latest news in economy

AI Spending and Earnings Growth Poised to Drive Stocks Through 2026

AI Spending and Earnings Growth Poised to Drive Stocks Through 2026

New York, Friday, 26 December 2025.
Strategists target an S&P 500 rise to 8,100, fueled by over $500 billion in projected AI capital expenditures, extending the three-year rally despite historic valuation levels.

Dual Coastal Storms Trigger Emergency Declarations and Disrupt Post-Holiday Infrastructure

Dual Coastal Storms Trigger Emergency Declarations and Disrupt Post-Holiday Infrastructure

Sacramento, Saturday, 27 December 2025.
Severe weather battered both coasts, necessitating over 100 rescues in Los Angeles and enforcing commercial trucking restrictions on critical New Jersey transport networks to protect post-holiday supply chains.

Fisher Investments Chairman Weighs in on Tariff Impacts and the Future of Cash

Fisher Investments Chairman Weighs in on Tariff Impacts and the Future of Cash

Camas, Thursday, 25 December 2025.
Ken Fisher identifies the phasing out of pennies as a natural technological evolution toward a cashless society. Addressing economic concerns, he clarifies that while tariff litigation may spur volatility, stocks remain the most reliable inflation hedge, cautioning investors against mistaking standard market corrections for true bear markets.

S&P 500 Faces Historical Odds After Third Consecutive Year of Double-Digit Gains

S&P 500 Faces Historical Odds After Third Consecutive Year of Double-Digit Gains

New York, Thursday, 25 December 2025.
With the “Magnificent Seven” profit advantage projected to narrow significantly in 2026, the market must defy historical odds to secure a statistically rare fourth consecutive year of double-digit returns.

Shutdown Data Gaps Render Latest Economic Reports Unreliable

Shutdown Data Gaps Render Latest Economic Reports Unreliable

Washington D.C., Friday, 26 December 2025.
While recent federal reports suggest a booming economy with 4.3% Q3 GDP growth and falling inflation, the late 2025 government shutdown has rendered these figures dangerously misleading. Critical data collection gaps—specifically the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ inability to track October rental costs, resulting in an artificial 0% entry—have skewed inflation metrics significantly lower than reality. This statistical blindness missed seasonal price spikes like Thanksgiving airfares and contradicts the cooling labor market, creating a treacherous landscape for investors relying on distorted baselines for 2026 strategy.

Robust Third-Quarter Growth Masks Deepening Consumer Gloom Entering 2026

Robust Third-Quarter Growth Masks Deepening Consumer Gloom Entering 2026

New York, Wednesday, 24 December 2025.
Despite a robust 4.3% GDP surge, consumer confidence fell for the fifth straight month, underscoring a stark “K-shaped” divergence between national metrics and household financial sentiment.

White House Data Reveals Energy Costs Drive Inflation Gap Between Conservative and Liberal States

White House Data Reveals Energy Costs Drive Inflation Gap Between Conservative and Liberal States

Washington, Wednesday, 24 December 2025.
New data reveals conservative states average 2.5% inflation compared to 3.0% in liberal states, a divergence driven largely by steeper energy and transportation costs in liberal-led metro areas.

Surging AI Energy Demand Forces Revival of Aging Fossil Fuel Plants

Surging AI Energy Demand Forces Revival of Aging Fossil Fuel Plants

New York, Wednesday, 24 December 2025.
Utilities are canceling fossil fuel plant retirements to meet AI’s energy surge, a desperate move that drove electricity prices in the largest US grid up 800 percent this summer.

Rapid Third-Quarter Growth Surprises Experts Despite Inflation Challenges

Rapid Third-Quarter Growth Surprises Experts Despite Inflation Challenges

Washington, Wednesday, 24 December 2025.
Shattering forecasts, the economy surged at a 4.3% annual rate, though a simultaneous rise in core inflation to 2.9% signals ongoing policy challenges.

Trump Mandates Rate Cuts From Next Fed Chair Despite Soaring GDP

Trump Mandates Rate Cuts From Next Fed Chair Despite Soaring GDP

Washington D.C., Tuesday, 23 December 2025.
President Trump issued a strict ultimatum for the next Federal Reserve Chair: cut interest rates regardless of economic strength, claiming this could fuel unprecedented 20% GDP growth.