Author: Isabella Sorvani
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the September nonfarm payrolls report on Thursday, providing the first official snapshot of U.S. employment conditions since early September. The update comes after the prolonged government shutdown halted data collection and forced policymakers and investors to rely on private indicators. While the report is expected to offer some clarity, analysts caution that its backward-looking nature and the broader disruption to data systems will limit its usefulness for real-time decision-making. Expected Gains and Market Outlook Economists project that September payrolls increased by fifty thousand jobs across public and private sectors, a modest improvement from…
Ford Motor has partnered with Amazon to allow franchised dealers to sell certified preowned vehicles through Amazon’s online marketplace. The move expands Amazon Autos and gives Ford customers a streamlined digital buying experience, from securing financing to scheduling vehicle pickup. The initiative marks another significant step in the evolution of online car retailing. A New Path for Certified Preowned Sales Through the partnership, Amazon users can browse Ford’s certified preowned inventory, initiate paperwork and arrange pickup at participating dealerships. While final signatures must still be completed in person, the platform brings greater convenience to used vehicle purchases. Certified preowned cars…
Thousands of climate activists gathered in Belém, Brazil, to deliver a forceful message to world leaders attending COP30. It was the first time since 2021 that public demonstrations were permitted directly outside a UN climate summit. With chants, symbolic performances and urgent demands, protesters called for an end to fossil fuels and stronger protection of the Amazon and its Indigenous communities. Mass Demonstrations and Symbolic Displays Protesters marched under the intense midday sun, carrying large mock coffins labeled Oil, Coal and Gas as a theatrical “funeral for fossil fuels.” Members of Indigenous groups carried signs declaring “the answer is us,”…
Seasonal Hiring Falls to 15-Year Low as Labor Market Cools U.S. retailers are entering the 2025 holiday shopping season with leaner staffing plans, signaling growing caution amid a cooling labor market. Between 265,000 and 365,000 seasonal workers are expected to be hired from November through December, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) — a sharp drop from 442,000 last year. If those projections hold, it would mark the lowest level of seasonal retail hiring in 15 years. Yet, despite the hiring slowdown, the NRF expects total holiday sales to surpass $1 trillion for the first time, up between 3.7%…
Millions Under Winter Alerts as Temperatures Plunge Nationwide A powerful Arctic air mass is sweeping across the United States this week, bringing freezing temperatures, heavy snow, and life-threatening wind chills to nearly two-thirds of the country. The cold outbreak, driven by a break in the polar vortex over Canada, will send frigid air deep into the South and set dozens of temperature records from Texas to New York. More than 84 million people are under weather advisories, winter storm warnings, and freeze alerts, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Major cities in the alert zone include Dallas, Oklahoma City,…
Congressional Stalemate Threatens Key Health Insurance Subsidies Open enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) begins November 1 in most states, but millions of Americans may face an unexpected financial shock. The enhanced federal subsidies that have kept premiums affordable for years are set to expire at the end of 2025, and Congress remains deadlocked over whether to extend them. Without action, average premiums could more than double in 2026, according to new data from KFF. “Consumers are going to get huge sticker shock, because prices are going up,” warned Carolyn McClanahan, a physician and certified financial…
Trump’s Decision to End Minting Sparks Chaos for Retailers and Banks The United States is running out of pennies. Months after President Donald Trump halted the coin’s production, businesses across the country are grappling with the fallout. Retailers are running out of coins to make change, and banks are rationing their remaining supplies as no new shipments arrive from the U.S. Mint. The shortage has forced creative responses. Convenience store chain Sheetz briefly offered free sodas to customers who brought in 100 pennies. Other retailers, facing legal limits on rounding transactions, have opted to round down — a move costing…
Trail Blazers Coach and Heat Guard Face Gambling-Related Charges The NBA has suspended Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier after their arrests in separate gambling-related criminal cases, CNBC confirmed Wednesday. Both men have been placed on leave, and their multi-million-dollar salaries are being withheld pending investigation. The league’s disciplinary move follows their arrests last Thursday, part of a broader review by the NBA into betting activities intended to “protect the integrity of the NBA and our affiliated leagues.” Billups, 49, reportedly earned about $4.7 million for the 2024–25 season and signed a multi-year…
Galaxy Z Trifold Showcased Ahead of APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju On the eve of the APEC CEO Summit in South Korea’s historic city of Gyeongju, the spotlight shifted from diplomacy to technology. At the K-Tech Showcase—a side exhibition 11 kilometers from the main APEC venue—Korea’s largest corporations, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK Group, and LG Electronics, unveiled their latest innovations to global media and business leaders. The star of the event was Samsung’s long-rumored tri-folding smartphone, presented in full-scale form for the first time. The new device, expected to be called the Galaxy Z Trifold, represents Samsung’s most…
Americans Remain Wary Despite Stable Economic Conditions Consumer confidence in the United States declined slightly in October, reflecting ongoing unease about inflation, jobs, and future financial stability. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell by one point to 94.6, down from a revised reading of 95.6 in September and well below the 109.5 recorded a year earlier. Economists had expected the index to remain unchanged. While consumers’ view of current conditions improved modestly — rising 1.8 points to 129.3 — their short-term expectations for income, business conditions, and job prospects fell by nearly three points to 71.5. Readings below 80…