Business news summaries — Page 7
Essential facts and source links for recent business stories.
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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. -
Disney hikes streaming prices but leaves its $35.99 ad-supported bundle unchanged
Disney raised prices: standalone Disney+ and Hulu Premium rise $2.50 to $21.49; ESPN Unlimited adds $2 to $31.99 and ESPN Select $1 to $13.99. The ad-free Disney+/Hulu bundle rises $2 to $21.99; the $35.99 ad-supported bundle including ESPN Unlimited is unchanged. -
Chris Wright sounds out refiners on voluntary diesel export limits
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has sounded out major refiners on voluntary diesel-export limits as the Trump administration seeks an alternative to a short-term ban. The terms and industry response are unclear; AAA says US diesel is about $6.52 a gallon. -
Two Fed policymakers say another hike may be needed as inflation stays high
Philadelphia Fed's Anna Paulson said modest further tightening may be warranted if conditions evolve as expected; New York Fed's John Williams said another hike may be appropriate by year-end. The Fed's benchmark rate is 3.75%-4.00%, and July PCE inflation was 3.7%. -
Jack Daniel’s buyers choose smaller bottles over cheaper brands, CEO says
Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting says Jack Daniel’s drinkers are choosing smaller bottles instead of cheaper brands as they cut spending; smaller sizes have grown faster than large ones for a couple of years. He said the option lets fans stick with the brand. -
DeltaQuad unveils Evo-LE VTOL drone, citing up to 8 hours and 298 miles
Netherlands-based DeltaQuad announced its Evo-LE electric VTOL surveillance drone on Sept. 22, citing up to eight hours of flight and about 298 miles (480 km) of range. Orders are open, but the company has not disclosed a price or delivery timeline. -
Revolt study finds sustainability issues rated higher with personal framing
Revolt’s six-country survey of nearly 8,000 adults found sustainability issues rated higher when framed around shared values and personal benefits than in technical or justice-focused language; U.S. tests showed the same pattern across demographics. -
Matt DiLallo starts buying Bloom Energy after shares fall over 20% from peak
Matt DiLallo of The Motley Fool says he has begun buying Bloom Energy after its shares fell more than 20% from their peak amid concerns AI spending may slow. After rising over 700% since mid-2025, Bloom forecasts 100% revenue growth to about $4 billion this year. -
Bally's last German store faces possible closure amid insolvency
Bally may close and liquidate its only remaining German store, at Outletcity Metzingen, after its German business entered provisional insolvency administration on Sept. 16. The store was still open on Sept. 23, and no closure had been confirmed. -
Saudi intercepts six Houthi missiles as Brent rises 4% to $107.90
Brent crude climbed 4% to $107.90 a barrel on Thursday after Saudi forces intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis toward Taif and Yanbu, a key alternative route for oil exports. Damage and casualties were unclear; Brent later eased to about $105. -
Wright warns U.S. diesel export ban could raise gasoline, jet-fuel prices
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sept. 23 that a U.S. diesel-export ban could force refineries to cut output, putting upward pressure on gasoline and jet-fuel prices. Trump backed the idea Sept. 22; the administration is weighing a full or partial ban. -
Nikkei reports Honda's $1.90B-$2.53B Ohio hybrid plant plan; Honda says no decision
Nikkei reported Honda was in final preparations for an Ohio hybrid-vehicle plant costing 300 billion to 400 billion yen ($1.90 billion to $2.53 billion), with production expected in 2030. Honda’s US spokesman said no decisions had been made at this stage about a US plant. -
US 30-year mortgage rate rises to 7.03% after five weekly increases
The average US 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 7.03% this week from 6.95% last week, Freddie Mac said. It topped 7% for the first time since January 2025 after five straight weekly increases, adding to homebuyers’ affordability pressures. -
EPCOT's 2027 peak ticket tops $200 for the first time at Disney World
Walt Disney World’s peak one-day tickets for January–October 2027 rise to $219 at Magic Kingdom (up $10) and $214 at EPCOT (up $15). EPCOT’s price crosses $200 for the first time; Hollywood Studios reaches $209, while Animal Kingdom stays at $184. -
Sweet Shop opens its digital comics app to the public on iOS and Android
Seattle-based Sweet Shop has opened its public digital comics and manga app on iOS and Android after a beta that began in January. It lists more than 10,000 publisher-supplied titles; CEO Kenny Meyers says the beta drew 6,000 users. -
IRS says fake ‘Tribal Tax Credits’ do not exist, warns taxpayers of penalties
The IRS warns taxpayers that “Tribal Tax Credits” and similar promotions are fake ahead of the Oct. 15 extension deadline. Claiming one can lead to the proper tax being assessed, plus penalties and interest, and potentially fines or imprisonment. -
Brazil central bank says slower 2027 growth is needed for 3% inflation goal
Brazil’s central bank says slower economic activity in 2027 is essential for inflation to converge on its 3% target. It forecasts GDP growth of 1.4%, against the government’s 2.3% projection, and annual inflation of 3.1% from the second quarter of 2028 onward. -
BoE deputies inch toward rate hikes as energy costs threaten persistent inflation
Bank of England deputy governors Clare Lombardelli and Sarah Breeden are considering a shift toward rate hikes, warning persistent energy costs could entrench inflation through wage and price-setting; both voted last week to hold the benchmark at 3.75%. -
Primark’s cautious U.S. expansion now spans 48 stores in 16 states
Primark’s latest U.S. store at Minnesota’s Mall of America takes it into a 16th state. With 48 stores nationwide, U.S. President Kevin Tulip says growth will remain cautious, focusing on brand awareness and strengthening existing markets. -
Disney World’s free water-park perk ended Sept. 9; return planned for summer 2027
Disney World ended free water-park admission on Sept. 9 for guests staying at participating resort hotels on their check-in day. The perk ran all through 2025 but only from May 26 to Sept. 9 in 2026; Disney says it will return in summer 2027. -
Centrus finalizes terms on $900 million DOE order for HALEU expansion
Centrus Energy finalized terms on a $900 million Department of Energy order July 1 to expand enrichment of HALEU, a fuel for advanced reactors, at its Piketon, Ohio, plant. The project would enable production of up to one metric ton by July 2032. -
NFAP estimates proposed H-1B fee could raise $2.6 billion, not DHS's $8.8 billion
A National Foundation for American Policy analysis estimates DHS’s proposed $103,265 fee on H-1B cap-subject petitions could raise $2.6 billion a year, about 70% below DHS’s $8.8 billion projection. It forecasts 30,270 petitions, compared with DHS’s 85,000 assumption. -
US 10-year Treasury yield tops 5% as investors assess market risks
A U.S. bond selloff that began with the war with Iran has pushed the 10-year Treasury yield above 5%, a level it has rarely sustained in nearly two decades, lifting borrowing costs and putting stocks, government debt and dealmaking under scrutiny. -
US carriers could cross the Pacific in about 8 to 11 days
Using publicly available speed figures, a U.S. aircraft carrier's straight-line, 5,150-nautical-mile trip from San Diego to Yokosuka is estimated at nearly eight days at a continuous 30 knots, or almost 11 days at its roughly 20-knot cruising speed. -
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. -
A 6.4% August rise lifts US new-home sales to their fastest pace since December
Sales of new US single-family homes rose 6.4% in August to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 684,000 units, the highest since December 2025, as buyers used price cuts and incentives; rising mortgage rates remain a drag on the market. -
Breeden says rising inflation risks strengthen case for BoE rate hikes
Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden said rate rises are increasingly appropriate as inflation risks grow, warning against waiting too long for high energy prices to feed into wider pressures. Her focus is November’s decision; later moves depend on the economy. -
Disney raises streaming prices, pushing ad-free Disney+ to $21.49
Disney raised prices for Disney+ and Hulu on Wednesday: ad-free plans cost up to 13% more, while each ad-supported tier rises 4% to $12.49 monthly. Disney+ without ads now costs $21.49, up from $18.99; an ad-free bundle covering both services is $21.99.
