Business news summaries
Essential facts and source links for recent business stories.
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Fed seeks public input on proposed GENIUS Act stablecoin rules
On Sept. 24, the Fed proposed two GENIUS Act rules: one on reserves, capital and risk controls for supervised payment-stablecoin issuers, and one for banks seeking to issue through subsidiaries. The proposals have a 60-day comment period after Federal Register publication. -
Jamba Juice filing records 130 franchise outlet exits in three years
Jamba Juice’s 2026 franchise disclosure says 130 outlets were terminated, not renewed, reacquired or ceased operations for other reasons over three years; 116 franchise agreements were terminated. The filing says the franchise could be riskier than systems with lower turnover. -
Data centers are pushing the aging U.S. power grid toward an overhaul
Rising data-center demand is straining the aging U.S. grid as tech companies invest directly in power infrastructure. The Energy Department projects data-center electricity use could nearly triple, reaching up to 12% of U.S. demand by 2028. -
US airline group opposes China flight expansion, citing Russian airspace gap
Airlines for America chief Chris Sununu said US carriers oppose more direct China-US flights after Xi Jinping floated an increase. He said Chinese airlines’ ability to overfly Russia on eight flights gives them a cost advantage; each side can fly about 50 round trips weekly. -
Constellation agrees to buy Rhode Island gas plant from Shell for $715 million
Constellation Energy agreed Sept. 10, 2026, to buy the Rhode Island State Energy Center from Shell Energy North America for $715 million. The 609-MW natural-gas plant sells power into ISO New England; after expected first-year tax benefits, the effective price is about $580m. -
Brazil’s grounded Total Linhas Aéreas starts returning some leased Boeing planes
Grounded since ANAC suspended its certificate in early September, Brazil’s Total Linhas Aéreas has begun returning some leased Boeing planes to the manufacturer to reduce financial obligations, ch-aviation reports. It reportedly lost its Correios mail contract. -
AI-era job research spotlights human skills in high-school choices
U.S. entry-level jobs most exposed to AI were seven times more likely to require judgment, leadership, creativity or face-to-face interaction, a Forbes essay says. It urges high schools to teach these skills alongside technology as employers rank analytical thinking first. -
Australia's home-sales slump cuts an estimated A$355m–A$710m in monthly spending
Reuters analysis estimates a 15% year-on-year fall in Australian housing turnover is cutting A$355 million–A$710 million a month in spending at businesses tied to home moves; fewer transactions, rather than price falls, drive the hit. -
Argentina’s July activity falls 1.4%, below forecast for growth
Argentina’s economic activity fell 1.4% year over year in July, INDEC reported, below Reuters-polled analysts’ 1.8% growth forecast after a 2.7% rise in June. Eight of 15 sectors contracted, led by wholesale and retail trade and repairs (-5.1%) and manufacturing (-4.6%). -
Songmics 43-inch storage bench is 28% off in Amazon deal
TheStreet reports a limited-time Amazon deal on the Songmics 43-inch folding storage ottoman bench: $36, 28% below its $50 price. It is listed with 35 gallons of storage, a 660-pound weight capacity and a fold-flat design; the article says it ranked No. 1 in Amazon’s ottoman </? -
Many tanks use air conditioning to protect vital electronics
Many U.S. Army tanks, including the M1 Abrams, have air conditioning. The Army’s 1995 M1A2 SEP package included cabin A/C, which helps crews in hot climates and is designed to protect targeting, navigation and thermal-imaging electronics from overheating. -
Textron and Merlin's pilotless SkyCourier freighter remains only a concept
Textron Aviation and Merlin unveiled the cockpit-free SkyCourier UX, a concept for pilotless cargo flights. It could carry about 6,000 pounds or three LD3 containers to rough airstrips. As of Sept. 22, no test date or production timeline had been announced. -
Lori Flowers lost about $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam and received a $225,000 IRS bill
Lori Flowers lost about $600,000 in a pig-butchering scam—$400,000 from retirement savings and $200,000 in personal loans—and received a $225,000 IRS tax bill. She filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and pays $5,600 monthly toward her debt. -
Anna Paulson says the Fed may need modest further rate hikes
Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson said modest further rate hikes may be warranted if conditions evolve as she expects. After last week’s Fed hike, she said underlying inflation showed no sign of easing and the risk of persistently high inflation had increased. -
Canada's August retail sales forecast to rise 1.3% after July's 0.7% drop
Canadian retail sales fell 0.7% in July to C$73.70 billion from C$74.25 billion in June, Statistics Canada said. The agency's advance estimate points to a 1.3% increase in August, while July's fall was marginally smaller than analysts' average forecast. -
A Motley Fool writer eyes NVR and Dream Finders Homes if rates fall
With U.S. 30-year mortgage rates nearing 7% and affordability weighing on homebuying demand, a Motley Fool contributor says he would be eager to buy NVR and Dream Finders Homes if rates fall. Their gross margins were 19.2% and 14.2%, respectively, last quarter. -
Thanksgiving groceries may cost more as diesel prices hit records
Record diesel prices could raise grocery bills by Thanksgiving as freight costs rise, experts say. USDA economists forecast frozen whole hens above $1.74 a pound wholesale in 2026; if that holds, a 16-pound turkey could cost nearly $28, versus $21.50 last year. -
Initial U.S. unemployment claims dip to 197,000, below forecast
U.S. initial jobless claims fell 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 197,000 in the week ended Sept. 19, below economists’ 201,000 forecast. Claims are near 57-year lows, partly due to seasonal-adjustment issues; low layoffs support a labor market that has regained footing. -
Clear decisions and accountability can make performance reviews actionable
Performance reviews can explain missed targets without stopping the same problems from recurring, Forbes argues. The article says candid discussions must lead to explicit decisions and accountability if teams are to act on what went wrong. -
A pet-sitting business’s value may hinge on how its owner’s $50,000 pay is counted
A pet-sitting business owner reports $300,000 in sales and $90,000 net income last year; a MarketWatch columnist estimates its value near $300,000. Her $50,000 salary could lift it toward $400,000 if excluded from net profit, though the columnist calls that aggressive. -
Four-source $75.1 million package backs Monroe Hotel redevelopment
Marcus & Millichap's Institutional Property Advisors arranged a $75.1 million mid-construction recapitalization for The Monroe Hotel, an 89-key luxury boutique hotel being redeveloped in Miami Beach's Faena District. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2027. -
Brazil bank projects 3.1% inflation for Q2 2028, trims growth outlook
Brazil’s central bank projected annual inflation at 3.1% in Q2 2028, near its 3% target and the key horizon for its November rate decision, and at the same level through Q1 2029. It lowered its 2026 growth forecast to 1.8% from 2.0% and projected 1.4% for 2027. -
Razoo’s new owners roll out a menu centered on Louisiana flavors
Razoo’s Cajun Cafe has rolled out a new food menu across all its restaurants, with owner M Crowd Hospitality emphasizing scratch-made dishes, Cajun and Creole techniques and Louisiana flavors as it seeks to restore the 35-year-old brand after bankruptcy. -
Warsh’s plan for less Fed guidance may leave markets more volatile
At Jackson Hole on Aug. 28, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh called for a “quieter” Fed with less advance guidance; Motley Fool says the shift could increase market volatility. After the Sept. 16 rate hike, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq saw modest volatility, while the Dow fell 1.21%. -
Fed hopes anchored expectations can cool inflation without hurting jobs
After its first rate hike in three years on Sept. 16, the Federal Reserve is betting that anchored inflation expectations can slow price increases without raising unemployment. PCE inflation is 3.7%; officials project it will remain above the 2% target until 2029. -
Norway’s central bank lifts rate to 4.5%, leaves door open to another hike
Norway’s central bank raised its policy rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.50% on Thursday and said another hike is possible if the inflation outlook warrants it. Core consumer prices rose 3% year-on-year in August, above the bank’s roughly 2% target. -
Royal Caribbean agrees to buy half of Sandals and Beaches for about $3 billion
Royal Caribbean Group agreed to invest about $3 billion for a 50% stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts, forming a joint venture with the Stewart family, which will retain the other half. The deal is expected to close in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. -
MindyKnows’ unlimited Washington University package costs $525 a year
MindyKnows offers college students local, parent-like help when families live far away, from prescription pickups and support during illness to company during ER visits. Its unlimited Washington University package costs $525 a year.
