>>Business Week Preview

(Undated) -- The business week gets off to a relatively slow start with no notable economic reports on today's calendar. Things will start to pick up Tuesday with data on consumer confidence and the S&P Case-Shiller home price index. New home sales numbers are due Wednesday, followed by pending home sales, weekly jobless claims and a second revision of the GDP on Thursday. The week wraps up with word on personal income and spending along with consumer sentiment on Friday.

 

>>Home Prices Most Expensive Ever

(Washington, DC) -- U.S. home prices are the most expensive ever. That's according to the National Association of Realtors, which reported the median price of a previously owned home in the U.S. went up for the 11th consecutive month in May. It's now at nearly 420-thousand-dollars, up nearly six-percent from a year ago. It's the highest price the NAR has ever recorded.

 

>>Biden Administration Bans Moscow-Based Kaspersky Software

(Washington, DC) -- The Biden administration is issuing a ban on the use of an anti-virus software that has ties to Russia. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced last week that the Russian government has total access to the systems and customer data of Kaspersky Labs. Under the ban, Kaspersky will not be able to enter new agreements in the U.S. after July 20th. Raimondo is urging Americans and U.S. businesses to "immediately stop" using the software but said those who continue to use it will not be breaking the law.

 

>>Con Edison Strike Averted In New York

(New York, NY) -- With the ongoing heat wave keeping New York's electrical grid under stress, workers for Con Edison reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract Sunday morning avoiding a strike. The Utility Workers Union of America represents roughly eight-thousand Con Ed workers, including field crews and customer service representatives. Their previous contract expired at midnight. A posting on the union's website says the agreement includes higher pay and improved medical benefits. It still must be ratified by the rank-and-file.

 

>>SpaceX Double Launch Day

(Cape Canaveral, FL) -- SpaceX is celebrating two more successful launches. They successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket yesterday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying 22 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The company also launched another 20 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The satellites are designed to help spread high-speed internet around the world.