For: July 30, 2025
>>Watching Wall Street
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed lower on Wall Street yesterday. Stocks fell as investors weighed mixed corporate earnings and the potential for trade deals between the U.S. and other countries. At the closing bell, the Dow lost 204 points to 44-632. The S&P 500 shed 18 points to 63-70. The Nasdaq fell 80 points to 21-098.
>>Interest Rate Decision Looms
(Washington, DC) -- The Federal Reserve will announce its decision on interest rates today. President Trump has been putting the pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell to cut rates, but most investors are expecting Powell will hold them steady. He's scheduled to hold a news conference following the announcement. Also coming up today, we'll get word on the latest GDP data, ADP's employment numbers and pending home sales.
>>Consumer Confidence Edges Up In July
(New York, NY) -- Consumer confidence edged higher in July. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index improved two points as inflation fears eased. The board's senior global economist noted a slight improvement in overall confidence which continues to rebound from April's plunge. Purchasing plans for cars and homes slipped in July along with vacation intentions and plans for personal travel.
>>U.S. Tariff Truce Extended
(Stockholm) -- The tariff deadline for China is being extended. The U.S. and China ended discussions in Sweden today after two days of trade talks. A Chinese official said the tariff truce has been extended that keeps tariffs at 30-percent for goods sent from China to the U.S. It's currently unclear how long the extension will be for. The original deadline was set for August 1st. It all comes after a deal was reached with the European Union over the weekend.
>>U.S. Home Prices Cooling
(Washington, DC) -- Housing prices in the U.S. are starting to cool . The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index shows for May, the seasonally adjusted price of a home rose two-point-eight-percent from last year, slowing from the three-point-four-percent annual gain in April. Analysts say the declining rate of price increases is due to continued high interest rates which is slowing demand and increasing supply.
>>Google Adds An AI Shopping Aid For Users
(Mountain View, CA) -- Google is adding AI-powered store reviews to its Chrome browser to help users find the best place to shop. The new feature can be accessed by clicking an icon just to the left of the web address in the browser. Users will see a pop-up showing the reputation for things like product quality, pricing, customer service, and return policies.
>>Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern Merge, First Transcontinental Freight Railroad On Way
(Undated) -- Two of the biggest U.S. railroads are announcing a plan to merge that would result in the country's first transcontinental freight railroad. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern announced the deal today that's worth 72-billion-dollars. The companies confirmed last week that they were in talks, however the deal still needs regulatory approval. Union Pacific operates in the Western U.S., while Norfolk Southern serves in the eastern part of the country.
>>UPS Reports Decline In Profits
(Sandy Springs, GA) -- UPS is reporting a decline in its second quarter revenue and profit. The Georgia company says their second quarter net income is down almost nine-percent, coming in at around one-point-28 billion dollars. Last year the company reported an income of one-point-four billion. This comes as the company has seen decreased shipping volumes for some of its largest customers like Amazon. The company also laid off nearly 20-thousand employees in the past year as they try to reconfigure and cut costs.
