For: June 18, 2026
>>Ahead Of The Bell
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed lower on Wall Street Wednesday. It comes after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged for the fourth straight time. The decision marks the first with new Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh at the helm after he replaced Jerome Powell. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 507 points to 51-492. The S&P 500 fell 91 points to 74-20. The Nasdaq dropped 354 points to 26-021.
>>Warsh: Focused On Monetary Policy, Not Long-Term Projections
(Washington, DC) -- New Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh says he's focused on getting monetary policy right. Following the Fed's announcement that it's leaving interest rates unchanged, Warsh said the U.S. economy is expanding, despite the ongoing Iran war. Warsh said unlike his predecessor Jerome Powell, he will not provide long-term rate and economic projections, but will give what he calls medium-projections, which he says point towards positive U.S. growth. Investors took note that while Warsh wouldn't speculate on future rate hikes, nine out of 18 fed officials saw a hike coming by the end of the year.
>>Homebuilding Construction Tumbles In May
(Washington, DC) -- New-home construction slid sharply in May as buyers and renters remain squeezed. Fresh census figures show builders broke ground on 15-and-a-half percent fewer U.S. homes than in April. The steepest drop came from apartment-style buildings, where new starts sank 41-and-a-half percent. Builders also filed fewer permits for future projects. The slowdown comes as builders face high mortgage rates, pricier materials, and a tougher search for land and labor.
>>Apple Raising Prices
(Cupertino, CA) -- Apple is raising prices on its products because of the increasing costs of memory and storage chips. CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal that the company has been trying to shield customers from price increases but the situation has become unsustainable. Demand for the chips has skyrocketed alongside the growth of AI data centers.
>>Higher Prices Hit Used-Car Shoppers
(Richmond, VA) -- Numbers released this week show used-car prices and financing are squeezing buyers. CarMax says its average retail used-vehicle price rose by four-and-a-half percent from a year ago. Its finance arm's average loan rate was eleven-point-three-percent, adding another hurdle for people priced out of new cars. CarMax is reporting higher first-quarter revenue this week, even as profit slips at the used-car giant.
>>Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Authorize Possible Strike
(Seattle, WA) -- Flight attendants at Alaska Air Group's Horizon Air have voted to authorize a potential strike amid ongoing contract negotiations. Union officials say workers approved the measure after months of bargaining that they contend has produced inadequate wage and benefit proposals. The union is seeking higher pay, improved benefits, and changes to workplace rules for flight attendants. Leaders say the vote does not automatically trigger a walkout but gives the union authority to call a strike if talks fail to progress. The labor dispute comes as airlines across the industry continue negotiating contracts with employee groups seeking better compensation and working conditions.
