Markets traded cautiously as the Dow notched a record above 48,000 while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq showed mixed action. Tech and AI names eased after profit‑taking, boosting value and industrial sectors. Key catalysts: an imminent end to the government shutdown, Fed officials split on rate cuts, and fresh AI infrastructure commitments.
Congress moves to end the longest U.S. government shutdown; a House vote and White House sign-off could restore pay for federal workers, restart SNAP and ease air-travel chaos. Markets and agencies brace for a gradual resumption of services.
50B – Anthropic pledges $50 billion for U.S. AI data‑center buildout.
Democrats released a tranche of Jeffrey Epstein emails that reference President Trump, intensifying pressure and a House push to force full DOJ disclosures. The revelations set up high-stakes floor fights and White House rebuttals.
Waymo opened the next frontier for robotaxis — driverless freeway service — expanding 24/7 operations across major U.S. metros. The move marks a landmark test for regulation, safety and autonomous mobility at scale.
Toyota confirms $10B U.S. investment, battery plant online
Toyota started production at a major North Carolina battery plant and pledged an additional $10 billion for U.S. operations, signaling a big industrial bet on electrification and domestic supply chains.
More on foxbusiness.com
Anthropic unveiled a massive U.S. infrastructure push to meet AI compute demand, partnering with providers to build new data centres. The commitment underscores a wider industry race to secure capacity and talent.
Federal Reserve policymakers show cracks on near‑term easing while leadership turnover opens a new vacancy on the policy committee. Markets face renewed uncertainty on rate path and Fed independence.
Amazon sued over allegedly punitive absence system
A class action in New York accuses Amazon of using a punitive attendance control scheme that harms workers, opening fresh legal and reputational risks for the retail giant.
More on cbsnews.com
SoftBank accelerated its pivot into AI by selling its Nvidia stake, jolting markets and stoking debate over valuation bets. The sales have rattled investors already nervous about an AI froth.
The Dow hit a milestone as value and industrial names led gains while tech lagged, revealing a market rotation. Record closes reflect investor bets on old‑economy resilience even as AI narratives reshape positioning.
Major moves include the U.S. Mint ending penny production, the EU fast‑tracking a parcel handling fee on cheap Chinese imports, and U.S. regulators launching probes (FTC into proxy advisers; SEC token taxonomy work) that could reshape markets and corporate governance.
Cisco posted a quarter beat and raised guidance as AI networking demand accelerates data‑center refreshes. The results highlight corporate IT spending as a key pillar of the next enterprise AI cycle.
Disney’s carriage dispute with YouTube TV drags on, costing the company tens of millions and threatening advertising and subscriber momentum. The standoff remains a test of distributors’ leverage in streaming economics.
“You’re going to see substantial announcements in the coming days aimed at lowering prices for items like coffee and fruit.”
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
Crude prices extended losses amid signals of a global surplus, while API data showed U.S. stocks rising. Traders digested increased inventories and OPEC projections, keeping pressure on oil names.
Brussels moves to curb cheap imports from Chinese platforms with a handling fee while tariff shifts threaten specific food categories, highlighting rising trade protection measures across Europe.
Banco do Brasil trimmed its 2025 profit outlook as farmer defaults surge, signaling stress in agricultural lending amid weaker commodity and credit conditions. The cuts underscore sector vulnerability to weather and price swings.
U.S. antitrust and consumer watchdogs have turned attention to proxy advisers amid concerns they steer institutional votes and influence ESG outcomes. Federal probes could reshape shareholder governance advice.
OpenAI’s legal fights intensified as courts ordered massive data disclosure and questions about compute costs and sustainability emerged, weighing on the company’s future funding and partnerships.
Treasury signals imminent moves to ease import costs for staples like coffee and fruit, a politically charged bid to tackle living‑cost pressures. Officials framed these as near‑term measures to blunt inflation pain.
SNAP benefits are set to restart quickly once funding returns, but the pause has already squeezed small grocers and local retailers. States and stores face an uneven recovery as payments resume at different speeds.
The AI and data‑center boom clashes with power constraints — analysts warn of a looming shortfall of generation capacity. Investors are redirecting capital toward data centers even as energy and grid upgrades lag.
Crypto and fintech headlines showed stress: bitcoin pulled back on softer U.S. demand while stablecoin issuer Circle saw shares slip after earnings, underscoring sensitivity to rates and liquidity expectations.