Michelle Davenport Business Editor 
Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett has excluded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from his annual charitable donations for the first time in 20 years. The 95-year-old investor, who has donated more than $47 billion in Berkshire stock to the organization since 2006, announced that his estate plan will now place greater responsibility for his … Read more
Stripe and private equity firm Advent International have submitted a joint offer to acquire PayPal Holdings for $60.50 per share, in a deal that would value the payments company at more than $53 billion, according to reporting from Reuters. The proposal follows initial exploratory talks that began in early April. The offer, submitted earlier this … Read more
The U.S. Consumer Price Index declined 0.4% in June 2026, marking its largest monthly drop since April 2020. Driven by a 5.7% slide in energy costs, the data eased inflation concerns, prompting markets to rally as investors weighed the cooling report against ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) … Read more
International Business Machines (IBM) issued a warning on Tuesday regarding its second-quarter financial performance, reporting preliminary results that fell short of market expectations. The announcement triggered a significant market reaction, with shares of the company sliding by as much as 23% in premarket trading. The shortfall has prompted concerns across the technology sector, as the … Read more
Trump’s Strait of Hormuz Blockade Shocks Markets, Sends Oil Prices Surging Global financial markets faced significant volatility on Monday as President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The move, which follows a weekend of heavy airstrikes between the United States and Iran, prompted an immediate … Read more
The U.S. government has paid out $81 billion in tariff refunds so far this fiscal year following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a significant portion of President Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs, according to budget figures released Monday. Supreme Court Ruling and Legal Basis On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that global … Read more
U.S. stocks fell on Monday as President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, an escalation that triggered a sharp rise in global oil prices and prompted widespread market volatility. The S&P 500 declined 0.68%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.41%. The Dow Jones Industrial … Read more
A cumulative 32% increase in grocery prices over the last five years has pushed a growing number of working-age Americans into credit card debt, according to new data from the Urban Institute. Rising Dependence on Credit and Installment Plans The Urban Institute’s report, which analyzed a December survey of 7,500 adults ages 18-64, highlights a … Read more
Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh presided over a unanimous decision to leave interest rates unchanged last month. Policy Consensus at the Federal Reserve In his first meeting as chairman, Kevin Warsh presided over a unanimous decision to leave interest rates unchanged. The move signaled a period of stability for the central bank, as policymakers showed … Read more
Global markets and oil prices reacted sharply on Monday, July 13, 2026, as intensified fighting in the Gulf led Iran to claim a closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude surged nearly 4% to $78.96 per barrel, while Asian stock indices, including the Nikkei and Kospi, recorded significant declines. Gulf Conflict Drives Oil Price … Read more