Private-sector payrolls grew modestly in October, adding 42,000 jobs and slightly exceeding expectations, according to ADP. Gains were concentrated in large companies (250+ employees), which added 76,000 jobs, while smaller businesses lost 34,000 positions, raising concerns since small firms generate most U.S. jobs. The trade, transportation, and utilities sector led growth with 47,000 jobs, followed by education and health services (+26,000) and financial activities (+11,000), … Continue reading Private payrolls rose 42,000 in October, more than expected

McDonald’s missed Wall Street’s third-quarter earnings expectations, reporting adjusted earnings of $3.22 per share versus the $3.33 anticipated, and revenue of $7.08 billion compared with the $7.1 billion forecast. Despite this, U.S. same-store sales grew more than expected. CEO Chris Kempczinski highlighted that growth reflects the company’s ability to perform in a challenging environment, noting continued declines in traffic from lower-income consumers while higher-income consumer … Continue reading McDonald’s sales rise, but CEO expects low-income diners to spend less

Starbucks announced it will sell a controlling stake in its China operations to investment firm Boyu Capital for $4 billion, forming a joint venture in which Boyu holds up to 60% and Starbucks retains 40%. Starbucks will continue to own and license its brand and intellectual property to the new entity. The total value of Starbucks’ China business is expected to exceed $13 billion, including … Continue reading Starbucks to sell control of China business to Boyu Capital in $4 billion deal

Pizza Hut may be put up for sale as Yum Brands announced a formal review of strategic options for the struggling pizza chain. Despite a global presence of nearly 20,000 stores in over 100 countries and international sales growth of 2% in the first nine months of the year, U.S. sales—which account for nearly half of revenue—fell 7%. Challenges include large, outdated dine-in locations and … Continue reading Pizza Hut’s parent company says it’s considering selling the chain

Microsoft announced it will ship over 60,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips, including GB300 Grace Blackwell GPUs, to the United Arab Emirates under U.S. Commerce Department-approved licenses. The deal, part of Microsoft’s $15.2 billion planned tech investment in the UAE, enables AI data center operations and access to models from OpenAI, Anthropic, and others. This shipment contrasts with former President Trump’s recent claim that … Continue reading Microsoft to ship 60,000 Nvidia AI chips to UAE under US-approved deal

Amazon stock surged about 5% Monday after announcing a $38 billion deal with OpenAI, giving the ChatGPT developer access to hundreds of thousands of Nvidia AI chips through Amazon Web Services. OpenAI will run its AI workloads on Nvidia GPUs housed in Amazon’s cloud servers, scaling to the full capacity by the end of 2026. This partnership is part of OpenAI’s broader strategy, which includes … Continue reading Amazon stock jumps on $38 billion deal with OpenAI to use hundreds of thousands of Nvidia chips

Kimberly-Clark is acquiring Tylenol maker Kenvue in a $48.7 billion cash and stock deal, creating a major consumer health company. Kimberly-Clark shareholders will hold about 54% of the combined company, while Kenvue shareholders will own roughly 46%. The merger will bring together well-known brands like Kenvue’s Listerine and Band-Aid with Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies, Kleenex, and Cottonelle, generating around $32 billion in annual revenue. Kenvue, spun off … Continue reading Tylenol, Kleenex, Band-Aid and more put under one roof in $48.7 billion consumer brands deal

The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points on Wednesday but did not provide a clear outlook for its December decision. Central bankers are making policy decisions without key economic data, such as inflation and jobs reports, due to the government shutdown. The lack of data complicates assessing the health of the U.S. economy, CNN has reported. If the shutdown continues, … Continue reading Federal Reserve cuts rates to lowest level in three years

Eli Lilly reported third-quarter earnings and revenue above expectations, driven by strong sales of its weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro. Shares rose more than 3% following the results. The company raised its full-year 2025 revenue guidance to $63–63.5 billion and adjusted profit to $23–23.70 per share, up from prior estimates, CNBC has reported. Quarterly sales for Mounjaro reached $6.52 billion, up 109% … Continue reading Eli Lilly blows past estimates, hikes guidance

Meta Platforms’ stock fell more than 10% despite strong third-quarter results, as investors worried about the company’s aggressive AI spending plans. The company raised its 2025 capital expenditure guidance to $70–72 billion to build advanced AI tools and prepare for future superintelligence opportunities. CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized confidence in returns from core business and stressed the importance of heavy AI investment, including $14.3 billion in … Continue reading Meta stock drops 10%

Nvidia became the first company to surpass a $5 trillion market value Wednesday after its shares jumped more than 4%, capping a surge of over 50% so far this year. The milestone underscores Nvidia’s transformation from a gaming chipmaker to a dominant force in artificial intelligence, fueled by expectations of $500 billion in AI chip orders and plans to build seven new U.S. supercomputers. The … Continue reading Nvidia becomes first company to reach $5 trillion valuation

Home price growth slowed for the seventh consecutive month in August, rising just 1.5% year-over-year—the smallest increase in over two years, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller data. The slowdown benefits buyers as mortgage rates ease and inventory grows, improving affordability after years of rapid price gains. Among major cities, New York saw the largest increase at 6.1%, while Tampa and Miami experienced declines of 3.3% … Continue reading US Home Prices Post Weakest Gain in More Than Two Years

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut its key interest rate on Wednesday, likely reducing it from 4.1% to around 3.9%, as the central bank seeks to support a slowing job market. This would be the second rate cut of the year, with another possible in December, despite inflation remaining elevated. Economic uncertainty is heightened by the government shutdown, which has delayed key jobs and … Continue reading Federal Reserve likely to cut key rate Wednesday and may signal another cut to follow

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Johnson & Johnson and its spin-off Kenvue, alleging they failed to warn consumers about the risks of taking Tylenol during pregnancy. The lawsuit claims the companies ignored scientific studies linking prenatal Tylenol use to autism and ADHD, and that Johnson & Johnson illegally shifted liability to Kenvue to protect assets. Paxton accused the companies of endangering consumers for … Continue reading Texas suing makers of Tylenol over alleged autism link

Amazon announced it will cut about 14,000 corporate jobs, part of ongoing efforts to reduce costs and streamline operations while investing in generative AI. The layoffs, affecting nearly every department, could ultimately impact up to 30,000 employees, representing roughly 4% of its corporate and tech workforce. CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the need for a leaner structure to move faster and adapt to AI-driven efficiencies, following … Continue reading Amazon laying off about 14,000 corporate workers as it invests more in AI

Japan’s Nikkei 225 surpassed 50,000 for the first time, boosted by U.S.-China trade progress and strong Wall Street momentum, while the Topix rose 1.61%. South Korea’s Kospi and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also climbed, aided by trade optimism, with BTS-related news pushing Hybe nearly 10% higher. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that Trump’s proposed 100% tariffs on Chinese imports are effectively off the table, … Continue reading Japan’s Nikkei 225 crosses 50,000 for the first time

Japan will launch its first yen-backed stablecoin on Monday, issued by the startup JPYC and fully convertible to the yen, supported by domestic savings and government bonds. The move signals growing interest in digital currencies globally, with China and South Korea also exploring national stablecoins, while U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins currently dominate the market. Japan’s megabanks are planning to issue their own stablecoins, which could help … Continue reading World’s first yen-pegged stablecoin debuts in Japan

A softer-than-expected U.S. inflation report for September boosted market optimism, with traders now betting the Federal Reserve will cut rates at its upcoming October and December meetings. Major indexes, including the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow, rose about 2% for the week, aided by strong corporate earnings, with 87% of companies beating expectations. Concerns remain over President Trump’s tariffs, such as a new 10% tariff … Continue reading Cooler-than-expected U.S. consumer inflation data

U.S. stocks surged to new intraday highs on Friday as cooler-than-expected inflation data boosted investor confidence that the Federal Reserve can continue cutting rates, supporting the economy and higher equity valuations. The Dow rose 565 points (1.2%), the S&P 500 gained about 1%, and the Nasdaq climbed 1.3%. September’s consumer price index showed a 0.3% monthly increase, bringing the annual rate to 3%, below economists’ … Continue reading Dow rises 500 points to record as Friday’s rally 

The Trump administration has approved expanded oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), opening 1.56 million acres of coastal plains and announcing a winter lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve. The Interior Department also reissued permits for the controversial 211-mile Ambler Road Project, which would cut through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, threatening migratory birds, wildlife, and Indigenous communities. Supporters, including … Continue reading White House approves increased oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s national wildlife refuge

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3% in September from a year earlier, slightly below economists’ forecast of 3.1%, as the impact of President Trump’s tariffs remained limited. The Labor Department released the data despite the government shutdown because it determines Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment. Economists say tariffs continue to add modest upward pressure on prices, though inflation remains well below its 2022 peak … Continue reading CPI report shows inflation continued to climb in September

Gold rebounded Wednesday after a sharp two-day selloff, with futures rising 2.3% to $4,159.70 an ounce. The prior decline, including a 5.7% drop on Tuesday—the largest in over 12 years—was driven by profit-taking after a record-breaking rally. Despite the volatility, gold remains up nearly 60% in 2025, supported by central-bank buying, potential Fed rate cuts, and strong demand from foreign investors diversifying from dollars, Barron’s … Continue reading Gold Price Rebounds After Sharp Selloff

Amazon has introduced a new robotic system, Blue Jay, designed to perform multiple warehouse tasks simultaneously. The system uses robotic arms with suction cups on a conveyor-like track to pick, sort, and consolidate items in one streamlined process. Currently being tested in a South Carolina warehouse, Blue Jay can handle about 75% of stored items, aiming to improve efficiency and reduce physical strain on employees, … Continue reading Amazon introduces ‘Blue Jay’ warehouse robot that performs multiple tasks at once

The Trump administration is discussing taking equity stakes in quantum-computing firms, including IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave, in exchange for federal funding, according to the Wall Street Journal. Other companies, such as Quantum Computing Inc. and Atom Computing, are considering similar deals. Shares of the mentioned firms surged following the report, with gains ranging from 10% to 20%, CNBC has reported. The move reflects Washington’s broader … Continue reading Quantum stocks surge on report Trump eyeing stakes in the group like Intel

Sales of previously owned homes rose 1.5% in September to an annualized rate of 4.06 million units, marking the highest pace in seven months but slightly below forecasts. Compared with last year, sales were up 4.1%, with the South and Northeast seeing the strongest annual growth. Monthly gains were led by the West, while the Midwest experienced a slight decline, CNBC has reported. Falling mortgage … Continue reading Lower mortgage rates push home sales up in September