For: August 11, 2025
>>Watching Wall Street
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher to end the week on Friday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed at a record high after Apple provided a major boost with the announcement of plans to spend 600-billion in U.S. investments in the coming years. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 206 points to 44-175. The S&P 500 rose by 49 points to 63-89. The Nasdaq gained 207 points to 21-450.
>>On The Horizon
(Undated) -- Coming up in the business week ahead, things get off to a relatively slow start with no notable economic reports on today's calendar. Inflation will be in the spotlight the following day with the release of the latest consumer price index. The producer price index is due on Thursday along with weekly jobless claims. Retail sales and consumer sentiment close out the week on Friday.
>>Tariffs Projected To Cause Higher Prices For Consumers
(Undated) -- President Trump's tariffs are projected to increase prices for consumers by nearly two-percent in the short-term. According to a new analysis from The Budget Lab at Yale, consumers face an overall effective tariff rate of 18-point-six-percent, or 17-point-seven-percent when adjusted for shopper preference, which is the highest since 1934. The analysis found that tariffs will primarily impact leather products in the short run while automobile prices could rise nearly ten-percent in the long run. The Budget Lab also projected that low-income households would feel the costs of the tariffs more than their high-income counterparts.
>>Feds Want To Sell Off Stakes In Freddie And Fannie
(Washington, DC) -- The federal government plans to start selling its ownership in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-created mortgage guarantors that work to keep the market stable. The organizations have been under conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis and now the government plans to start selling shares to the public later this year. While Fannie and Freddie were once publicly traded, it's unclear what the new process or structure would be.
>>OpenAI Launches New GPT-5 Model
(San Francisco, CA) -- OpenAI is launching its most advanced AI model called GPT-5. The company said Thursday that the new model of artificial intelligence is smarter, faster and "more useful" than previous models, particularly across domains like writing, coding and health care. It also said GPT-5 had a lower "hallucination rate" than previous models, meaning it fabricates answers less frequently. OpenAI said it will be making GPT-5 available to everyone, including its free users.
>>AOL Shutting Down Dial-Up Internet
(New York, NY) -- AOL is shutting down its dial-up internet service after more than four decades. Once a staple of the early internet era, the service which connected modems through phone lines at one time boasted millions of customers. Even as late as 2015, AOL had more than two-million dial-up customers. That number has since dropped to the low thousands. The service will be discontinued on September 30th.
>>Popular Sweeteners Recalled Nationwide
(Undated) -- Two popular sweeteners are being recalled nationwide due to a labeling mix-up. According to the FDA, NuNatural is recalling its Organic Pure Stevia and Pure Monk Fruit Sweetener because 78 bottles of each were found to bear the other's label. The one-ounce bottles of Organic Pure Stevia and the point-71-ounce bottles of Pure Monk Fruit Sweetener have a best-by date of April 2028. The FDA advises that the probability of serious health problems is low despite upgrading the recall.
>>Fashion Designer Apologizes For Adidas Collab
(Undated) -- Fashion designer Willy Chavarria is apologizing after a collaboration with Adidas brought accusations of cultural appropriation. His Oaxaca [[ wah-HAH-kah ]] Slip-On drew inspiration from traditional leather sandals made by indigenous Mexicans. Some Mexicans, including President Claudia Sheinbaum, took issue with the fact the shoes were apparently made in China with no input from or credit given to the Oaxacan community. Chavarria said his intent was to honor the spirit of Oaxaca and that he was deeply sorry. Adidas says it has contacted Oaxacan officials to discuss restitution.
