For: May 7, 2026
>>Ahead Of The Bell
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning on Wall after stocks closed sharply higher yesterday, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both reaching record highs. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 612 points to 49-910. The S&P 500 climbed 105 points to 73-65. The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 512 points to 25-838.
>>Shell Exceeds Profit Expectations
(London) -- Shell is reporting higher-than-expected first quarter profits, largely thanks to the Iran war that's sent prices up 40 percent. The oil company posted earnings of just over six-point-nine billion dollars. That's well above the six-point-one billion analysts had predicted.
>>Many Due COVID Refunds As Deadline Approaches
(Undated) -- The National Taxpayer Advocate says tens of millions of Americans have not received a refund from the IRS for income lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. It stems from a court ruling that says it should be treated the same way it would in the event of a natural disaster. The deadline to submit a claim for a refund is July 10th.
>>Americans To Spend $38B On Mother's Day
(Undated) -- Americans are expected to spend a record 38-billion-dollars this Mother's Day. The National Retail Federation says that's 284-dollars a person and it will beat the previous record set in 2023. Mother's Day spending tends to weather times of economic uncertainty, according to the report, because people want to make sure mom knows she's appreciated.
>>PlayStation Users Could See Settlement
(San Mateo, CA) -- Sony is agreeing to pay almost eight-million dollars to users as part of a settlement for a class-action lawsuit involving purchases of digital games through the PlayStation store. Three years ago, Sony was accused of monopolizing the market and driving up prices for certain games in its store, with the plaintiffs saying Sony violated anti-trust laws. According to the settlement filing, those eligible for a refund had to buy certain titles from April 2019 to December 2023. The eight eligible games include "The Last Of Us," "Call of Duty: Classic" and "Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China." A fairness hearing is set for October to decide whether to approve the settlement.
>>Ford Offering Employee Pricing To Everyone For America's 250th Anniversary
(Dearborn, MI) -- The public will get to enjoy employee pricing on most new Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Ford Motor Company announced the promotion is for most 2025 and 2026 model year vehicles in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States. The employee pricing deal runs through July 6th and officials say the savings are between several hundred and several thousand dollars, depending on the vehicle purchased.
>>New Menu Items Available At McDonald's
(Chicago, IL) -- McDonald's is adding six new drink items to its menu. The fast-food giant is unveiling six beverages this week that include three new Refreshers and three crafted sodas. The move is designed to compete with KFC, Wendy's and Taco Bell, which have increased their beverage options. The Refreshers contain caffeine and include Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, Mango Pineapple Refresher, Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher. The other beverages are Sprite Berry Blast, Orange Dream and Dirty Dr. Pepper. McDonald's also plans to phase out self-service soda machines in all of their U.S. restaurants.
