For Friday, January 30th, 2026

>>Wall Street Closes With Stocks Mixed

(New York, NY)  --  Wall Street closed Thursday with stocks mixed.  It comes as Meta's shares jumped ten-percent after posting a strong first-quarter sales forecast.  Elsewhere, news could be coming soon regarding the Federal Reserve, as President Trump says he will announce his pick for the next Fed chair soon.  He made the comment during his cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 55 points to 49-071.  The S&P 500 dropped nine points to 69-69.  The Nasdaq lost 172 points to 23-685.

>>Trump Expected To Announce Kevin Warsh As Fed chair

(Washington, DC)  --  President Trump is expected to announce Kevin Warsh as the new chair of the Federal Reserve.  Trump is set to announce his choice to replace Jerome Powell today, and told reporters Thursday that his replacement would be someone who was "known to everybody in the financial world."  Warsh served as Fed governor from 2006 to 2011 and has supported lower interest rates.  Trump met with Warsh on Thursday and attacked Powell on social media for not lowering rates.

>>Reuters: SpaceX Considers Merger With Musk's XAI

(Starbase, TX)  --  SpaceX could be merging with Elon Musk's A.I. company ahead of a planned public offering.  A report from "Reuters" says the private space company is in discussions to merge with xAI ahead of an IPO planned for this year.  The report says the merger would bring SpaceX rockets, Starlink satellites, the Grok chatbot and the X social media platform all under one roof.  "Bloomberg" says SpaceX is also considering a merger with Musk's electric car company Tesla.  Musk also owns tunnelmaker The Boring Company and neurotech firm Neuralink.

>>Apple Sales Surge On High Demand For IPhones In China, Taiwan

(Cupertino, CA)  --  Apple sales are surging because of a high demand for iPhones in China and Taiwan.  The company reported first-quarter earnings on Thursday that surpassed expectations, and said revenue rose a "staggering" 16 percent on an annual basis.  CEO Tim Cook said IPhone demand was particularly strong in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, where sales in the region surged 38 percent.

>>Amazon Announces Layoffs

(Seattle, WA)  --  Amazon is planning to cut 16-thousand jobs.  The company announced the layoffs in a memo to employees this week.  Amazon said the cuts will "strengthen our organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership and removing bureaucracy."  This comes after Amazon cut 14-thousand jobs back in October, mostly at the corporate level.  Amazon employees more than one-and-a-half-million workers worldwide.

>>Americans To Eat 1.48 Billion Chicken Wings For Super Bowl

(Washington, DC)  --  Americans will devour millions more chickens wings during this year's Super Bowl compared to last year.  In its annual Chicken Wing Report, the National Chicken Council projects Americans will eat one-point-48-billion chicken wings during Super Bowl 60.  That's around ten-million more wings than last year.  One-point-48-billion wings is enough to stretch 27 times between the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts to the Seattle Seahawks' Lumen Field in Seattle.  Overall, football fans have eaten nearly 20-percent more wings during this year's NFL playoffs compared to last year.

For: January 29, 2026

>>Watching Wall Street

(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mixed on Wall Street Wednesday. It came after the Federal Reserve decided to leave interest rates unchanged, ending a streak of three straight quarter-point cuts to rates. It's also the first decision by the Fed since Chair Jerome Powell was federally subpoenaed over testimony related to building renovations. The central bank is set to make its next decision on interest rates in March. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 12 points to 49-015. The S&P 500 dropped less than a point to 69-78. The Nasdaq gained 40 points to 23-857.

>>Musk Announced End Of Production For Tesla Models S And X

(Fremont, CA) -- Elon Musk says he's turning his Tesla plant in California into a robot factory. On a fourth-quarter earnings call Wednesday, the CEO said he's ending production on the Model S and X Teslas that are assembled at his plant in Fremont, and will instead convert the space to make Optimus robots. The company said it plans to unveil the third generation of humanoid robots this quarter, its "first design meant for mass production." Tesla reported its first annual revenue decline on record in the fourth quarter. The models S and X are Tesla's oldest vehicles, and are now outsold by the far more popular 3 and Y models.

>>Employee Engagement Slips From 2020 High

(Undated) -- New Gallup polling shows a decline in people who report feeling actively engaged in the workplace. According to the poll, for the second year in a row, 31 percent of employees said they felt actively engaged at work which is down five percent from its high in 2020. Gallup said each percentage-point change represents roughly one-point-six million full- or part-time employees so the five percent decline is equivalent to roughly eight million fewer workers. The survey also found 17 percent of respondents reported feeling actively disengaged at work in 2025, which is a percentage unchanged from the year prior.

>>Spotify Pays Out Royalties To Music Industry

(New York, NY) -- Spotify is paying out a large sum of money to the music industry. The streaming platform says they've recently paid out eleven-billion-dollars in royalties to labels, signed artists and independent musicians. This brings their all-time payments to 70-billion-dollars. Spotify has faced criticism in the past from artists over low royalty rates from streaming, with Apple Music's VP arguing it "devalues music as a product".

>>Meta Reports 24% Revenue Growth

(Menlo Park, CA) -- Meta is reporting a 24-percent year-over-year jump in revenue. The social media and tech company reported fourth quarter earnings Wednesday, exceeding Wall Street's expectations. The growth was mainly driven by online ad sales. The company also said its planning to spend as much as 135-billion-dollars on artificial intelligence-related capital expenditures this year, almost twice what it spent last year.

>>WBD Partners With X For Winter Olympics

(Undated) -- Warner Bros. Discovery is partnering with X for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. The company will share exclusive behind-the-scenes video content and highlights on X throughout the games. The pair will also give brands and advertisers access to WBD's "in-game" and event clips, localized for audiences across Europe. The collaboration will also include streamers like HBO Max, Eursosport and TNT Sports in X's "real time sports conversations." The Winter Olympics take place in Milan starting February 6th.

>>Costco Sued Over Preservatives In Rotisserie Chickens

(San Diego, CA) -- Costco is being sued over allegedly misleading claims about its four-dollar-99-cents rotisserie chickens. A staple of the warehouse chain, the lawsuit filed in federal court in California says the chickens are advertised as containing no preservatives. The proposed class action suit says Costco has systematically cheated customers through false advertising. The chickens allegedly contain two preservatives, to control pH levels and slow spoilage. Despite filing the lawsuit, the two plaintiffs say they plan to keep buying the chicken. 

For: January 28, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mix yesterday, with the S&P 500 at a record high.  Gains in Big Tech provided a boost.  Apple and Microsoft were among the bright spots while UnitedHealth plunged weighing heavily on the Dow.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 409 points to 49-003.  The S&P 500 rose 28 points to 69-78.  The Nasdaq gained 215 points to 23-817.  Investors today will be keeping an eye out for earnings results from both Meta and Tesla.  

>>Fed To Announce Interest Rate Decision 

(Undated)  --  The Federal Reserve is set to announce its first interest rate decision of the year today.  It's expected that the central bank will leave interest rates unchanged for the time being, with the next meeting coming mid-March.  Fed Chairman Jerome Powell will deliver remarks following today's announcement.  

>>Consumer Confidence Plunges In January

(New York, NY)  --  Consumer confidence fell sharply in January.  The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index dropped nearly ten points to its lowest level since 2014 on concerns about pocketbook issues and the economy.  The board's chief economist noted all five components of the Index fell, reversing December's upwardly revised reading.  Concerns about prices and inflation remain elevated while mentions of trade and tariffs rose in January.  Fewer consumers said they plan to buy big tickets items including homes and electronics over the next six months.  

>>Dollar Falls 1.3%

(Undated)  --  The dollar fell one-point-three percent Tuesday, the biggest one-day slide since last April.  The value has fallen ten-percent over the last year.  The dollar is currently at its lowest value since February 2022.

>>Yale Announces Free Tuition For Families Making Under $200K

(New Haven, CT)  --  Yale University is announcing families who make below 200-thousand dollars will receive free tuition.  The move is set to go into effect during the 2026-2027 academic year, giving those who make less than the number tuition scholarships, while those who make less than 100-thousand will have all costs eliminated.  The school said in its announcement that half of American households with school-aged children would be eligible.

>>UPS To Cut 30K Jobs This Year

(Atlanta, GA)  --  UPS is planning to cut 30-thousand jobs this year as it winds down its partnership with Amazon.  Company officials announced the move following the company's quarterly earnings release Tuesday.  Most of the cuts are expected to be accomplished through attrition with a voluntary separation program offered to full-time drivers. The latest cuts come after UPS eliminated 48-thousand jobs in a belt-tightening move in 2025.  

For: January 27, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher yesterday to kick off the trading week.  Tech stocks led the advance with Apple, Meta Platforms and Microsoft all rising ahead of their upcoming earnings reports.  Investors are also keeping an eye on a potential government shutdown over Homeland Security funding after a VA nurse was shot and killed by federal agents in Minnesota.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 313 points to 49-412.  The S&P 500 added 34 points to 69-50.  The Nasdaq rose 100 points to 23-601.

>>Fed Rate Decision Coming Wednesday 

(New York, NY)  --  The Federal Reserve is widely expected to announce interest rates will remain unchanged this week.  The central bank is holding its first two-day policy meeting for 2026 and will announce its decision on rates on Wednesday.  In December, the Fed cut interest rates by a quarter-percentage point.  Credit card rates are at their lowest level since April of 2023.

>>TikTok Deletions Up

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  More TikTok users are deleting the app since the company came under majority-U.S. ownership last week.  Deletions of the video app are up 150-percent over the past fews days, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.  The app was required to separate its U.S. operations from majority Chinese ownership or face a shutdown in this country.  The app was also plagued by glitches shortly after the new deal went through, something the company blames on a power outage at a data center.  Some users have complained about having to sign a new privacy policy to use the app.

>>Google Settles Privacy Suit For $68M

(Mountain View, CA)  --  Google will pay a 68-million-dollar settlement over accusations its voice assistant listened in when it shouldn't have.  The lawsuit argued that the assistant would start listening when it misheard words that sounded like the words used to wake the system up.  It then allegedly used info in those conversations to deliver targeted ads.  Google is denying any wrongdoing.  

>>Gold Goes Above $5,100

(Undated)  --  Gold prices are above 51-hundred dollars an ounce for the first time ever.  The milestone was crossed on Monday as investors look to the asset as geopolitical uncertainties mount.  The price went up 64 percent in 2025.

>>Southwest Prepares For Official End To Seating Policy

(Dallas, TX)  --  Southwest Airlines is officially marking the end of its longstanding open-seating policy.  The airline first announced plans to end the policy in July 2024 as a way to "meet changing customer preferences."  According to Southwest Airlines, customers booking flights are now instructed to select from three seating options and the type of seat a passenger purchases will determine when they board, or whether they're eligible for other perks.  It could also mean changes for larger passengers who need an extra seat.  Those customers are being asked to buy the extra seat in advance with a possible refund later.  They can also request one for free at the airport, but if the flight is fully booked, they will be moved to a different flight.

>>Budweiser Releases Super Bowl Ad

(St. Louis, MO)  --  The Super Bowl is still about two weeks away, but Budweiser is already giving fans a look at their ad that will air during the big game.  The beer company released its 60-second Super Bowl commercial online Monday.  It features a Clydesdale and a bald eagle as Lynyrd Syknyrd's "Free Bird" plays in the background.  The company said it knew it had to rise to the occasion with this year's spot with the celebration of Budweiser's 150th anniversary and America's 250th birthday.  NBC announced back in September that it sold out its inventory of Super Bowl ad spots earlier than ever.

AM Business Notebook or: January 26, 2026 

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mixed on Friday to end a volatile week.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 285 points to 49-098.  The S&P 500 rose two points to 69-15.  The Nasdaq gained 65 points to 23-501.

>>IRS Accepting Tax Returns Starting Today

(Washington, DC)  --  Tax season is here.  The IRS starts accepting tax returns today.  Federal returns for 2025 will need to be filed by April 15th in order to avoid penalties and interest.  Most taxpayers will also be expected to pay their taxes by that date.

>>MN CEOS Call For 'Immediate Deescalation'

(Minneapolis, MN)  --  Minnesota business leaders are calling for an "immediate deescalation of tensions" after federal agents fatally shot another U.S. citizen in Minneapolis.  Over 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies signed a letter urging "state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions."  Signatures on the letter released by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce include incoming Target CEO Michael Fiddelke [[ FID-uhl-kee ]], the chairman and CEO of 3M, the chair and CEO of Cargill and the CEO of UnitedHealth.  Other signatories include the Minnesota Vikings, Mayo Clinic, General Mills, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Hormel, Medtronic, U.S. Bancorp and Xcel Energy.  Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.

>>Fed To Announce First Interest Rate Decision Of 2026 This Week 

(Undated)  --  Coming up in the business week ahead, the Fed is set to announce its first interest rate decision of the year.  That happens Wednesday at the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee.  It's expected that the central bank will leave interest rates unchanged for the time being, with the next meeting coming mid-March.

>>Survey Finds Worker Pay Not Keeping Up With Cost Of Living

(Undated)  --  A survey has found that American workers have one big complaint about their jobs.  The survey from USA Today and SurveyMonkey found that even with cost-of-living adjustments and pay raises four in ten workers say their income is not keeping up with their expenses.  Only one in five workers say their pay increased more than inflation over the past year.  Over half of workers have less than three months living expenses saved in the case of a layoff.  Nearly a third only have enough to last one month.

>>Sign Of Progress In NYC Nurses Strike

(New York, NY)  --  There is a sign of progress in potentially ending the two-week long nurses strike in New York City.  The nurses' union says they have reached a deal on maintaining health benefits at two of the three hospitals involved in the strike.  Union leaders say that was a key negotiation point, but also say more work needs to be done on other issues and that a final contract needs to be hammered out.  Nurses won't be on the picket lines today due to the winter storm, but union leaders say they will be back out there tomorrow if a deal is not reached.  Some 15-thousand nurses have been off the job for nearly two full weeks.

>>TikTok Experiences Outage

(Undated)  --  TikTok was down for many users Sunday.  While most of the issues seem to be cleared up, some users of the video app are still reporting sporadic disruptions and some features not working correctly.  The problems come after a deal was finalized last week to transfer majority ownership of the app in the U.S. from Chinese to American in order to avoid a congressionally mandated shutdown.  

>>Southwest Assigned Seating Begins This Week

(Dallas, TX)  --  Southwest Airlines begins assigned seating on Tuesday.  The Dallas-based carrier announced last summer that it was ending its decades-long open seating policy.  The airline also announced seating options that include extra legroom and preferred seats and a new group-based boarding process.  

For: January 23, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks closed in the green yesterday, extending their gains following President Trump's announcement that he will not be imposing tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st.  Elsewhere, shares of Meta and Northern Trust saw a jump, while the shares of GE Aerospace dropped over concerns about slowing growth.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 306 points to 49-384.  The S&P 500 jumped 37 points to 69-13.  The Nasdaq gained 211 points 23-436.

>>TikTok Reaches Ownership Deal With White House

(Washington, DC)  --  China and the United States have reached a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the U.S.  According to multiple reports, TikTok parent company ByteDance has divested from its U.S. operations, handing a majority stake to a venture run by non-Chinese investors.  They include tech company Oracle, United Arab Emirates investment firm MGX, and private equity fund Silver Lake.  This comes ahead of a shutdown deadline originally set by former President Biden, and extended by the Trump administration.

>>Trump JPMorgan Chase Lawsuit Over Alleged 'Political' Debanking

(Miami-Dade County, FL)  --  President Trump is suing JPMorgan Chase and its CEO, Jamie Dimon. The lawsuit stems from accounts belonging to Trump and related entities' that were closed in early 2021 for alleged political reasons. The closures came on the heels of the January 6th, 2021 riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol, but JPMorgan has denied it closed the accounts for political reasons. Trump's lawsuit against the financial institution is seeking at least five billion dollars in damages.

>>Paramount Extends Offer For Warner Brothers Discovery

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Paramount is extending its offer to buy Warner Brothers Discovery in an effort to block a competing offer from Netflix.  "The Los Angeles Times" says Paramount is trying to persuade Warner shareholders to accept its all-cash offer of 30-dollars-per-share for the entire company.  A regulatory filing disclosed on Thursday says Paramount has extended its offer to February 20th.  Netflix has agreed to pay about 28-dollars-per-share for the Warner's Burbank studios, HBO and HBO Max streaming service, but Warner still needs to spin off CNN and its other cable channels before that deal can go through.  

>>Wedding Industry Taking A Hit In Vegas

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  There's another indication Las Vegas is struggling: wedding numbers are down.  Clark County, Nevada had about one-thousand fewer weddings in 2025 compared to 2024.  The county clerk told a local TV station that most of those nuptials are people traveling to Vegas for a destination wedding.  Some wedding venues are trying to attract younger couples by upping their social media presence.  Southern Nevada's wedding industry brings in over three-billion dollars every year. 

For: January 22, 2026 

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher on Wednesday.  This, after President Trump announced a "framework" deal has been agreed to related to the U.S. and Greenland.  He went on to say that he will not be imposing tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st.  Before that, stocks were already seeing a rise after Trump announced he wouldn't use force to acquire Greenland.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 588 points to 49-077.  The S&P 500 climbed 78 points to 68-75.  The Nasdaq jumped 270 points to 23-224.

>>JPMorgan Chase CEO On U.S. As Economic Partner

(Undated)  --  The CEO of JPMorgan Chase is weighing in on the United States' reliability as a global ally under President Trump.  According to Jamie Dimon, he does not view America as unreliable, but he says it is now "less reliable."  However, the CEO was otherwise reluctant to criticize Trump during his interview with The Economist at the World Economic Forum, except for on the issue of a credit card rate cap.  Dimon said a ten-percent cap on credit card rates "would be an economic disaster," although he suggested his company "would survive it."

>>Home Sales Drop

(Washington, DC)  --  Pending home sales plunged last month.  According to the National Association of Realtors survey, pending sales of existing homes fell nine-point-three-percent across the U.S. between November and December.  Sales are down to their lowest point in five months.  Economists say rising home prices and fewer listings offset lower interest rates.

>>Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Starts Satellite Network To Compete With Starlink

(Seattle, WA)  --  Blue Origin is starting a satellite communications network to rival Starlink.  The space company founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos announced on Wednesday that it will deploy over 54-hundred satellites into Earth's orbit for a communications network that will serve data centers, businesses and governments.  Blue Origin says the satellite deployment will begin in the last quarter of 2027, and that the new network will have "data speeds of up to six terabytes per second anywhere on Earth."  The Jeff Bezos network called TerraWave will compete with Elon Musk's Starlink, which currently has about ten-thousand satellites in low orbit.

>>Netflix Adds More Video Podcasts To Library

(Los Gatos, California)  --  Netflix is adding new video podcasts to its platform.  This comes after the streaming service unveiled its first original series "The Pete Davidson Show" earlier this month.  Eight shows in all are coming to Netflix starting in February, including "Therapuss with Jake Shane" and "48 Hours: Post Mortem."  

>>Vegas Properties Move To Daytime All Solar 

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  MGM Resorts has a new sunny disposition in Sin city.  The hospitality, sports and entertainment juggernaut is now running on 100-percent renewable energy for its daytime power at all of its Las Vegas strip properties.  The Escape Solar and Storage project, finished last month, is providing MGM with 115 megawatts of solar power and battery storage to supplement its access to renewable energy.  MGM says the project is driving its push toward 100-percent renewable electricity in the U.S. by 2030.  The company says renewable energy will protect it from the unpredictable costs of traditional energy. 

>>Smithfield Foods To Acquire Nathan's Famous

(Smithfield, VA)  --  Smithfield Foods is acquiring the Nathan's Famous hot dog brand.  The deal announced yesterday will pay Nathan's Famous 450-million dollars for all of its outstanding shares.  Virginia-based Smithfield already had an exclusive contract to make and sell Nathan's Famous products in the U.S. and Canada.  The deal is expected to close in the first half of this year.

For: January 21, 2026

>>All Eyes On Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning on Wall Street after stocks plunged Tuesday, closing sharply lower on fears of a global trade war.  The broad sell-off came after President Trump threatened allies with escalating tariffs over Greenland.  Meanwhile, gold and silver hit fresh record highs.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 870 points to 48-488.  The S&P 500 lost 143 points to 67-96.  The Nasdaq dropped 561 points to 22-954.

>>World Economic Forum Underway In Davos

(Davos)  --  The World Economic Forum continues in Davos, Switzerland bringing together leaders from around the globe to discuss geopolitics, trade, tech and more.  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed the forum on Tuesday, urging European allies to hold back on retaliatory tariffs in response to President Trump's threatened tariffs over Greenland.  Asked what he thought Trump would have to say in his remarks at Davos, Bessent said he believes the message will be clear: "The U.S. is back."

>>FTC To Appeal Meta Monopoly Ruling

(Washington, DC)  --  The Federal Trade Commission plans to appeal a court ruling that found tech giant Meta doesn't hold a monopoly over personal social networking.  Last year a federal judge ruled Facebook's parent company didn't violate antitrust laws.  On Tuesday the FTC announced it would appeal the ruling, maintaining that Meta broke the law when it acquired Instagram and WhatsApp over a decade ago.  The FTC originally sued the company back in 2020.

>>MN Sets Friday For Economic Blackout/Anti-ICE Strike

(Minneapolis, MN)  --  Dozens of Minneapolis-area grocery stores, restaurants and co-ops will be closed Friday as part an anti-ICE general strike.  The organized protest is dubbed "ICE Out MN: Day of Truth and Freedom."  

>>NYC Nurses Strike Rolls On 

(New York, NY)  --  Striking New York City nurses are getting some big name support as they continue to walk the picket lines.  U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani brought donuts to hundreds of striking nurses on the picket line Tuesday.  Both lawmakers say they stand with the nurses who are now in their tenth day of a strike as they demand better pay and benefits and safer working conditions.  Negotiations between the hospitals and the union remain at a standstill.

>>American Airlines Upgrades App

(Fort Worth, TX)  --  American AIrlines wants to make it easier for customers to rebook flights and track their luggage.  The airline is making improvements to its mobile app with those features and others, like getting hotel and meal vouchers.  Users will also be able to track their bags in real time and book ride share trips from the app.  

For: January 20, 2026

>>Wall Street Kicks Off Abbreviated Trading Week Today  

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning, kicking off a holiday-shortened trading week on Wall Street.  All signs are pointing to a lower open with futures in the red overnight.  The pullback comes after President Trump threatened new tariffs on countries opposed to the potential U.S. takeover of Greenland.  Meanwhile, stocks closed lower to end the week on Friday with investors at that time mulling over the president's preferred choice for the next Federal Reserve chairman.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 83 points to 49-359.  The S&P 500 lost four points to 69-40.  The Nasdaq fell 14 points to 23-515.

>>SCOTUS Tariff Decision Looms

(Washington, DC)  --  The Supreme Court could rule today on the legality of President Trump's global tariffs.  The justices heard the case in early November.  The court's decision could have massive implications for American consumers and businesses, the economy and presidential authority.  Opinions are posted after 10 a.m. Eastern.

>>Oxfam Says Billionaires Hold Record Wealth

(Davos)  --  Billionaires are richer than ever.  A new report by the global charity group Oxfam shows billionaires' wealth has risen sharply to a record high of more than 18 trillion dollars.  The number of billionaires also grew to more than three-thousand last year with their collective fortunes increasing by 16 percent.  The report also noted poverty reduction has slowed to levels similar to where they were in 2019.  The charity group released the report on Monday to coincide with the start of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

>>NYC Nurses Strike Reaches Day Nine

(New York, NY)  --  The massive nurses strike in New York City has now reached Day Nine.  Some 15-thousand nurses remain off the job and on the picket lines as they continue to call for better pay, better benefits and safer working conditions.  The three hospitals involved in the negotiations say no deal is going to be made until the nurses union comes down from what hospital officials call "reckless and dangerous" demands.  Dozens of striking nurses spent MLK Day giving back at the city-run George Washington Carver Houses to provide free community health screenings.

>>Boiler Explosion At Rockstar North

(Edinburgh)  --  A boiler explosion at the studio of video game developer Rockstar North seems unlikely to cause any additional delays for Grand Theft Auto 6.  The explosion was reported Monday at the studio in Edinburgh [[ ED-in-burra ]], Scotland.  There were no injuries and the studio is up and running again.  The game, after several delays, is now slated for release this November.

>>Moonshot AI Now Valued At $4.8 Billion

(Beijing)  --  The valuation for the Alibaba-backed startup Moonshot AI is up 500 million dollars. According to CNBC, investors are now valuing Moonshot AI at four-point-eight billion dollars and the sources added that the company could be valued even higher in subsequent rounds. Moonshot AI is the company behind the Kimi chatbot, which surged in popularity in China months before DeepSeek's release last year. The investor interest also follows the surge of two rival Chinese AI companies that went public in Hong Kong earlier this year.  

For: January 19, 2026

>>Wall Street Closed For MLK Day 

(New York, NY)  --  There's no trading on Wall Street today in observance of Martin Luther King Day.  The Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange both reopen for regular business hours on Tuesday.  That will be coming after stocks closed lower in the last trading session on Friday.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 83 points to 49-359.  The S&P 500 lost four points to 69-40.  The Nasdaq fell 14 points to 23-515.

>>Noteworthy Economic Reports

(Undated)  --  Coming up in the business week ahead, there are no major economic reports on the calendar until Wednesday.  That's when pending home sales data from December will be released.  Weekly jobless claims are due Thursday along with a revised 3rd quarter GDP report.  Things wrap up Friday with a look at consumer sentiment.

>>World Economic Forum Starts Today

(Davos)  --  The World Economic Forum kicks off today in Davos, Switzerland.  President Trump is set to make an appearance at the annual meeting of political and business elites for the first time in six years amidst economic threats to allies over his desire to claim Greenland.  The White House says Trump's Wednesday speech will "emphasize that the United States and Europe must leave behind economic stagnation and the policies that caused it." 

>>Detroit Auto Show Opens To Public

(Detroit, MI)  --  The 2026 Detroit Auto Show is now open to the public at Huntington Place.  Visitors arrived Saturday in downtown Detroit to get a look at the new models and concept vehicles from automakers.  The show also feathers interactive attractions including a ride in a new Ford Bronco, and that brought Chad Ripley and his son Cooper to the show from Canada to check it out.  The Detroit Auto Show runs through Sunday. 

For: January 16, 2026 

>>Trading Week Winding Down 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after a higher close on Wall Street Thursday with bank stocks seeing a boost following the release of quarterly earnings.  Elsewhere, new data pointed to a solid jobs market, with the Labor Department reporting Thursday that just 198-thousand Americans filed initial claims for unemployment benefits for the week ending January 10th.  That's a drop of nine-thousand from the previous week.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 292 points to 49-442.  The S&P 500 rose 17 points to 69-44.  The Nasdaq gained 58 points to 23-530.

>>Mortgage Rates Hit 3-Year Low

(Undated)  --  Mortgage rates are at their lowest level since 2022.  According to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the benchmark rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped this week by a tenth of a percent to six-point-oh-six percent.  The agency's chief economist said weekly purchase applications and refinancing activity has jumped.  

>>Verizon To Issue Customers $20 Credit For Outage

(New York, NY)  --  Verizon customers will receive a 20-dollar credit after Wednesday's nearly day-long outage.  In a statement posted on social media Thursday, Verizon said it did not meet the standard of excellence customers expect.  Wednesday's outage caused issues with voice and data services for customers from about noon Eastern until well into the night.  Verizon said the credit is not mean to make up for what happened, but to acknowledge customer's time.  Customers will receive a text message when the credit is available to be redeemed.

>>North American Car, Truck, Utility Vehicles Of The Year Named

(Detroit, MI)  --  The 2026 North American car, truck, and utility vehicles of the year have been announced at the Detroit Auto Show.  Dodge won Car of the Year for its Charger, while Ford won Truck of the Year for its Maverick Lobo.  It's the sixth year in a row that Ford has come out on top.  The Utility Vehicle of the Year is the Hyundai Palisade.  The winners are decided each year by a panel of 50 independent automotive journalists who base their votes on things like innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value.  The Detroit Auto Show opens to the public on Saturday and runs through Sunday, January 25th.

>>Negotiations Continue As NYC Nurse Strike Reaches Fifth Day

(New York, NY)  --  The nurses' strike in New York City is now in its fifth day, but some are hopeful it could be coming to an end.  Negotiations between three private hospitals and the nurses union ramped back up Thursday night, but the day ended without any kind of new agreement.  Two of the hospitals plan to continue negotiations today. Nearly 15-thousand nurses walked off the job Monday, demanding better pay, improved health care benefits and safer working conditions.  The nurses have been without a contract since January 1st.  The hospitals have brought in replacement nurses and all three facilities claim it's business as usual for patients in the hospitals. 

>>Spotify Raising Premium Prices Next Month

(New York, NY)  --  Spotify is increasing the prices of its premium streaming plans in the U.S. next month.  This comes after the streaming service raised prices in the U.K. and Switzerland last fall.  Individual premium plans will increase to 12-dollars and 99-cents per month, with Student plans increasing to six-dollars and 99-cents per month.   Duo plans will go up to 18-dollars and 99-cents per month and Family plans increasing to 21-dollars and 99-cents per month, and Student plans increasing to six-dollars and 99-cents per month.  Spotify says Premium subscribers will receive an email with details about the price increases.  
 

For: January 15, 2026  

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed lower yesterday.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 42 points to 49-149.  The S&P 500 fell 37 points to 69-26.  The Nasdaq dropped 238 points to 23-471.  

>>Retail Sales Rose More Than Expected In November

(Washington, DC)  --  U.S. retail sales numbers came in higher than expected for the month of November. According to data from the Commerce Department, retail sales rose point-six-percent in November which is up sharply from October's downwardly revised point-one-percent decline and higher than the point-four-percent increase economists projected in a poll by data firm FactSet. Despite economic uncertainty, sales were up across categories including specialty shops, gas stations and home improvement stores at the beginning of last year's holiday season. However, the data did find a decline in spending at furniture stores and department stores. 

>>Verizon Is Back Up After Seven-Hour Outage

(New York, NY)  --  Over one-point-five-million customers of Verizon went without service on Wednesday.  The widespread telecommunications outage lasted for around seven hours, and was reported in cities from New York to Houston.  Service came back late Wednesday, and Verizon apologized for the inconvenience and said they did not see any indication of a cyberattack.  The company also said it plans to provide "account credits" to customers affected by the outage.

>>North American Car, Truck, Utility Vehicles Of The Year Named

(Detroit, MI)  --  The 2026 North American car, truck, and utility vehicles of the year have been announced at the Detroit Auto Show.  Dodge won the Car of the Year for its 2025 Dodge Charger, and Ford won Truck of the Year for its 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo.  The Utility Vehicle of the Year is the 2025 Hyundai Palisade.  The Detroit Auto Show opens to the public on Saturday and runs through Sunday, January 25th.

>>Day Four Of Nurse Strike In NYC

(New York, NY)  --  Thousands of nurses remain on strike in New York City.  Today is Day Four of the strike that has sent some 15-thousand nurses at Mount Sinai, New York Presbyterian and Montefiore hospital systems to the picket lines.  They're demanding more pay, better healthcare benefits and working conditions.  The hospitals have stayed open and have brought in temporary nurses.

For: January 14, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed lower yesterday following the release of the latest inflation data.  Stocks fell with financial shares including Visa and Mastercard under pressure after President Trump's call for a one-year, ten percent cap on credit card interest rates.  Stocks pulled back despite December's consumer price index showing inflation not getting worse.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 398 points to 49-191.  The S&P 500 lost 13 points to 69-63.  The Nasdaq dropped 24 points to 23-709.  Investors today will be keeping an eye out for the producer price index as well as retail sales figures, both reports having been delayed due to last year's government shutdown. 

>>December Consumer Prices Rose Less Than Expected

(Washington, DC)  --  Consumer prices rose less than expected in December.  The Labor Department reported the consumer price index showed the core CPI -- excluding food and energy -- rose two-tenths percent for the month and two-point-six percent on a yearly basis.  Meanwhile, the monthly figure for headline inflation put the annual rate at two-point-seven percent.  Analysts say the data makes it more likely the Federal Reserve will hold off on interest rate cuts at their first meeting of the year later this month.    

>>Netflix Preps All Cash Offer For WBD

(Los Gatos, CA )  --  Netflix is preparing a revised all-cash offer for Warner Brothers Discovery's streaming and studio business.  Netflix had already offered a deal worth 83-billion-dollars in cash and stock for the historic company.  The new all cash offer comes as Paramount Skydance has attempted a hostile takeover of Warner Brothers Discovery's entire business.  

>>Carmakers Showing Latest Models At The Detroit Auto Show 

(Detroit, MI)  --  Automakers from around the world are showing off their latest models today at the Detroit Auto Show.  The annual showcase begins this morning at the Huntington Place convention center in Detroit.  This week, only those in the media and the auto industry will be allowed on the showroom floor.  The show will be open to the public starting Saturday and running through the 25th.  It will feature over two dozen car brands showing off their new vehicles, including the latest electric and self-driving models.        

>>Fates Of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman Uncertain 

(New York, NY)  --  Three of America's best-known high-end department stores are now in jeopardy, after Saks Global filed for bankruptcy late Tuesday.  It could be the beginning of the end for Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman.  The company that owns them - cannot pay its bills.  The stores just came together in a two-point-seven-billion-dollar merger in 2024.  But the company could not renegotiate with its vendors - as department stores continued their decline in the U.S.  Made worse by financial pressures on shoppers.  The stores will stay open, but the question is, for how much longer?

For: January 13, 2026  

>>Ahead Of The Bell  

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher on Monday to start the new week.  Stocks rallied as investors largely shrugged off concerns about a Justice Department probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.  Gains in Walmart and technology shares helped offset losses in bank stocks including Citigroup, JPMorgan and Capital One.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 86 points to 49-590.  The S&P 500 added ten points to 69-77.  The Nasdaq rose 62 points to 23-733.

>>Alphabet Hits $4 Trillion Market Capitalization

(Mountain View, CA)  --  Google parent company Alphabet is the newest member of the exclusive four-trillion-dollar club.  The company reached the four-trillion-dollar market evaluation Monday when shares jumped about one-percent.  That came after Apple said Google's Gemini will power AI features in the next-generation Siri.  Alphabet joins Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia as companies to have hit the four-trillion-dollar milestone.  However, Microsoft and Apple have both dipped below the mark since crossing it last year.

>>Trump Threatens To Shut Exxon Out Of Venezuelan Oil Deal

(Washington, DC)  --  President Trump says he's inclined to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela's oil revival after the company's CEO called the country "uninvestable."  Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump criticized Exxon's response during a meeting with U.S. oil executives.  The president suggested other companies are more eager to take part in rebuilding Venezuela's vast oil industry.  Exxon's CEO Darren Woods said legal and commercial reforms are needed before his company would commit, highlighting past asset seizures there.  Trump is pushing American firms to invest billions, arguing they'll ultimately profit while the U.S. and Venezuela share the rewards.

>>Paramount Skydance Sues Warner Bros. Discovery

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Paramount Skydance is taking Warner Bros. Discovery to court.  The studio filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to force Warner Bros. to disclose the financial deals of its deal with Netflix.  Paramount has made multiple bids for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery.  The latest 30-dollars-per-share all-cash offer made by Paramount was rejected by W-B-D's board.  Paramount chairman and CEO wrote they are asking the court "to simply direct WBD to provide this information so that WBD shareholders have what they need to be able to make an informed decision."

>>Google To Power Apple AI Models 

(Cupertino, CA)  --  Apple is teaming up with Google for future software updates.  The companies announced today that Apple will use Google's Gemini AI models to power its Apple Intelligence features, including an updated version of Siri.  Apple has been using OpenAI's ChatGPT models for certain Apple AI aspects since June 2024.  Google recently released a new version of Gemini in November that outperformed ChatGPT on several benchmarks, leading to them to strike a deal with Apple.  This will be a "multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology."

>>Meta Chooses Its New President

(Menlo Park, CA)  --  Meta has chosen its new President and Vice Chairman.  The parent company of Facebook and Instagram announced today that Dina Powell McCormick will be taking on the roles.  Powell McCormick served as a deputy national security adviser in President Trump's first term.  She briefly joined Meta's Board of Directors last year.  CEO Mark Zuckerberg says her experience and deep relationships around the world makes her "uniquely suited" to be the company's President and Vice Chairman.  
 

For: January 12, 2026  

>>Ahead On Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher Friday to cap a positive week.  Stocks rose with the Dow and S&P 500 hitting record highs despite a slightly weaker than expected December jobs report.  Figures from the Labor Department show 50-thousand jobs added last month while the unemployment rate fell to four-point-four percent.  For the full year, payroll gains averaged 49-thousand per month which is sharply lower than 2024.   At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 237 points to 49-504.  The S&P 500 added 44 points to 69-66.  The Nasdaq rose 191 points to 23-671.

>>Prosecutors Open Inquiry Into Fed Chair Powell

(Washington, DC)  --  Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the Justice Department has issued a subpoena to the central bank, warning of a possible criminal indictment.  Powell said the potential indictment comes from his June Senate testimony concerning renovations to Federal Reserve office buildings.  He characterized the subpoenas as the latest attempt to influence the Fed and its interest-rate decisions.  President Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell for the Fed not cutting interest rates as much and as quickly as the president has wanted since he began his second term.

>>Consumer Sentiment Improves In January

(Ann Arbor, MI)  --  Consumer sentiment is improving for the second straight month.  The University of Michigan's early reading for January edged up to reach its highest level since September.  Survey officials say consumers see signs of modest improvement in the economy, although sentiment remains nearly 25 percent below last January.  High prices and other pocketbook issues top the list of concerns for many consumers.  Meanwhile year-ahead inflation expectations held steady at four-point-two percent. 

>>Trump Calls for 10% Credit Card Interest Rates

(Washington, DC)  --  President Trump is calling for a one-year cap on credit card interest rates of ten percent.  He said in a Truth Social post it would be effective January 20th, to coincide with the one-year anniversary of what he called the "historic and very successful" Trump administration.  The president said he'll no longer let the American public be "ripped off" by credit card companies charging interest rates of 20 to 30 percent.  Trump did not explain how the cap would be imposed.  He said the high rates "festered unimpeded" during the Biden administration.

>>Amazon Pharmacy To Offer Novo Nordisk's Wegovy 

(Undated)  --  Amazon Pharmacy will sell the Wegovy pill.  The digital pharmacy will offer those with commercial insurance the pill for as little as  25-dollars for a one-month supply.  Customers paying cash can buy the weight loss pill for 149 dollars a month.  Individuals will be able to compare insurance versus cash pricing and eligible coupons will be automatically applied at checkout.  Patients nationally can have their pill delivered to their home. 

>>Macy's Closing 14 Stores In 12 States 

(New York, NY)  --  Macy's is closing over a dozen stores across the country.  The department store chain announced Friday it would be closing 14 stores in the U.S.  The 12 states affected by the closures include California, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.  

>>Deals Available For National Pizza Week

(Undated)  --  Several restaurant chains are offering deals through this Saturday in celebration of National Pizza Week.  Pizza Hut is selling their 16-inch Big New Yorker pizza for ten dollars and the company has partnered with retired Super Bowl champ Tom Brady to promote the pie.  Domino's is offering one-topping pizzas for just under eight bucks for carryout.  California Pizza Kitchen is making a five-dollar pizza deal available to members of the CPK Rewards loyalty program.

For: January 9, 2026

>>Trading Week Winding Down 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mixed on Wall Street yesterday.  It comes as investors moved away from technology stocks, with Nvidia and Oracle among the companies seeing impacts.  Elsewhere, defense stocks saw a bright spot after President Trump called for a one-point-five-trillion-dollar defense budget in 2027.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 270 points to 49-266.  The S&P 500 rose less than point to 69-21.  The Nasdaq dropped 104 points to 23-480.

>>Weekly Jobless Claims Inch Up Only Slightly 

(Undated)  --  Fewer Americans than predicted found themselves filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week.  The Labor Department reports receiving 208-thousand initial requests.  That's versus the 210-thousand expected and it's up from the previous week's 200-thousand new claims.    

>>SCOTUS Tariff Decision Looms

(Washington, DC)  --  The Supreme Court's highly-anticipated decision on the legality of President Trump's global tariffs could come at anytime.  The justices heard the case in early November and could issue a ruling as soon as today.  After the hearing, Trump says the Supreme Court tariffs case is "life or death for our county." The court's decision could have massive implications for American consumers and businesses, the economy and presidential authority.    

>>CES 2026 Last Day

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  CES 2026 ends today.  The tech expo, formerly called the Consumer Electronics Show, is held each year in Las Vegas to showcase the latest in tech.  This year, center stage was shared by a host of gadgets, including folding phones, housekeeping robots, plant-based batteries, self-driving cars you can own and many more.

>>IRS To Accept Tax Returns Starting Jan 26th

(Washington, DC)  --  The IRS will start accepting tax returns on January 26th.  Federal returns for 2025 will need to be filed by April 15th in order to avoid penalties and interest.  Most taxpayers will also be expected to pay their taxes by that date.  

For: January 8, 2026

>>Ahead Of The Bell  

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mixed yesterday.  It comes as new data showed private employers only added 41-thousand jobs in December.  The Dow Jones estimated the private sector would add around 48-thousand jobs.  While the number of jobs added fell below projections, according to ADP, the gains were coupled with a four-point-four percent year-over-year pay increase for employees.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 466 points to 48-996.  The S&P 500 fell 23 points to 69-20.  The Nasdaq gained 37 points to 23-584.

>>Energy Secretary Upbeat About Role Of Venezuelan Oil For U.S. 

(Miami, FL)  --  The U.S.-Venezuela situation is raising the profile of energy policy.  Energy Secretary Chris Wright says the Trump Administration's plans for Venezuelan oil are right for America because he says the oil is sitting in storage and needs to move again.  Wright made the remarks at the Goldman Sachs Energy, Clean Tech, and Utilities Conference in Miami.  President Trump ordered a military blockade of all sanctioned tankers prior to last weekend's U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.  

>>Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Paramount Hostile Takeover

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Warner Brothers Discovery is rejecting a hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance.  Warner had already agreed to sell its streaming and studio business to Netflix for 72-billion dollars.  Paramount has been trying to buy Warner's entire media empire, including its pay TV networks.  On Wednesday, the board of Warner Brothers Discovery once again unanimously recommended that its shareholders reject the offer, which they claim is "inferior" to the Netflix offer.

>>Apple Card To Be Issued By JPMorgan Chase

(Cupertino, CA)  --  Apple has a new banking partner.  The tech company announced Wednesday that JPMorgan Chase is replacing Goldman Sachs, and will be the new issuer of the Apple Card.  Apple says the transition could take up to two years.  The Apple Card will still use the Mastercard network for payments.  Apple says consumers will not notice any difference.  

>>Second Wave To File Claim Against Amazon Is Open

(Undated)  --  The window for eligible customers to file a claim against Amazon is open.  Amazon settled a 2023 antitrust lawsuit with the FTC for two-point-five-billion dollars in September, alleging the company coerced millions of customers into enrolling in Prime subscriptions.  The FTC says the agreements were made egregiously difficult to cancel.  Amazon has denied the wrongdoing but settled the lawsuit anyways.  Customers have 180 days to file their claims and are eligible for a maximum of 51 dollars.

For Wednesday, January 7th, 2026

>>Dow Closes Above 49,000 As Stocks Extend Rally

(New York, NY)  --  The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 49-thousand for the first time ever Tuesday as stocks extended a post-Venezuela attack rally.  The S&P 500 also hit a fresh all-time high as Amazon and other A-I-related shares boosted the broader market.  Energy stocks also added lift.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 484 points to 49-462.  The S&P 500 rose 42 points to 69-44.  The Nasdaq climbed 151 points to 23-547.

>>Hilton Removing Hotel That Sparked DHS Accusations

(Minneapolis, MN) -- Hilton has dissolved its relationship with a Minnesota hotel accused of denying federal immigration agents from booking accommodations. According to the Department of Homeland Security, "Hilton Hotels maliciously canceled their reservations" when officers attempted to book rooms using their government emails. Hilton issued a statement on X explaining that the independent hotel owner assured the company the problem was "fixed," but cited new video that "clearly raises concerns" over the location's ability to meet its operating standards. The hotel chain said it would reach out to other owners to "reinforce the standards" to help "ensure this does not happen again."  

>>Trump Says Venezuela Turning Over 30 To 50 Million Barrels Of Oil To US

(Washington, DC)  --  President Trump says Venezuela is turning over 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S.  Trump took to Truth Social to say the oil will be sold at market value, with the money controlled by the U.S.  He added that he asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to get things going immediately.  Trump has said he's effectively running Venezuela and is focused on boosting oil production in the South American country.

>>American Airlines Launching Free High-Speed Wi-Fi

(Fort Worth, TX) - American Airlines is launching free high-speed wi-fi for customers beginning this month. According to an announcement from the airline, AAdvantage members will be able to stay connected, stream and share on more aircraft than any other carrier in the world. The rollout is expected to happen in phases starting with Wi-Fi being offered across 100 percent of the airline's narrowbody and dual-class regional fleets. American Airlines plans to make the service available on nearly every flight by early Spring.   

>>Data Shows More Moving Into TX

(Undated)  --  Newly released data shows that once again, more people moved to Texas than any other state last year.  That's according to U-Haul which released data on the number of one-way movers in each state.  The Lone Star State was followed by Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina.  The top five states people are moving out of are California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.

>>Wegmans In NYC Are Storing Customers Facial Scans 

(New York, NY)  --  Wegmans supermarkets in New York City say they're scanning their customers' faces and storing the data.  It's to fight back against theft and to enhance safety and now there are signs at some Wegmans, one in Manhattan and another in Brooklyn, warning customers about their biometric data initiative.  It includes facial recognition, eye scans and voiceprints that can be used to identify shoppers.  Wegmans is apparently late to the game.  Crain's New York Business reports that Fairway Market, Westside Market and Walgreens have been doing this for several years. 

>>NFL Attendance Drops Slightly In 2025

(New York, NY)  --  NFL crowd sizes are down slightly for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.  Sports Business Journal reports the average crowd size in the 2025 season dipped a little less than one-percent.  The teams who saw the biggest drops were the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans.  A dozen of the league's 32 teams sold 100-percent or more of their capacity.  The league's average crowd size remains well above its down years from 2017 through 2019.

For: January 6, 2026  

>>Ahead Of The Bell 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher on Monday as markets reacted to the U.S. military strike that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record high as financial, energy and defense stocks all surged.  Chevron shares gained more than five percent as investors bet U.S. firms would have access to the world's largest oil reserves.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 594 points to 48-977.  The S&P 500 rose 43 points to 69-02.  The Nasdaq climbed 160 points to 23-395.

>>CES 2026 Showcases Latest Tech Trends 

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  The first major tech expo of the year is underway in Las Vegas.  CES 2026 showcases all things tech - from company announcements to visions and gadgets galore over the course of four days.  The annual trade show, formerly called the Consumer Electronics Show, runs through this Friday.

>>Corporation For Public Broadcasting Dissolves

(Washington, DC)  --  The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is no more.  It was announced Monday that the board had voted to dissolve the organization, citing the loss of federal funding and sustained political attacks.  The corporation had for nearly 60 years helped fund educational and cultural programming, including many PBS shows like Sesame Street, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Frontline, NOVA and Masterpiece.  Congress cut funding last year after President Trump claimed the programming funded in part by the corporation was biased. 

>>General Motors Sold Most Cars In U.S. In 2025

(Detroit, MI)  --  General Motors sold the most vehicles in the United States in 2025.  The automaker beat their top competitor Toyota with over a five-percent increase in sales from 2024.  The company is reporting 2.85 million vehicles were sold last year.  The company says demand for their brands is strong at every price point and they are well-positioned to continue growth this year. 

>>Lawsuit Accuses McDonald's Of Deception Over McRib 

(Chicago, IL)  --  McDonald's stands accused of false advertisement.  The fast-food chain is being sued for offering the McRib sandwich even though the meal doesn't have pork rib meat.  The suit also says the McRib is one of the most expensive options on the restaurant's menu despite the meat used is lower quality cuts.  McDonald officials released a statement saying the claims are inaccurate and they say the sandwich is made with 100 percent pork.

For: January 5, 2026

>>Watching Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  The opening bell rings this morning after Wall Street closed mixed on Friday to kick off the new year.  Stocks wavered early in the session then climbed with A-I related shares including Nvidia and Micron Technology providing some lift on the first trading day of 2026.  Tesla slid two percent after its annual sales fell for a second straight year.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 319 points to 48-382.  The S&P 500 rose 12 points to 68-58.  The Nasdaq lost six points to 23-235.

>>Noteworthy Economic Reports

(Undated)  --  Coming up in the business week ahead, things get started with auto sales results rolling in throughout the day today.  ADP's employment report is out Wednesday, along with the latest reading on job openings.  Weekly jobless claims are due Thursday.  The focus on Friday will be the government's monthly jobs report. Most analysts expect to see a decline in the number of jobs added in December and an uptick in the unemployment rate.

>>Starlink To Provide Free Internet To Venezuela 

(Undated)  --  Starlink will provide free internet service to Venezuela.  The Elon Musk owned internet company announced it will provide free internet through February 3rd for Venezuela.  The move comes after parts of the country, including the capital, lost power due to military strikes by the U.S.  Early Saturday morning, the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.  

>>Gas Prices Remain Under $3/Gallon    

(Undated)  --  Average gas prices across the U.S. are still under three dollars a gallon as we start the first full week of 2026.  Triple-A puts the average cost of a gallon of gas at two-dollars-81 cents a gallon today.  The most expensive gas is in Hawaii at four-dollars-40 cents while the cheapest can be found in Oklahoma at two-21.

>>CES 2026 Media Days 

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  The first major tech expo of the year is taking over Las Vegas.  CES 2026 kicks off tomorrow, but media days started yesterday.  The annual trade show, formerly called the Consumer Electronics Show, promises to bring a look at what the future may hold with new products and trends taking center stage.  Presentations are on tap from companies like Samsung, NVIDIA, LG, Lenovo and more.  The show runs through the 9th.

>>Stellantis Resurrects $100K Ram Pickup Truck

(Detroit, MI)  --  Stellantis is resurrecting a V-8-powered Ram pickup truck called the TRX. The 100-thousand-dollar vehicle is being revived as the company faces fewer federal emissions regulations. It was first produced for the 2021 to 2024 model years and now the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX will be available in late 2026. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis [[ KOO-ni-skiss ]] has been leading a turnaround plan since unretiring from the automaker a year ago. 

>>"Avatar 3" Passes Billion-Dollar Mark

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  "Avatar: Fire and Ash" has now made over a billion dollars worldwide.  The "Hollywood Reporter" says the third movie in the James Cameron sci-fi series flew past the billion-dollar mark on Saturday.  "Avatar 3" is only the third Hollywood movie from 2025 to make a billion dollars, following "Lilo & Stitch" and "Zootopia 2." 

For: January 2, 2026

>>Trading Resumes On Wall Street 

(New York, NY)  --  Trading resumes on Wall Street this morning following the New Year's holiday.  Stocks wrapped up the year lower in Wednesday trading, leaving many investors wondering what happened to the supposed Santa Claus rally.  At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 303 points to 48-063.  The S&P 500 lost 50 points to 68-45.  The Nasdaq dropped 177 points to 23-241. 

>>Warren Buffett, The 'Oracle Of Omaha,' Retires

(Omaha, NE)  --  Warren Buffett is officially retired.  Wednesday was the 95-year-old billionaire investor's final day as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway after six decades leading the company.  Greg Abel takes over as Berkshire Hathaway CEO.

>>Sprinkles Cupcakes Shutting Down

(Beverly Hills, CA)  --  Sprinkles Cupcakes is shutting down.  Founder Candace Nelson made the announcement in a social media post on Wednesday.  She founded the bakery in 2005, opening the first store in Beverly Hills.  Sprinkles became known for its signature cupcake ATMs and expanded across the country.  No reason for the closure has been given.  

>>Gas Prices Start Year Off Under $3 A Gallon   

(Undated)  --  Average gas prices across the U.S. are starting off 2026 under three bucks a gallon.  Triple-A reports the average cost of a gallon of gas is two-dollars-83 cents a gallon.  That's down seven cents from a month ago.  The most expensive gas is in Hawaii at four-dollars-42 cents while the cheapest average is in Oklahoma at two-24.

>>Countdown To CES 2026

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  Dubbed "the most powerful tech event in the world," CES 2026 kicks off next week in Las Vegas.  The annual trade show, formerly called the Consumer Electronics Show, promises to bring a look at what the future may hold with new products and trends taking center stage.  Presentations are on tap from companies like Samsung, NVIDIA, LG, Lenovo and more.  The show runs through January 9th.