OpenAI made history with its $6.6 billion funding round, while Tesco – the UK’s top supermarket – showed resilience despite a tough environment.

Today’s stories:

• OpenAI Raised $6.6 Billion In One Of The Biggest-Ever Venture Capital Funding Rounds
• Grocer Tesco Lifted Its Profit Forecast For The Year After A Fresh And Tasty First Half

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This earnings season, investors are forecasting S&P 500 companies will deliver profit growth for the fifth consecutive quarter, while Tesla announced a weaker-than-expected quarterly update.

Today’s stories:

• Investors Are Expecting A Good Showing From S&P 500 Companies This Earnings Season
• Tesla Delivered Fewer Cars Than Expected, And Investors Hit The Brakes

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Demand for the most expensive Swiss watches picked up while “cheaper” timepieces fell behind, and India’s runaway stock market just propelled the country past China in a major benchmark index.

Today’s stories:

• Demand For Expensive Swiss Watches Ticked Up, But Shoppers Are Still Divided
• India Just Overtook China In One Of The World’s Biggest Stock Market Indexes

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Three big-name firms teamed up to build a fund focused on AI investments, and they’re set on raising $30 billion, while UK inflation stayed slightly above the Bank of England’s 2% target in August.

Today’s stories:

• BlackRock, Microsoft, And MGX Are Teaming Up On An AI Infrastructure Fund
• UK Inflation Held Still And Steady Last Month, ​​Just As Economists Predicted

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Intel announced major cost cuts and restructuring plans, while US retail sales defied pessimistic predictions by picking up in August.

Today’s stories:

• After A Sharp Stock Sell-Off, Intel’s Planning To Separate Its Manufacturing Business
• US Retail Sales Came In Strong, Suggesting The Economy’s Holding Its Own

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Americans have fallen behind on car and credit payments, scaring investors away from consumer lending stocks, while the world’s biggest mining firm predicted that the AI sector’s exponential expansion could aggravate an expected copper shortage.

Today’s stories:

• More And More Americans Have Been Defaulting On Their Debts
• BHP Raised The Copper Flag, Warning That AI Will Exacerbate A Shortage

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 UniCredit built up a stake in German rival Commerzbank, and the Italian bank has a merger on the mind, while China agreed to increase its retirement age for the first time in over four decades.

Today’s stories:

• UniCredit’s Been Building A Stake In Commerzbank, With Some Kind Of Union In Mind
• China’s Set To Bump Up Its Retirement Age For The First Time In More Than 40 Years

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OpenAI’s valuation is set to hit $150 billion, with tech giants said to be ready to line its coffers, while the European Central Bank cut interest rates to 3.5%.

Today’s stories:

• OpenAI Is Fundraising Again, At A Shiny New $150 Billion Valuation
• The European Central Bank Cut Interest Rates For The Second Time This Year

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US inflation cooled by slightly more than expected in August, while a popular type of ETF just launched in Europe for the first time.

Today’s stories:

• The Latest US Inflation Reading Showed The Lowest Level Since 2021
• A Popular Type Of ETF Just Launched In Europe – To Investors’ Delight

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Big Tech's been hogging the AI opportunities, leaving VC firms in limbo, while fresh data suggested that China’s headed toward a period of deflation.

Today’s stories:

• Big Tech’s Been Dominating Private Markets, Leaving VC Firms Out In The Cold
• Looks Like China’s On The Precipice Of Economy-Sinking Deflation

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Tesla needs tech support, and Elon Musk wants to task xAI with the job, while luxury brands fell out of fashion as China’s shoppers stopped spending.

Today’s stories:

• Elon Musk Reportedly Suggested A Buddy System For Tesla And xAI
• Kering’s Stock Has Tanked This Year As Luxury Brands Lose Their Lure

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The latest US jobs report left markets unsure about the size of the Fed's long-awaited rate cut, while American companies broke records in the bond market – raising $80 billion in a week alone.

Today’s stories:

• The US Jobs Report Left Markets Guessing About The Fed’s Next Rate Cut
• American Firms Have Been Raising Record-Breaking Debt Ahead Of The Election

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Increases in oil production could lead to prices falling, according to HSBC, while European inflation eased – setting the stage for interest rate cuts this month.

Today’s stories:

• HSBC Lowered Its Oil Price Forecasts, As Producers Plan To Turn Up The Pumps
• Eurozone Inflation Came In Below The ECB’s Target For The First Time Since 2021

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Intel flunked a crucial test, and now its $20 billion funding award is in question, while investors have funnelled nearly $1 trillion into active ETFs.

Today’s stories:

• Intel’s Next-Generation Manufacturing Process Failed Its Test
• Investors Have Put Nearly $1 Trillion Into Actively Managed ETFs

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US stocks tumbled again, suggesting that investors are still on pins and needles, while Nvidia became the latest tech company to catch the US Department of Justice’s eye.

Today’s stories:

• Stock Markets Fell Again, Giving Investors Déjà Vu
• The US Department Of Justice Sent Nvidia A Subpoena

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Volkswagen might close German factories for the first time ever, while the US notched a record number of 401(k) millionaires – with the stock market largely to thank.

Today’s stories:

• Volkswagen Might Have To Shut Up Shops At Home For The First Time Ever
• A Record Number Of 401(k) Accounts Are Now Worth $1 Million Or More

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The US government’s clean energy loan office went on a spending spree, while China’s economic turmoil weighed heavily on steel prices.

Today’s stories:

• A US Federal Clean-Energy Fund Is Dishing Out Cash Ahead Of The Election
• Steel Prices Have Plunged As China Fills The Market With Cheap Metal

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Tokyo’s inflation ticked up in August, giving the Bank of Japan a tap on the shoulder, while European stocks hit a record high – despite the region's drab economy.

Today’s stories:

• Inflation In Tokyo Picked Up, And That Could Nudge The Bank Of Japan Into Action
• European Stocks Turned Up The Summer Heat, Hitting A Record High

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OpenAI’s eyeing up a valuation over $100 billion, while foreign investors are fleeing India’s frothy stock market.

Today’s stories:

• OpenAI’s Chatting Up Investors, Aiming For A Valuation Of More Than $100 Billion
• Foreign Investors Seem To Have Cold Feet When It Comes To India

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Nvidia rolled out better-than-expected results, while tough rules are forcing US tech giants to avoid Europe.

Today’s stories:

• Nvidia’s On A Roll, Throwing Better-Than-Expected Results Yet Again
• The European Union's Red Tape Is Scaring Off Tech Companies

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Coffee prices are picking up and causing a headache, while defense giants are about to be holding record levels of cash.

Today’s stories:

• Coffee Bean Prices Surged Again – A Real Buzzkill For Java Drinkers And Suppliers
• Looks Like Defense Companies Are About To Be Rolling In Cash

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The Fed dropped a big hint about a September interest rate cut, while China's risking a trade war with its over-manufacturing.

Today’s stories:

• The Federal Reserve Cut To The (Interest Rate) Point At Its Annual Conference
• China's Risking A Trade War By Injecting Its Factories With Stimulus Cash

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Coal giants Arch Resources and Consol Energy struck a merger deal, while the British pound hit a six-month high against the US dollar.

Today’s stories:

• Coal Mates Arch And Consol Are Tying The Knot In An All-Stock Merger
• The Pound Gave A Sterling Performance, Hitting A Six-Month High Against The Dollar

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Chinese stocks continued to rally thanks to government intervention, while “merger Monday” this week had its share of blockbusting winners and (hashtag) losers.

Today’s stories:

• Chinese Stocks Just Had Their Best Week Since 2008
• DirecTV And EchoStar Are Teaming Up For A Big Merger On The Small Screen

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China sniffed around Europe’s cheese exports, as tension between the two economies picked up pace, while the US economy added far fewer jobs than previously believed.

Today’s stories:

• China Thinks There’s Something Funky About The Price Of Europe’s Cheese
• Looks Like The US Economy Added Far Fewer Jobs Than Everybody Thought

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The price of gold hit an all-time high, with a single bar now worth $1 million, while Apple is set to make its priciest iPhone models in India.

Today’s stories:

• Gold’s Price Ascended To An All-Time High, With A Single Bar Now Worth $1 Million
• India’s Getting An Upgrade: Apple Will Start Making Its High-End iPhones In The Country

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7-Eleven’s parent company got a buyout proposal from Canadian rival Couche-Tard, while US startup failures rose 60% from a year ago.

Today’s stories:

• Canadian Retailer Couche-Tard Proposed A Marriage Of Convenience To 7-Eleven
• More US Startups Have Shut Down, With Failures Jumping 60% In The Past Year

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Warren Buffett reshuffled Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio, while fintech startup Revolut secured an impressive $45 billion valuation.

Today’s stories:

• Warren Buffett Gave Berkshire Hathaway A Makeover, Buying Into Ulta Beauty
• With A New $45 Billion Valuation, Revolut’s One Of Europe’s Priciest Startups

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China's economy is still on a low, with industrial growth missing the mark, while US retail sales perked up by more than expected – an encouraging sign.

Today’s stories:

• China’s Looking Down In The Dumps, With Industrial Production Falling Short
• Deep-Pocketed Americans Pushed Retail Sales Up More Than Expected Last Month

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Google’s in hot water over its monopoly, while US inflation came in lower than predicted last month.

Today’s stories:

• The US Government’s Flirting With The Idea Of Breaking Up Google
• US Inflation Chilled Out Last Month, Rising By Less Than Expected

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Major American manufacturing projects are stuck on the back burner, while US producer prices rose less than expected in July.

Today’s stories:

• Despite Two Acts Designed to Help, America’s Manufacturing Industry Looks Tired
• According To Fresh Press, US Producer Prices Rose Less Than Expected Last Month

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Americans have been spending less than usual on travel, while bonds are regaining their role as a portfolio hedge.

Today’s stories:

• US Tourists Took A Vacation From The Vacation, Which Isn’t A Good Sign
• Bonds Are Making A Comeback As A Portfolio Hedge Against Stocks

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AI search startup Perplexity is challenging Google’s dominance, while major global firms have been tailoring products for India’s shoppers.

Today’s stories:

• AI Search Startup Perplexity Made It Very Clear That It’s Going Up Against Google
• Major Brands Are Shifting Focus To India, Eager To Fill The Country’s Appetite

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China made less money from exports than expected last month, while US weekly jobless claims came in better than feared.

Today’s stories:

• China’s Export Growth Slowed Last Month, With International Buyers Not Swiping
• Lower-Than-Expected US Jobless Claims Cheered Up Investors And Markets Alike

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Investors have pushed a record $6.8 trillion into US money market funds, while Japan’s surprise leadership result sent a shock through the country's stock market.

Today’s stories:

• Money Market Funds Hit Record Levels, With Investors Plowing In Cash
• The Election Of A New Ruling Party Leader In Japan Shocked Markets

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Japan's central bank backtracked on further rate hikes, while UK house prices picked up at their fastest rate since January.

Today’s stories:

• In An About Face, The Bank Of Japan Vowed To Keep Interest Rates Steady
• British House Prices Took Off In July, After Three Months Of Little Action

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Nvidia’s dominance could be derailed by production delays, while markets look to be recovering – but more big moves are likely ahead.

Today’s stories:

• Nvidia's Chip Design Lead Is Being Hamstrung By Production Delays
• Markets All Over Have Been Moving And Shaking, Testing Investors' Nerves

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Warren Buffett cut Berkshire Hathaway's stake in Apple nearly in half, while Japan’s stock market indexes suffered their worst day since 1987.

Today’s stories:

• Warren Buffett Cut Berkshire Hathaway's Stake In Apple Nearly In Half
• Japanese Stocks Just Had Their Worst One-Day Drop Since The '80s

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US jobs data suggested that the country is starting to strain under high interest rates, while Nvidia challenger Cerebras filed for an IPO.

Today’s stories:

• The US Created Fewer Jobs Than Expected, And Unemployment Ticked Up Too
• Chip Designer And Nvidia Rival Cerebras Filed For An IPO

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Apple and Amazon both showed investors how they fared last quarter, but their adequate performances failed to earn them credit. After four years of interest rates moving only one way, the Bank of England finally dropped rates.

Today’s stories:

• Adequate Results From Apple And Amazon Weren’t Enough To Get Investors Excited
• After Four Years, The Bank Of England Finally Trimmed Interest Rates

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The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to the highest point since 2008, and Meta reported stronger-than-expected sales for last quarter.

Today’s stories:

• Surf’s Up For Meta: The Firm Reported Stronger Sales Than Expected
• The Bank Of Japan Raised Interest Rates For Just The Second Time Since 2007

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Microsoft’s shares fell late on Tuesday as investors focused on disappointing cloud results, while Germany lagged behind other eurozone economies.

Today’s stories:

• Microsoft’s Cloud Lost A Little Sparkle, And Investors Sent The Firm’s Stock Down
• Europe’s Economies Moved In Quite Different Directions Last Quarter

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McDonald's sales fell around much of the world, while Bernard Arnault bought a stake in Richemont.

Today’s stories:

• Mcdonald’s Sales Fell For The First Time Since 2020, And Investors Weren’t Lovin’ It
• Europe's Wealthiest Man – The Head Honcho Of LVMH – Bought A Tiny Slice Of Richemont

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Finfluencer Bill Ackman slashed the target size for his brand-new  fund, while the latest look at inflation hinted that the US could achieve a soft landing.

Today’s stories:

• Bill Ackman Slashed The Target Size For His New Fund By A Mile
• The Fed’s Trusted Inflation Measure Pointed To Cooler Blue Levels

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US economic growth cruised at a faster-than-expected pace, while an AI selloff stoked wider worries about the Big Tech-driven stock market.

Today’s stories:

• The US Economy Grew At A Surprisingly Snappy Pace Last Quarter
• AI Jitters Sent Markets The World Over Into A Tailspin

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OpenAI started pushing to become a for-profit company, and key execs left the building the very same day, while China’s stock market rally continued – thanks to the country’s announcement of support for its struggling property market.

Today’s stories:

• OpenAI Started Pushing To Become For-Profit, And A Number Of Its Top Execs Quit
• China’s Stocks Jumped Again, With The Country’s Leaders Pledging Even More Support

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European firms are facing a dismal quarter as demand from China slows, while business activity in Britain showed it’s making a comeback.

Today’s stories:

• European Firms Are Looking Glum As Demand From China Slows
• The Clouds Might Finally Be Parting For The UK Economy

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Alphabet delivered an expectation-beating – yet slightly ho-hum – quarterly update, while ether spot ETFs started trading in the US.

Today’s stories:

• Alphabet Spelled Out Better-Than-Expected Results
• In A Big Step For Crypto, The First Spot Ether ETFs Just Launched

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Warren Buffett cashed in some Bank of America stock, while activist fund Elliott Management ordered up a serving of Starbucks.

Today’s stories:

• Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Gave Its Bank of America Stake A Trim
• Activist Fund Elliott Management Picked Up A Venti Stake In Starbucks

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A swing and the biggest of misses for CrowdStrike led to global IT chaos, while OpenAI cozied up to Broadcom for a fresh supply chain connection.

Today’s stories:

• Cybersecurity Firm CrowdStrike Struck Out, Sparking A Huge Global Tech Outage
• OpenAI’s Chatting Up Broadcom For A Fresh Supply Chain Connection

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