Economy news summaries
Essential facts and source links for recent economy stories.
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Blue Cross Blue Shield report links hospital AI coding to nearly $1B in added spending over two years
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association says hospitals’ AI coding was the biggest factor in nearly $1 billion in added spending for its insurers over two years, costs it says feed into higher premiums; its analysis found no evidence patients received more care. -
Credit-system strain could turn oil, AI and El Niño shocks into a financial crisis
An oil-supply shock, AI-linked debt and a potentially very strong El Niño could escalate into a financial crisis if losses converge on the same lenders, restrict credit and block businesses from refinancing, the article argues. It does not expect a banking-system break this冬. -
China’s August industrial profit growth cools to 4.2%
China’s industrial profits rose 4.2% year on year in August, down from 11.2% in July, as weak domestic demand offset technology-sector gains. The January–August increase eased to 15.7% from 17.6% through July, National Bureau of Statistics data showed. -
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. -
Costco's August sales rose 9.9% amid tighter household budgets
Costco reported $23.70 billion in August net sales, up 9.9% year over year, and comparable sales increased 8.4%. Surveys show U.S. shoppers are increasingly comparing prices, buying private-label goods and purchasing in bulk amid higher household costs. -
Paranair will suspend all flights for two weeks during jet maintenance
Paraguayan budget airline Paranair will suspend all flights from Sept. 30 through Oct. 12 while its only Bombardier CRJ-200 undergoes scheduled maintenance, then plans to resume regular routes Oct. 13. Affected passengers will be offered rebooking or refunds. -
BJ’s birthday sale offers 42% off select essentials through Oct. 31
BJ’s launched a 42nd-birthday sale on Sept. 24, offering members 42% off dozens of select groceries and household essentials through Oct. 31. Discounted items include fresh apples, lean ground beef and Kraft Mac & Cheese, available in stores and on BJ’s app and website. -
Dollar General CEO says six-figure shoppers no longer feel like high earners
Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said shoppers at all income levels show strain: some visit more often but buy less per trip. He said customers earning $100,000 or more increasingly tell the company they no longer feel like high earners amid inflation. -
Massie quips about Trump’s ‘golden age’ as U.S. diesel averages $6.53 a gallon
Rep. Thomas Massie joked about needing gold to buy diesel when asked about President Donald Trump’s “golden age” claim. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported highway diesel averaged $6.529 a gallon on Sept. 21, up from $5.454 five weeks earlier. -
Peter Schiff says US must end welfare to pair open borders with growth
Peter Schiff says the US could pair open borders and economic growth only by dismantling its welfare state. The Congressional Budget Office projects the immigration surge will add $1.2 trillion in federal revenue and cut deficits by about $900 billion by 2034. -
Baku forum brings new investment agreements in energy, tech and manufacturing
Azerbaijan’s second investment forum opened in Baku on Sept. 25, with agreements spanning digital development, renewable energy and manufacturing. The week included Formula 1 racing and a security forum with nearly 600 participants from more than 100 countries. -
U.S. factory payrolls climb as new-plant construction spending falls
Bessent says construction is laying the groundwork for a U.S. manufacturing resurgence. Labor Department data show factory employment rose 58,000 from December 2025 to August 2026, while July manufacturing-construction spending was 32% below its September 2024 peak. -
Goldman argues U.S. inflation is less entrenched than headline data suggest
Goldman Sachs argues U.S. inflation is less entrenched than headline figures suggest: tariffs and AI-related measurement effects lift core goods inflation, while adjusted services and labor-cost measures show less pressure than in other large developed economies. -
Rhapsodielle sets end-of-October closure for its final two stores
Las Vegas-area fast-fashion retailer Rhapsodielle is closing all its stores; its remaining two Henderson locations are due to shut at the end of October 2026. An Instagram post said store credit and gift cards will be accepted until closing. -
US consumer sentiment fell to 48.1 in September as prices weighed
US consumer sentiment fell to 48.1 in September from 51.7 in August, a University of Michigan survey found, as grocery and gas prices weighed on views of the economy. Year-ahead inflation expectations rose to 4.6% from 4%, their highest reading since June. -
After grounding its last DHC-8, Yakutia suspends all local flights
Russian airline Yakutia suspended all local flights this week after grounding its only remaining DHC-8 turboprop over a broken right landing-gear strut; the airline is awaiting a replacement. The halt limits air service in the remote Sakha republic. -
German consumer sentiment slides to -30.6 amid rising energy prices
German consumer sentiment fell to -30.6 heading into October from a revised -26.8 in September, below the -27.4 average forecast in a Reuters poll, as households’ income outlook weakened and most expected high energy prices to reduce their purchasing power, the survey found. -
At least 16 U.S. transport firms enter Chapter 7 or 11 bankruptcy in recent weeks
At least 16 U.S. trucking, delivery and transport companies filed for Chapter 7 or 11 bankruptcy from late August through Sept. 21, according to federal court filings reviewed by FreightWaves. Filings show financial strain but don't prove diesel prices caused each case. -
Gundlach Bundschu files for Chapter 11 to restructure winery
Gundlach Bundschu Winery filed for Chapter 11 on Sept. 23, seeking to restructure its finances and attract a potential investor. The 168-year-old California winery says it will continue operating during the case; its petition lists $10 million to $50 million in assets and debts. -
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%). -
Four indirect indicators could add context to Trump–Xi talks, Forbes says
A Forbes analysis urges leaders to pair Trump–Xi summit outcomes with four indicators of China’s economic mood: household searches and purchases, social-media deletions and slang, labor disputes, and activity along neighboring countries’ borders. -
Mortgage costs rise as 10-year Treasury yield reaches a 19-year high
The 10-year Treasury yield hit 5.14% before easing to 5.12%, its highest in about 19 years, The Wall Street Journal reported. A $300,000, 30-year mortgage at about 7.26% would mean $2,049 a month in principal and interest, 14.2% above the Feb. 27 estimate. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
US 10-year Treasury yield hits 5.12%, highest since 2007
The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield reached 5.12% Wednesday, its highest since 2007, amid rising oil prices and stronger-than-expected business activity. New York Fed President John Williams said it was reasonable to think the Fed may need another rate hike before year-end. -
PepsiCo to end production and warehousing at Cheverly plant after 143 layoffs
PepsiCo laid off 143 workers at its Cheverly, Maryland, bottling plant Sept. 14 and plans to end manufacturing and warehouse operations. It said sales and delivery jobs would not be affected, citing changes in consumer demand, technology and its operating network.
