Business news summaries — Page 2
Essential facts and source links for recent business stories.
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Japan’s services price gauge rises 3.7% year on year, fastest since June 2024
Japan’s services producer price index rose 3.7% year on year in August, its fastest increase since June 2024, after 3.6% in July. Freight, advertising and rental lease fees rose, while the Bank of Japan watches the data for signs firms are passing on higher labor costs. -
Permian Resources’ $751 million cash-flow record faces a gas-price test
Permian Resources generated a company-record $751 million in second-quarter free cash flow, nearly 50% above the prior quarter as oil prices rose. Negative Waha gas prices forced it to curtail about 20% of gas output, leaving the record’s repeatability uncertain. -
GM partners with Peak Energy on sodium-ion grid-storage cells
General Motors is developing sodium-ion cells with Denver startup Peak Energy for stationary energy storage. GM battery executive Kurt Kelty told CNBC the company aims to have a U.S. supply chain in two to three years, a step GM says could reduce U.S. reliance on China. -
JPMorgan downgrades Safehold after its best origination quarter since 2022
Safehold closed $150 million in ground-lease originations, its best quarter since 2022, but JPMorgan downgraded it to Underweight and cut its target to $14 from $16, citing low yields and leverage as rates rise. Management cites contractual rent growth. -
HSBC lifts Chevron target to $250 but leaves Buy rating unchanged
HSBC raised its Chevron price target to $250 from $218 on Sept. 25, keeping its Buy rating. The bank raised its 2026–28 cash-flow forecasts and expects Chevron to lift annual buybacks to $15 billion; at about $204 a share, the target implies roughly 22% upside. -
Grocery chains invest in store brands as shoppers look beyond price
FMI says 94% of U.S. grocery shoppers would keep buying private-label products even if prices fall, and nearly half increased purchases over the past year. Walmart, Kroger, Costco and Aldi are investing in store brands to compete on more than price. -
Belden’s riverfront resort property, with 18 rooms, listed for $4.75 million
Belden, an unincorporated settlement in Northern California’s Feather River Canyon, is listed for $4.75 million. The roughly four-acre property includes 18 hotel rooms, seven cabins, 16 RV spaces, a store, restaurant and bar, plus Feather River frontage and beach access. -
Social Security’s 2026 $5,181 maximum requires 35 years at the wage cap and a claim at 70
Social Security’s 2026 maximum is $5,181 a month; getting it requires claiming at 70 after 35 years of earnings at each year’s taxable maximum. The 2026 cap is $184,500, and about 6% of covered workers earn above it in any given year, SSA data show. -
JPMorgan wealth team flags record diesel prices as an inflation risk
JPMorgan Wealth Management’s editorial team flags record diesel costs as an inflation risk: the U.S. average hit $6.53 a gallon on Sept. 22, and diesel producer prices rose 24.1% in August, potentially adding freight costs to consumer prices later. -
Estimated box-office profit puts original ‘Avatar’ $30m above its sequels combined
Using New Zealand production-cost records and an assumed 50-50 split of box-office receipts, an estimate puts the 2009 ‘Avatar’ film’s profit at $1.25 billion, just above the $1.22 billion combined estimate for ‘The Way of Water’ and ‘Fire and Ash’. -
California fire-claims review finds most insured homeowners underinsured
California Western School of Law professor Kenneth Klein reviewed 74,000 fire-related insurance claims filed in the state from 2018 through 2023. More than 70% of insured homeowners in the sample were underinsured by an average of roughly 20%. -
Three retirement-planning gaps may make another year at work worth considering
The Motley Fool says people considering retirement may want to work at least another year if they lack a health-coverage plan before Medicare eligibility, are unsure when to claim Social Security, or have no plan for how to spend their free time. -
Age 65 may be a middle ground for claiming Social Security
The Motley Fool says 65 may suit people needing income sooner, coordinating retirement with Medicare, or concerned about health and longevity. For those born in 1960 or later, claiming then brings a monthly benefit 13.3% below the full-retirement amount at 67. -
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce questions financial firms' customer-data retention
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce says KYC/AML rules have led firms to retain sensitive customer data beyond compliance needs. Zero-knowledge proofs could verify facts without exposing records, but rules for disclosing identities to investigators remain unsettled. -
Fewer small and midsize retailers use self-checkout as tech investment continues
The share of small and midsize retailers using self-checkout fell to 36% in 2026 from 43% in 2025, a Toast survey found. Retailers cited theft and inefficiency; shoppers complained about self-scanning and monitoring. 75% said they would keep investing heavily in other technology. -
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac tighten standards for condo financing
Last month, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac replaced limited condo reviews with closer checks for all but the smallest buildings. Starting in January, associations must put at least 15% of assessment income into reserves, up from 10%, adding hurdles for condo financing. -
A hypothetical $2.7 million inheritance raises trust questions over addiction
In a hypothetical example, Leah worries that her sister Kara, who has struggled with substance abuse, may mishandle their parents’ $2.7 million estate. The article says to check for a trust; court oversight is a last resort requiring proof Kara cannot manage her affairs. -
Ken Griffin’s Miami Beach heliport plan clears committee, but needs final approval
A Miami Beach committee approved Ken Griffin’s proposed private heliport as part of an already approved marina, despite nearby condo residents’ noise concerns. The full city commission still must approve the helipad; its next meeting is not for another two months. -
Pet trusts can earmark care funds; an estimated 44% of pet owners have post-death plans
An estimated 44% of pet owners have made plans for their animals after death. Pyle, Dellinger & Naylor says pets cannot inherit directly; a pet trust lets a trustee manage care funds under written instructions while a designated caregiver takes the animal. -
Some taxpayers consider owing the IRS amid refund concerns and staff losses
Tax writer Laura Saunders plans to owe the IRS at the next filing deadline, fearing a refund delay could be hard to resolve after the agency lost 31,000 staff in a year. Most refunds were timely, but taxpayers needing help often struggled to reach the IRS. -
Stevens bill would let some manual workers claim full Social Security at 60
Rep. Haley Stevens introduced a bill Sept. 24 to let workers in physically demanding jobs claim full Social Security benefits at 60. The Social Security Administration would identify eligible occupations; the bill’s chances of passage remain uncertain. -
Scott Curran says workplace purpose and allyship can help retain talent
Social-impact lawyer and Beyond Advisors CEO Scott M. Curran says companies can strengthen workplace culture and retain talent by connecting purpose to meaningful action and employee allyship. He argues that purpose-led cultures can also support business performance. -
Sonic’s former CEO says customer needs should guide technology
Former Sonic CEO Clifford Hudson says technology should serve customers. He cited card readers: credit-card sales rose from 5% to 55% of total sales, and he said card sales accounted for all Sonic revenue growth, from nearly $2 billion to $4.5 billion over 15 years. -
Disney World’s new hires discover Mickey ears inside red boxes
Disney World’s new cast members start at Disney University with Traditions, a five-part program on company history, guest service and values. On day one, they open a red box of Mickey ears, observe Magic Kingdom workers and receive name tags from Mickey Mouse. -
Therapists differ on canceling first-class honeymoon flights after a stepson cuts contact
In Moneywise’s hypothetical, a father and stepmother weigh canceling a stepson's first-class honeymoon flights after he cuts off contact. Therapists differ: one says canceling can respect his boundary; others warn it may look retaliatory and worsen the rift. -
Why Social Security’s 2027 COLA may not keep pace with retirees’ costs
Social Security’s 2027 cost-of-living adjustment will use July–September 2026 inflation data, which may be outdated when it takes effect in January. The Motley Fool says the CPI-W measure, rising costs and deductions could leave retirees’ buying power unchanged or lower. -
Robert Herjavec says his father’s three jobs taught him hard work isn’t enough
Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec says watching his father work three jobs sweeping factory floors to keep the family fed taught him that hard work can keep a family from poverty but does not guarantee wealth; people must also be smart with their money. -
Without a plan, state law could direct a $3 million estate to distant relatives
Moneywise considers a 65-year-old with $3 million and no partner, children or close family. Without a plan, assets lacking beneficiaries could go to distant relatives under state law—or to the state if there are no heirs. Assets with named beneficiaries pass outside probate.
