For: June 23, 2025
>>Watching Wall Street
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mix on Friday to end the Juneteenth holiday-shortened trading week. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 35 points to 42-206. The S&P 500 lost 13 points to 59-67. The Nasdaq fell 98 points to 19-447.
>>Oil Prices Jump After U.S. Strikes On Iran
(New York, NY) -- Oil prices have been on the rise following U.S. airstrikes on Iran. U.S. crude oil went up more than two-percent Sunday evening to 75-dollars-and-60-cents per barrel. This comes as there is uncertainty regarding the oil supply outlook in the Middle East. According to Iranian state media reports, the country's parliament supports closing the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Energy Information Administration, 20-percent of the crude oil consumed by the world passed through the strait last year.
>>Airlines Look At Middle East Cancellations
(Undated) -- Airlines are considering how long to cancel flights in the Middle East after the U.S. attack Iran over the weekend. The airspace was already contentious due to the ongoing exchange of missiles and strikes between Israel and Iran. The region has become especially important for commercial air routes due to Russian and Ukrainian airspace mostly closed because of war.
>>A Week Of Noteworthy Economic Reports
(Undated) -- Coming up in the business week ahead, existing home sales kick things off today. On Tuesday, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to testify before the House Financial Service Committee just days after the central bank announced it would be keeping interest rates unchanged for now. The latest data on consumer confidence and the S&P Case-Shiller home price index are due the same day. Wednesday brings word on new home sales, followed by pending home sales and weekly jobless claims on Thursday. The week wraps up Friday with personal income and spending numbers and consumer sentiment.
>>Layoffs Expected At SC Lockheed Martin Site
(Greenville, SC) -- Layoffs are expected at the Lockheed Martin site in Greenville, South Carolina. The company announced the decision Friday. A Lockheed Martin spokesperson said it came as the result of an Air Force decision not to extend the F-16 maintenance facility contract. Approximately ten percent of the Lockheed Martin workforce in Greenville is expected to be impacted by the layoffs.
>>Tesla Launches Limited Robotaxi Service In Austin, Texas
(Austin, TX) -- Tesla has started limited operations of its self-driving taxi service in Austin, Texas. The service began Sunday and was only available to select guests and the vehicles were restricted to certain streets. Those who received invitations to use the service were told by Tesla that safety monitors rode in the front passenger seats and the vehicles do not operate in bad weather. Musk has told investors that people who own Teslas will be able to upgrade their cars so they can function as self-driving taxis. Tesla also plans to sell a two-door car it calls the Cybercab.
>>16 Billion Apple, Facebook, Google Other Passwords Leaked
(Undated) -- Around 16 billion passwords are reportedly comprised after one of the largest data breaches in history. According to Cybernews, logins to social media, VPNS, and user accounts for companies like Apple and Google had been left exposed. The passwords are often put up for sale on the dark web and can be used for identity theft, fraud and blackmail. The data watchdog said it's been monitoring the exposed passwords since the start of this year.
>>Kroger Announces Closures Of 60 Stores Across The US
(Cincinnati, OH) -- Kroger is downsizing. The Ohio-based company shared in its first quarter earnings report that it will take a one-time charge of 100-million-dollars as it plans to close 60 grocery stores over the next 18 months. The company said Kroger employees who work at closing locations will be offered positions in other stores. The earnings report comes months after Kroger's former chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen resigned after a board investigation found his personal conduct was "inconsistent with Kroger's Policy on Business Ethics."
>>FedEx Founder Fred Smith Dies At 80
(Memphis, TN) -- FedEx founder Fred Smith is dead at age 80. Smith helped create the overnight delivery industry which revolutionized the way business and consumers receive goods and packages. He founded the company as Federal Express in 1971 and began operations in Memphis two years later. The Mississippi native served four years in the U.S. Marines and returned from Vietnam to start his company which grew into a 90-billion-dollar global shipping giant. FedEx's current CEO said "Fred was more than just the pioneer of an industry and founder of our great company. He was the heart and soul of Fed-Ex."
