For: July 18, 2025
>>Trading Week Winding Down
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher yesterday. That came as quarterly earnings reports released this week rolled in above expectations. Meanwhile, the latest unemployment numbers came in lower than the previous week, giving the averages a boost. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 229 points to 44-484. The S&P 500 rose by 33 points to 62-97. The Nasdaq gained 153 points to 20-884.
>>On The Calendar
(Undated) -- Investors today will be keeping an eye out for word on consumer sentiment, with that report set for release at 10am Eastern. The latest data on building permits and housing starts will also be released. Looking ahead to next week, much of the focus will be on what Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has to say when he delivers remarks at a banking conference in DC on Tuesday. Speculation about Powell's future led to Wall Street experiencing a bit of whiplash earlier this week. Initial reports indicated President Trump was preparing to fire the head of the central bank, but Trump later clarified that no moves were being planned. The President has been highly critical of Powell's refusal to cut interest rates.
>>Zuckerberg Settles $8B Lawsuit
(Wilmington, DE) -- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other company executives are settling a lawsuit in an eight-billion-dollar privacy case brought by a group of shareholders. The investors wanted Zuckerberg and others at Meta and its social media platform Facebook to repay the company for fines that had to be paid out because they allegedly allowed continual violations of Facebook users' privacy. In one instance, the Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook five-billion-dollars in 2019 for failing to comply with a 2012 privacy agreement signed in the fallout from the Cambridge Analytical scandal. That was when millions of users had their data collected for targeted political research and advertisements. The settlement was reached on the second day of a trial that started this week in Delaware.
>>Canceled: 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert'
(New York, NY) -- CBS is canceling "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." The network says his final show will be in May. Colbert, who's hosted the show since 2015, said he just learned the news Wednesday night. The network says it's purely a financial decision and "not related to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount." CBS says it considers Colbert irreplaceable and will retire "The Late Show" franchise.
>>Report: President Trump Considers Executive Order On NCAA Employment Status
(Undated) -- There may be some movement on the horizon when it comes to the employment status of college athletes. According to ESPN, President Trump is considering an executive order that would require federal authorities to clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of their schools. A draft copy of the order states the employment status of college athletes should "maximize the educational benefits and opportunities" schools can provide through their athletic departments.
>>Juul Wins FDA Authorization To Continue Selling E-cigarettes
(San Francisco, CA) -- The FDA is allowing Juul Labs to continue selling its e-cigarettes and refill cartridges. Juul has faced controversy over its early marketing practices, which critics say targeted young consumers under 21. According to an FDA spokesperson, Juul provided evidence demonstrating that its e-cigarettes met the legal standard for marketing new tobacco products in the U.S., but the authorization does not mean the products are safe or "FDA approved." Thursday's decision marks a long-awaited conclusion to a multiyear FDA review that placed the products in regulatory limbo.
>>Stablecoin Bill Passes House And Heads To President
(Washington, DC) -- A cryptocurrency bill is headed to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. Lawmakers voted 308 to 122 to pass the GENIUS Act despite a tumultuous "crypto week" that saw a two-day standstill. The legislation aims to regulate the stablecoin market and create a clear framework for banks, companies and other entities to issue the digital currencies.
>>Homebuilders Slashing Prices At High Rate
(Undated) -- The nation's homebuilders are cutting prices due to weakening demand from potential buyers. According to a survey from the National Association of Home Builders, 38-percent of builders said they cut prices in July which is the highest share since the association began tracking the metric in 2022. Data from the association also found builder confidence rose to 33 in July, marking a slight improvement likely due to the recently passed budget bill, but anything below 50 is still considered negative sentiment. The latest data shows builder confidence has now been in negative territory for 15 straight months.
>>Trash Strike Continues
(Boston, MA) -- Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey says the ongoing strike by trash collector Republic Services is becoming a major problem. Hundreds of trash workers walked off the job July 1st. Healey says enough is enough, the strike is beyond a headache, and Republic Services needs to come to the table and reach a fair deal with its workers. The strike has already spread to several other states, including California, Ohio and Washington.
>>Peacock Jacks Up Subscription Rates
(New York, NY) -- Peacock is raising its subscription rates by three dollars a month. The streamer from NBCUniversal has been a huge success thanks to its hit reality series "Love Island," and expects a lot more viewers when the NBA season begins this fall. Starting next Wednesday, Peacock subscriptions are going up three dollars to 10-99 a month with ads, and 16-99 a month without ads. The price hikes will make Peacock the most expensive streaming service on the market.
