For: June 29, 2026
>>Wall Street Welcomes Fresh Trading Week
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning as Wall Street welcomes a fresh trading week. A volatile trading week ended with stocks closing lower last Friday. Shares of Micron, Intel and AMD all lost two percent or more as investors rotated out of key technology stocks over AI spending concerns. Markets struggled despite lower oil prices and better than expected consumer sentiment data. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 44 points to 51-876. The S&P 500 fell 3 points to 73-54. The Nasdaq dropped 60 points to 25-297.
>>Monthly Jobs Report Out This Week
(Undated) -- Coming up in the business week ahead, key economic reports start coming in on Tuesday with a look at job openings and consumer confidence. That's followed by ADP's monthly employment report on Wednesday. Look for new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to make headlines Wednesday as well when he delivers remarks on Europe during a visit to Portugal. Due to the 4th of July holiday, the government's always closely-watched jobs report will be released a day early, on Thursday. Most analysts are expecting a decline in the number of new, non-farm payrolls added, down from 172-thousand in May to an anticipated 118-thousand in June.
>>Consumer Sentiment Rises As Gas Prices Ease
(Ann Arbor, MI) -- Consumer sentiment increased more than expected in June. The University of Michigan's final reading for the month rose ten percent from May's record low as gas prices eased. The survey's chief economist noted gains in sentiment across all age and income groups. Still, high prices and the cost of living top the list of consumer worries for the third straight month. The inflation outlook for the year ahead inched lower to four-point-six percent but remained well above the level prior to the start of the Iran war.
>>Uber Expanding Its Background Checks And Tightening Rules For Drivers
(Washington, DC) -- Uber is rolling out stricter background checks and restrictions for drivers. The company said the new policies for rideshare drivers and couriers for its delivery service will take effect on Monday. Among the changes, Uber is expanding the list of criminal offenses that permanently disqualify someone from being a driver in the U.S. The company will no longer allow people with prior convictions for violent felonies, sexual crimes, stalking or strangulation to be drivers. Uber said it had prevented over three million people from joining or remaining on the platform since 2017.
>>Amazon FTC Settlement July Deadline
(Washington, DC) -- Amazon customers have under a month left to file a claim in the company's two-point-five billion dollar settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. Those who are eligible may receive up to 51 dollars. The settlement comes from a 2023 lawsuit alleging Amazon coerced consumers into enrolling in Prime subscriptions and then made it hard to cancel. The window to submit a claim closes on July 27th. It's the second phase of payouts in the settlement; in the first eligible customers received automatic payments last year.
