For: August 26, 2025
>>Watching Wall Street
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed lower to start off the trading week yesterday. Stocks slid after Friday's rally as investors looked ahead to fresh economic data and Nvidia's quarterly earnings on Wednesday. The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge -- the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index -- is due out on Friday. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 349 points to 45-282. The S&P 500 lost 27 points to 64-39. The Nasdaq lost 47 points to 21-449. Investors today will be keeping an eye out for the latest data on consumer confidence. Also set for release is the S&P Case-Shiller home price index.
>>President Trump Pledges Tariffs On Countries With Digital Taxes
(Washington, DC) -- Substantial tariffs on countries that do not remove digital taxes are coming, according to President Trump. Posting on Truth Social Monday, Trump said he's going to restrict chip exports to those nations as well. Digital taxes are imposed by several countries on companies like Meta, Amazon and Alphabet. Countries that impose digital taxes argue that companies like Amazon operate within their borders, taking huge profits from citizens while paying nothing to the government.
>>Trump Say He's Removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook
(Washington, DC) -- President Trump says he is removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from her position. Trump said on Truth Social there is sufficient reason to believe Cook made "false statements" on one or more mortgage agreements. The statement went on to say that in light of what Trump called Cook's "deceitful and potentially criminal conduct in a financial matter" that he has no confidence in her integrity. Cook said in a statement last week that she had "no intention of being bullied to step down.
>>New Home Sales Fall In July
(Washington, DC) -- Sales of new single-family homes slowed more than expected in July. Government figures show new home sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 652-thousand units last month. Industry analysts say it's another sign the housing market is struggling as mortgage rates remain high. The average sales price of new houses sold in July was just over 487-thousand dollars. New home data is seen as an indicator of the broader economy.
>>Southwest Airlines Strict Policy For Plus-Size Passengers
(Dallas, TX) -- Southwest Airlines is changing its seating policy for larger customers. Passengers who cannot be accommodated in a single plane seat will be required to purchase a second seat ahead of time and can then request a refund after the flight. Under the new policy, refunds can only be issued if both seats were in the same fare class; the refund request is made within 90 days; and the plane would have taken off with "at least one" extra open seat. The changes are part of Southwest's broader shift to assigned seating, and it is set to take effect on January 27th of next year.
>>No Progress Reported After Boeing Resumes Negotiations With Machinists Union
(St. Louis, MO) -- There are no reports of progress being made after Boeing resumed negotiations with its striking machinists union on Monday. Over three-thousand St. Louis-area Boeing employees went on strike on August 4th after failed negotiations over a new contract. Heading into the talks, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers President Tom Boelling said he was hopeful the two sides could work something out so everyone can move on. Another return to the table is possible sometime this week.
>>SpaceX Cancels Launch Due To Weather
(Starbase, TX) -- The tenth launch of the Starship prototype has been delayed again. SpaceX canceled last night's launch attempt due to bad weather. An expected launch on Sunday was also canceled after what SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said was a liquid oxygen leak. Another attempt is expected this evening.
>>Cracker Barrel Addresses Logo Design Changes
(Lebanon, TN) -- Cracker Barrel is ensuring customers that while its look may be changing, its values are not. The restaurant chain sparked pushback last week after redesigning its beloved logo to remove Uncle Herschel sitting in a rocking chair, but the company says its "old timer" will still be on its menu, road signs, and inside its country store. Cracker Barrel expects to complete 25 to 30 location remodels this year with features including a brighter color scheme, less decor on the walls, and new tables and chairs. While the company also announced that new dishes are joining the restaurant's staple items, customers can still expect the same hard work, family, and scratch-cooked food made with care.
>>Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Hits Menus Today
(Seattle, WA) -- Starbucks fans can finally get their hands on a Pumpkin Spice Latte. The coffee giant is bringing the PSL back to stores starting today. It marks the latest the popular fall drink has gone on sale since 2022.
