniversal, while Comcast's former CFO Michael Angelakis will become CEO of Comcast.  The move comes just months after completing its separation of the Versant brands.

>>U.S. Auto Industry Increased Industrywide Last Year

(Undated)  --  Ford Motor has emerged as the top initial-quality performer among mass-market brands, according to new J.D. Power data.  Ford's jump is notable after several years of weaker results and expensive warranty problems.  The company also remains under a federal consent order after regulators determined it delayed recalling vehicles with faulty rear-view cameras.  Industrywide, new vehicle quality posted its strongest year-over-year gain since 1997, based on surveys from nearly 80-thousand buyers and lessees of 2026-model vehicles.  Ford said this marks its first time leading new vehicle quality in 16 years.

>>Tidal To Label AI-Generated Music, Ban Royalties From AI Songs

(Undated)  --  The music streaming service Tidal will begin to label music wholly or substantially created using AI.  The company made the announcement Monday, adding that those specific songs will not be eligible for royalties.  Tidal will also ban AI-generated music associated with "fraudulent activity," a category that includes songs impersonating established artists and efforts to "deceive listeners."  The policy goes into effect July 15th.  

For: June 29, 2026

>>Wall Street Welcomes Fresh Trading Week 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning as Wall Street welcomes a fresh trading week.  A volatile trading week ended with stocks closing lower last Friday.  Shares of Micron, Intel and AMD all lost two percent or more as investors rotated out of key technology stocks over AI spending concerns.  Markets struggled despite lower oil prices and better than expected consumer sentiment data.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 44 points to 51-876.  The S&P 500 fell 3 points to 73-54.  The Nasdaq dropped 60 points to 25-297.

>>Monthly Jobs Report Out This Week 

(Undated)  --  Coming up in the business week ahead, key economic reports start coming in on Tuesday with a look at job openings and consumer confidence.  That's followed by ADP's monthly employment report on Wednesday.  Look for new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to make headlines Wednesday as well when he delivers remarks on Europe during a visit to Portugal.  Due to the 4th of July holiday, the government's always closely-watched jobs report will be released a day early, on Thursday.  Most analysts are expecting a decline in the number of new, non-farm payrolls added, down from 172-thousand in May to an anticipated 118-thousand in June. 

>>Consumer Sentiment Rises As Gas Prices Ease

(Ann Arbor, MI)  --  Consumer sentiment increased more than expected in June.  The University of Michigan's final reading for the month rose ten percent from May's record low as gas prices eased.  The survey's chief economist noted gains in sentiment across all age and income groups.  Still, high prices and the cost of living top the list of consumer worries for the third straight month.  The inflation outlook for the year ahead inched lower to four-point-six percent but remained well above the level prior to the start of the Iran war. 

>>Uber Expanding Its Background Checks And Tightening Rules For Drivers 

(Washington, DC)  --  Uber is rolling out stricter background checks and restrictions for drivers.  The company said the new policies for rideshare drivers and couriers for its delivery service will take effect on Monday.  Among the changes, Uber is expanding the list of criminal offenses that permanently disqualify someone from being a driver in the U.S.  The company will no longer allow people with prior convictions for violent felonies, sexual crimes, stalking or strangulation to be drivers.  Uber said it had prevented over three million people from joining or remaining on the platform since 2017. 

>>Amazon FTC Settlement July Deadline

(Washington, DC)  --  Amazon customers have under a month left to file a claim in the company's two-point-five billion dollar settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.  Those who are eligible may receive up to 51 dollars.  The settlement comes from a 2023 lawsuit alleging Amazon coerced consumers into enrolling in Prime subscriptions and then made it hard to cancel.  The window to submit a claim closes on July 27th.  It's the second phase of payouts in the settlement; in the first eligible customers received automatic payments last year. 

For: June 26, 2026 

>>Trading Week Winding Down 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street following a mixed day of trading.  Shares of Apple fell Thursday after the tech giant raised prices on several of its signature products, including the MacBook Neo, MacBook Air, iMac, and iPad product lines.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 71 points to 51-920.  The S&P 500 lost less than a point to 73-57.  The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 118 points to 25-358.

>>Inflation Hits Highest Level In 3 Years 

(Washington, DC)  --  Annual inflation is at its highest level in three years. According to the personal consumption expenditures price index released by the Commerce Department Thursday, the Federal Reserve's primary inflation gauge showed an annual rate of four-point-one percent.  That's the highest since April 2023.  However, even with the elevated inflation levels, consumer spending for the month came in stronger than expected as personal consumption expenditures rose by zero-point-seven percent.  The report comes a little more than a week after the Fed and its new Chairman Kevin Warsh delivered what markets widely viewed as a tough talk on rates and inflation.

>>Meta And Qualcomm To Team Up

(San Diego, CA)  --  Meta is teaming up with Qualcomm on artificial intelligence. CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the goal is to build what he calls "personal superintelligence" for people around the world.  San Diego-based Qualcomm will supply chips for Meta data centers, starting with its new Dragonfly C1000 processor expected to ship in 2028. The deal makes Meta the company's first major data center customer as it moves beyond smartphones.  Qualcomm is pushing into AI and data centers as it prepares for its Apple contract to end in 2027. 

>>Zillow Study Says Homes Are Getting More Expensive 

(Undated)  --  A record number of cities across the U.S. now have starter homes valued at one-million dollars.  According to Zillow, 242 cities across 26 states have housing markets with that price tag as the entry point for homeownership.  California has the most cities on that list with 105, and the second on that list is New York, with 42 cities.  New Jersey, Florida, and Massachusetts round out the top five.  A million-dollar starter home, fortunately, is not the norm, with the average home price across the country just under 200-thousand dollars. 

For: June 25, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks closed mixed yesterday.  It came as oil prices have been on the decline, with West Texas Intermediate futures falling below 70 dollars for the first time since March 2nd.  International benchmark Brent crude futures has also fallen.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 182 points to 51-848.  The S&P 500 lost 7 points to 73-58.  The Nasdaq fell 110 points to 25-476.

>>Trump Requests DOJ Probe Into Gas Price 'Gouging'

(Washington, DC)  --  President Trump is instructing the Department of Justice to investigate oil companies for alleged price gouging.  The president targeted what he said was big oil companies in a post on Truth Social where he asserted that "customers are being 'gouged.'" Trump's post did not name specific companies, but he said the companies "are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for oil." Now the president is calling for a probe into the matter, while warning, "gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I'm seeing!"

>>Monticello Event Celebrates Declaration Of Independence Quarter

(Charlottesville, VA)  --  The U.S. Mint is celebrating the release of new quarters featuring the Declaration of Independence.  Officials held an event at Monticello yesterday to help publicize the new quarters ahead of America's 250th anniversary.  The mint also announced that 250 thousand quarters bearing a special "July 4th" mark will be mixed in with the other Declaration of Independence quarters placed into circulation.  Mint Director Paul Hollis said he hoped the special coins would help Americans reflect on their history during this year's anniversary celebrations.

>>Rockstar Games Reveals "GTA VI" Pricing

(New York, NY)  --  The price for the long-anticipated "Grand Theft Auto VI" video game has been revealed.  Rockstar Games announced it will cost gamers 80-dollars to buy the basic single-player version of the game.  Meanwhile, "Grand Theft Auto VI: Ultimate Edition" will set fans back a hundred bucks.  Preorders for the game open today.  The game is set to drop on November 20th.

For: June 24, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed lower as a tech selloff picked up steam yesterday.  Shares of Micron Technology dropped more than ten percent with Marvell and Sandisk also falling sharply.  Alphabet added to the downward pressure although stocks trimmed some losses in late trading.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 45 points to 51-666.  The S&P 500 fell 107 points to 73-65.  The Nasdaq dropped 579 points to 25-587.

>>Google Invests $75 Million In A24 For AI-Powered Filmmaking Tools

(New York, NY)  --  Google is investing 75-million-dollars in film studio A24 to develop AI-powered filmmaking tools.  The two sides have agreed to a deal that will have the studio work with Google's DeepMind unit.  It will give A24 access to AI research and infrastructure, while DeepMind's researches will create new workflows with the studio.  The deal doesn't include access to A24's content library.   

>>Florida Attorney General Probes CVS Monopoly Allegations

(Miami, FL)  --  Florida's Attorney General is demanding the CVS pharmacy chain prove it is not monopolizing the market.  James Uthmeier [[ UHTH-my-yer ]] says the state has subpoenaed CVS documents and contracts after complaints from independent pharmacists that they are being forced out of business.  He says CVS has until July 26 to respond. Independent pharmacists claim CVS and its pharmacy benefit manager Caremark branch unfairly administers prescription drug plans for insurers, employers, and government programs, driving up costs, limiting access to medications, and funneling patients to CVS pharmacies. Congress has also been looking into the business practices of CVS.

>>Lucid Cutting 18 Percent of Workforce

(Newark, CA)  --  Lucid is set to cut around 18 percent of its workforce.  That's according to a filing with the SEC with the electric vehicle maker saying the move will save the company nearly 160-million dollars. It affects full-time employees, contractors and hourly production workers - including around 700 people employed at it's Arizona factory.  Lucid intends to complete the plan the by the end of this year's third quarter.

For: June 23, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell

(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks closed mostly lower as tech stocks slid to start the week. Shares of Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Platforms fell on concerns about artificial intelligence. Easing oil prices took some pressure off markets as investors weighed the latest developments in the Iran war negotiations. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 148 points to 51-712. The S&P 500 lost 27 points to 74-72. The Nasdaq dropped 351 points to 26-166.

>>Amazon's Prime Day Event Arrives

(Undated) -- Amazon's big Prime Day event starts today. It's one of the biggest shopping events of the year and competition is fierce, especially for the Lightning Deals, or flash sales that are only available for a few hours. Prime Day runs through the 26th.

>>Senate Approves Housing Affordability Bill

(Washington, DC) -- The Senate is approving a massive housing affordability bill with the goal of lowering prices. The bill was approved 85-5 on Monday in a rare overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. The bill would cut away some of the red tape and make it easier to build homes, while also put limits on institutional investors buying up houses. It now goes to the House for a vote.

>>Report: Advanced AI Will Create New Cyber Threats

(Undated) -- Emerging advanced artificial intelligence has the ability to take hacking to the next level, and defending against it requires action now. That's according to a new assessment from the "Five Eyes," the collective intelligence agencies of the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The assessment, out Monday, warns that new AI models will exceed industry expectations, fundamentally transforming cyber security. Being prepared can't take years, the report said, but months at most.

>>Chevron To Power Data Center With Natural Gas

(Reeves County, TX) -- A giant Microsoft data center in West Texas will be powered with natural gas under a 20-year deal with Chevron. The data center is projected to use as much power as two-million homes, according to today's announcement. Chevron is working with GE and Caterpillar to provide the needed infrastructure by 2028. 

For: June 22, 2026

>>Watching Wall Street

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after the holiday-shortened trading week wrapped up early on Thursday with stocks solidly in the green.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 72 points to 51-564.  The S&P 500 gained 80 points to 75-00.  The Nasdaq rose 496 points to 26-517.

>>Amazon Prime Day June 23-26

(Seattle, WA)  --  Amazon's Prime Day sales event is almost here.  It runs this year from June 23rd through the 26th.  It's a little earlier than usual as the company usually holds Prime Day in July.  Amazon says groceries and household items will be a big focus for savings.

>>Ubisoft's Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Dies In Plane Crash 

(Paris)  --  The co-founder of the French video-game publisher Ubisoft has died.  The company said Saturday that Claude Guillemot [[ GIL-uh-mot ]] died Friday in a plane crash in La Baule, a resort town on France's Atlantic coast.  According to newspaper Ouest-France, the city was scheduled to host an air show this weekend,   The outlet said Guillemot was one of two people aboard the twin-engine Cessna 421 when it went down killing both of them.  He helped make Ubisoft into the world's largest video game companies and later serving as chair of the family's Guillemot  Corporation. 

>>TX Supreme Court Rejects Effort To Block Beach Closures For SpaceX Launches

(Austin, TX)  --  The Texas Supreme Court is rejecting an effort to block beach closures during SpaceX rocket launches.  The high court ruled unanimously on Friday that environmental groups don't have the right to sue to keep public access open to a beach that's been closed for a launch.  In 2021, an environmental group called Save RGV sued the General Land Office and Cameron County, Texas over the closure of Boca Chica Beach and its only access via State Highway 4 during SpaceX launches.  A trial judge had previously dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, and the state Supreme Court upheld that decision.  

>>Fake FIFA Sites Stealing Private Information

(Undated)  --  The FBI is warning soccer fans of fraudulent websites impersonating FIFA as the World Cup continues.  In a PSA, the FBI says cybercriminals are using fake domains to sell counterfeit tickets and steal personal information.  Scammers often rely on a tactic known as "typosquatting," where they register website domains that closely resemble legitimate addresses, but it relies on internet users to make common typo mistakes.  Officials advised users to verify website URLs before entering sensitive information, and to navigate directly to FIFA's official website by typing it into their browser rather than relying on search engine results. 

>>McDonald's Brings Back Fried Apple Pie 

(Chicago, IL)  --  McDonald's is bringing back a nostalgic desert.  The fast-food chain announced that its fried apple pie will return to participating locations on June 23rd for a limited time.  The desert features apple pie filling made with American-grown apples wrapped inside a fried crust.  It first appeared on McDonald's menu in 1968.  

For Friday, June 19th, 2026

>>Wall Street Closes With Stocks Higher

(New York, NY)  --  Wall Street closed with stocks higher Thursday. Intel has been leading chip stocks after President Trump announced the company and Apple will be partnering to designing chips in the U.S. Markets will be closed on Friday to observe the Juneteenth holiday.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 72 points to 51-564.  The S&P 500 gained 80 points to 75-00.  The Nasdaq rose 496 points to 26-517.

>>First Time Since March Gas Falls Below $4

(Undated) --  Falling gas prices are bringing some relief to consumers after months of elevated prices due to the conflict with Iran. According to motor club AAA data, gas prices have fallen below four dollars per gallon for the first time since March. While prices have dropped sharply from this year's peak at four-dollars and 56-cents to three-dollars and 97-cents, the cost is still more than 34 percent higher than before the U.S. and Israel launched the war in February. The drop in retail gas prices is thanks to tumbling oil prices, but experts are cautious about how much further prices can fall.

>>California's Billionaires Tax Will be On November Ballot

(Sacramento, CA)  --  A highly debated proposal to tax California's billionaires will appear on the November ballot.  The proposal would charge a one-time five-percent tax on people with a net worth over one-billion-dollars. The tax would apply to anyone living in California as of January 1st of this year.  Billionaires would have to pay the tax in 2027, or they could choose to pay it over five years at a higher total amount.  Most of the money raised would go to health care programs run by the state.  With roughly 255 billionaires in the state, experts say the tax could raise tens of billions of dollars.  Critics argue that amount is uncertain and say the tax may drive wealthy residents out of California ultimately reducing state revenue.

>>Weekly Jobless Claims Down Slightly

(Washington, DC)  --  Over a quarter of a million Americans found themselves filing for first-time unemployment benefits last week.  The Labor Department says it received 226-thousand initial claims in the week ending June 13th.  That's about four-thousand less than the previous week's revised total and basically in line with what most analysts were expecting today.

>>Gemini AI Leader Leaves Google To Join OpenAI

(San Francisco, CA)  --  A top leader for Gemini AI is leaving the company and joining OpenAI.  Google's vice president of engineering, Noam Shazeer, made the announcement Wednesday on X.  Shazeer posted, "It was a difficult decision to move," and he was proud of the work he did at Google.  Shazeer had left Google back in 2021 to begin the startup CharacterAI, and returned to Google in 2024 to help lead its DeepMind AI unit.

>>Federal Court Gives Ohio Green Light To Restrict Social Media From Kids

(Cincinnati, OH)  --  A federal court is giving Ohio permission to restrict childrens' use of social media.  The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned a ruling which put Ohio's parental-consent law on hold, and found the law did not violate free speech protections guaranteed by the First Amendment.  The law had been put on hold at the request of the tech industry trade group NetChoice, which said it "remains fully confident" that the law will ultimately be struck down. The ruling comes as countries around the world have started restricting children's access to ?social media over mental health concerns.

For: June 18, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed lower on Wall Street Wednesday.  It comes after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged for the fourth straight time. The decision marks the first with new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh at the helm after he replaced Jerome Powell.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 507 points to 51-492.  The S&P 500 fell 91 points to 74-20.  The Nasdaq dropped 354 points to 26-021.

>>Warsh: Focused On Monetary Policy, Not Long-Term Projections

(Washington, DC)  --  New Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh says he's focused on getting monetary policy right.  Following the Fed's announcement that it's leaving interest rates unchanged, Warsh said the U.S. economy is expanding, despite the ongoing Iran war.  Warsh said unlike his predecessor Jerome Powell, he will not provide long-term rate and economic projections, but will give what he calls medium-projections, which he says point towards positive U.S. growth.  Investors took note that while Warsh wouldn't speculate on future rate hikes, nine out of 18 fed officials saw a hike coming  by the end of the year.

>>Homebuilding Construction Tumbles In May

(Washington, DC)  --  New-home construction slid sharply in May as buyers and renters remain squeezed.  Fresh census figures show builders broke ground on 15-and-a-half percent fewer U.S. homes than in April.  The steepest drop came from apartment-style buildings, where new starts sank 41-and-a-half percent.  Builders also filed fewer permits for future projects.  The slowdown comes as builders face high mortgage rates, pricier materials, and a tougher search for land and labor.

>>Apple Raising Prices

(Cupertino, CA)  --  Apple is raising prices on its products because of the increasing costs of memory and storage chips.  CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal that the company has been trying to shield customers from price increases but the situation has become unsustainable.  Demand for the chips has skyrocketed alongside the growth of AI data centers.

>>Higher Prices Hit Used-Car Shoppers

(Richmond, VA)  --  Numbers released this week show used-car prices and financing are squeezing buyers.  CarMax says its average retail used-vehicle price rose by four-and-a-half percent from a year ago.  Its finance arm's average loan rate was eleven-point-three-percent, adding another hurdle for people priced out of new cars.  CarMax is reporting higher first-quarter revenue this week, even as profit slips at the used-car giant.

>>Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Authorize Possible Strike

(Seattle, WA)  --  Flight attendants at Alaska Air Group's Horizon Air have voted to authorize a potential strike amid ongoing contract negotiations.  Union officials say workers approved the measure after months of bargaining that they contend has produced inadequate wage and benefit proposals.  The union is seeking higher pay, improved benefits, and changes to workplace rules for flight attendants.  Leaders say the vote does not automatically trigger a walkout but gives the union authority to call a strike if talks fail to progress.  The labor dispute comes as airlines across the industry continue negotiating contracts with employee groups seeking better compensation and working conditions.

For: June 17, 2026

>>Watching Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after a mixed day of trading that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average notch another record high as oil prices fell.  Investors rotated out of chip stocks sending the tech-heavy Nasdaq lower.  Oil prices extended their decline with Brent Crude futures dipping below 80 dollars a barrel.  Meanwhile, SpaceX continued to soar with shares up another four percent.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 328 points to 51-999.  The S&P 500 lost 42 points to 75-11.  The Nasdaq fell 307 points to 26-376. 

>>Fed To Announce Interest Rate Decision 

(Undated)  --  The Federal Reserve's latest interest rate decision is due today.  The Federal Open Market Committee ends a two-day policy meeting today with the first announcement on rates with new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh at the helm.  Warsh, who replaced Jerome Powell, is scheduled to hold a press conference following word on the decision.

>>Senate To Consider Housing Bill

(Washington, DC)  --  The U.S. Senate will consider a bipartisan bill that would limit institutional investors' ability to buy up single-family homes.  Lawmakers voted Tuesday to move ahead after months of back-and-forth between House and Senate Republicans.  The bill aims to help lower costs of housing while increasing the supply.  A full Senate vote will likely come later this week.  It would then need to be approved by the House before it could get to President Trump's desk.

>>Big City Renting Better Than Buying

(Austin, TX)  --  Renting costs less than buying in most big U.S. cities, but the savings depend on where you live.  Realtor-dot-com says rents fell for the 34th straight month in May, but they are still 17-percent higher than before the pandemic.  Data from the real estate platform puts Austin, Texas at the top for renters saving the most compared with buying a starter home, and San Jose, California tops the list where that renting edge is fading the fastest.  Nationwide, Realtor-dot-com says buying a starter home costs an average of 920-dollars more a month than renting.

>>App Fees Swallowing Fast-Food Savings

(Tampa, FL)  --  Ordering fast food on a delivery app can run almost as much as a casual restaurant meal.  New data from restaurant pricing firm Revenue Management Solutions says those apps can turn a 10-dollar fast-food combo into a 27-dollar order.  The firm says fast-food prices on apps often run 15 to 30-percent higher than they do at the counter, and that's before service fees, delivery charges, and tip get stacked on top.  The firm says the add-ons wipe out the savings that make fast food feel cheap in the first place.

>>NRF Projects Record Father's Day Spending 

(Undated)  --  Americans are expected to spend big this Father's Day.  The National Retail Federation predicts a record 27-point-nine-billion-dollars will be spent on dads this weekend.  The most popular gifts are greeting cards, followed by clothing, a special outing and gift cards.

For: June 16, 2026

>>Watching Wall Street

(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed sharply higher Monday on news of U.S-Iran peace deal. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record high as stocks surged and oil prices fell. SpaceX extended its rally with shares gaining nearly 20 percent to add further lift to the markets. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 468 points to 51-671. The S&P 500 rose 122 points to 75-54. The Nasdaq climbed 795 points to 26-683.

>>Fox Agrees to Acquire Streamer Roku

(Undated) -- Fox is buying Roku for 22 billion dollars, or about 160 dollars per share. It's the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of media consolidation, as the industry deals with changes and challenges. The deal brings together Fox's news and sports channels, as well as streaming service Tubi, which it bought in 2020, with Roku. It's been about seven years since Fox made its last major move of this kind, when it sold its entertainment assets in a 71 billion dollar deal with Disney.

>>Fed To Announce Decision On Interest Rates Tomorrow

(Undated) -- The Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision looms. The Federal Open Market Committee opens a two-day policy meeting today with the announcement on rates coming Wednesday. It will be the first meeting with new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh at the helm after he replaced Jerome Powell. While he has promised to bring "regime change" to the nation's central bank, it's expected that the key interest rate will remain unchanged for now.

>>California Has Some Of The Most Powerful Teachers Unions

(Sacramento, CA) -- California has some of the most powerful teachers unions in the country, ranking second after Vermont. According to a new study by the Thomas Fordham Institute, the strongest unions are in wealthier, Democratic-led states. The California Teachers Association and California Federation of Teachers represent over four hundred thousand members combined. California's teachers unions are considered the most powerful in politics and have a lot of influence. They spent the most on political ads and gave the second most to state political parties in recent years. California teachers earn the highest average salary and are among the most likely to strike. Those strikes and their outcomes are also often closely watched nationwide. 

For: June 15, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell  

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks finished higher to end the week on Friday.  SpaceX's record IPO launch helped boost investor confidence.  Shares in the re-usable rocket company jumped 19-percent on Friday, closing at around 161-dollars as SpaceX made its big Nasdaq debut.  SpaceX's total valuation is now above two-trillion-dollars and CEO Elon Musk can say he's the world's first trillionaire.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 353 points to 51-202.  The S&P 500 added 37 points to 74-31.  The Nasdaq rose 79 points to 25-888. 

>>Fed To Announce Decision On Interest Rates This Coming Wednesday   

(Undated)  --  Coming up in the business week ahead, the focus will be on the Federal Reserve's looming interest rate decision.  The Federal Open Market Committee opens a two-day policy meeting on Tuesday with the announcement on rates coming Wednesday.  It will be the first meeting with new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh at the helm after he replaced Jerome Powell.  Warsh has promised to bring "regime change" to the nation's central bank, although it's expected that the key interest rate will remain unchanged for now. 

>>Anthropic Suspends All Access To Mythos

(San Francisco, CA)  --  AI company Anthropic has disabled customer access to its AI model Mythos after the government ordered it to suspend all use by foreign nationals.  That's according to a statement from Anthropic Friday evening.  The move is the latest in a series of Trump administration actions targeting the company.  The broad order regarding Anthropic's Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models is one of the furthest-reaching actions the government has taken in response to the capabilities of an AI model.  Anthropic says the government cited "national security issues" in the directive.

>>UAW Members Ratify Contract With American Axle, Ending Three Rivers Strike

(Three Rivers, MI)  --  United Auto Workers employees at American Axle in Three Rivers, Michigan have ratified a new contract after a strike that lasted two weeks.  The new deal raises pay for employees hired before May 31st, 2012 by eight-dollars an hour immediately and that restores the pay cut they agreed to in 2008 during the Great Recession.  It also raises pay to 30-dollars an hour by 2030 and has no health care concessions for the next four years.  The UAW also says they gained more paid days off with the new contract.

>>Porsche Turns 'Toys Story 5' Characters Into Cars 

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Porsche has reimagined Disney and Pixar's "toy Story" characters into luxury vehicles.  The automaker unveiled three one-of-one Porsche 911 models inspired by Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie at the Los Angeles world premiere of Disney and Pixar's "Toy Story 5."  The custom cars were created by Porsche's Sonderwunsch department, German for "special wishes," which serves as the company's personalization program.  They will be sold as part of a charitable program benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the American Red Cross and Starlight Children's Foundation. Porsche also partnered with Goodyear on custom "Lightyear" tires. 

For: June 12, 2026

>>Trading Week Winding Down 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed sharply higher yesterday.  That came after President Trump announced he was canceling planned U.S. strikes against Iran and said a peace deal may be agreed to soon.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 929 points to 50-848.  The S&P 500 climbed 127 points to 73-94.  The Nasdaq rose 640 points to 25-809.   

>>SpaceX IPO Today

(Starbase, TX)  --  SpaceX is about to launch the largest IPO ever.  The deal that could make Elon Musk a trillionaire happens today.  The re-usable rocket company is planning to sell more than 555-million shares of the company for 135-dollars a piece.  It values the company at more than one-point-seven trillion dollars.  As CEO, Musk will still retain more than 80 percent of voting power, however.  The shares will be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX.

>>Visa To Let AI Make Your Purchases

(San Francisco, CA)  --  Visa is working with OpenAI to let AI agents shop and purchase things on behalf of users.  The company announced its new partnership with OpenAI Wednesday.  It allows users to connect a Visa card to ChatGPT and get to work.  Limits can be set on how much the AI spends and where it can buy from.  Jack Forestell, chief product and strategy officer at Visa, gave the example of telling ChatGPT to find wireless headphones costing less than 150-dollars.  The AI would then find the item and buy it for you.  No word on the fees for this service.

>>Waymo Launches Premier Subscription Tier In Select Cities

(Undated) -- Waymo is launching a new subscription tier called Waymo Premier as it pursues an aggressive expansion plan. The service will cost 30-dollars a month, and it targets avid users in some of the most popular markets. According to a blog post from the Alphabet-owned company, the new subscription tier is invite only to start for select riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Subscribers can expect prioritized matching, up to five free cancellations per month and they'll earn ten percent back in loyalty credits or Waymo Cash for each trip.  

>>Choking Reports Prompt Baby Toy Recall

(Washington, DC)  --  A baby teething toy sold on Amazon is under recall after reports of children choking on them.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday that LiKee [[ LEE - kee ]] Pull String Teething Toys violate federal toy rules.  The agency warns the silicone strings can reach the back of a child's throat and get stuck.  China-based ChilanTech has received several reports of breathing distress and choking.  CPSC says parents should take the toy away and ask the company for a free replacement.

>>Americans Are Avoiding Their Bank Balances

(Minneapolis, MN)  --  Almost one in three Americans are not checking their bank balances because of anxiety.  That's according to a U.S. Bank survey of over three-thousand adults.  Younger adults reported the sharpest money stress, with nearly half of Gen Z saying they avoid checking their accounts entirely.  Nearly three quarters of millennials reported high or moderate anxiety over checking and savings balances, while one in four adults said they would need ten-thousand dollars saved to avoid financial stress.