U.S. online shoppers shelled out $7.9 billion across all retailers on the first day of Amazon's four-day Prime Day sale, up nearly 10% from last year, per Adobe data.
Why it matters:Prime Day is more than just a summer shopping event — it's a pulse check on U.S. consumer behavior, pricing power and retail strategy.
Americans widely think the president has a significant impact on the country's global standing but relatively small effect on their personal lives, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The big picture: President Trump's trade war has made him a key player in the global economy, but the data reveal a clear disconnect in how Americans view the president's influence on national issues versus his effect on their day-to-day lives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat for an interview on Tuesday with the Nelk Boys, a team of pro-Trump YouTubers and podcasters known for their pranks and popularity among young men, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The move by Netanyahu — who's in the U.S. this week for talks with President Trump — mirrors Trump's campaign strategy of reaching out to nontraditional, conservative U.S. media.
Searches for "Love Island USA" on Roku have tripled since last year — and coastal cities like LA, New York, and Honolulu outnumber others in the Top Ten.
Why it matters: America's fascination with the Peacock reality series is undeniable after its breakout sixth season.
Killing the penny could trigger a small "rounding tax" that forces cash-paying consumers to spend a bit more at the register, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Why it matters: With the one-cent coin's upcoming demise, making sense of cents — and getting exact change — could get a lot trickier.
Not too long ago, mRNA vaccines were viewed as one of the country's most significant biotech breakthroughs. Safe, effective, and well-funded.
Today, they're viewed with skepticism — if not outright fear — by many Americans, including HHS chief RFK Jr.
So it seems like an unlikely time to raise $45 million in venture capital funding for an mRNA vax startup, let alone one working on a universal flu vaccine. But that's just what Silicon Valley-based Centivax did yesterday, led by Steve Jurvetson's Future Ventures.
The U.S. started imposing tariffs by letter to a variety of countries, pairing new rates with an explicit warning that even those could change at any time.
Why it matters: After months of threats, President Trump is abruptly re-escalating the trade war.
Elon Musk shared his thoughts Wednesday after his AI platform Grok faced backlash for repeatedly using antisemitic language in its replies on X.
"Grok was too compliant to user prompts," he wrote. "Too eager to please and be manipulated, essentially. That is being addressed."
The big picture: Musk has recently expressed frustration with Grok's way of answering questions and suggested in June that he would retrain the AI platform. It's unclear how well that's going.
The built-in modem that delivers live traffic and streaming apps to the dashboard of most modern vehicles works the other way, too — if anyone actually uses it.
Why it matters: That untapped potential could unlock billions of dollars in revenue for car dealers looking to expand the most profitable part of their business — parts and service.
The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse is a three-row, mid-size crossover SUV that's ideal for families.
Why it matters: In the past two years, GM has completely overhauled its crossover lineup, one reason for its recent sales momentum.
The big picture: The Traverse faces some tough competition from other three-row crossovers like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and Toyota Grand Highlander, and compares favorably for the most part.
Specs: A new 2.5-liter turbocharged engine delivers an estimated 328 horsepower, and the Traverse can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
It's loaded with tech, and features a massive 18-inch infotainment touchscreen to access GM's Google-based software interface.
Goldman Sachs is raising its year-end price target for the S&P 500, even as it has trimmed expectations for corporate earnings growth.
The call is based on earlier and deeper interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, corporate resilience, lower bond yields and investor positioning (aka vibes).
Why it matters: Investing for an environment priced for an economic expansion looks very different than investing to hedge against potential weakness.
A prominent Wall Street strategist is offering a "mea culpa" for doubting the strength of corporate America following the April tariff saga.
The big picture: Bank of America's Savita Subramanian isn't bullish all around. She sees stagflation ahead, with slowing growth coupled with persistent inflation.
Someone has to pay the cost of tariffs — and a new survey out Tuesday finds many companies are already feeling the pain.
Why it matters: Businesses trying to insulate customers from trade costs can only eat them for so long before raising prices, fueling the tariff-driven inflation many economists fear.
Two of Wall Street's biggest banks have very differing views of how the economy will develop this year, but they agree on one thing: Don't sweat tariffs, just buy stocks.
Why it matters: Both Goldman Sachs and Bank of America emphasize the continued resilience of corporations, regardless of tariff policy.
A mischievous little monster with fangs is America's must-have toy — causing fans of all ages to line up and resale prices to soar.
Meet Labubu, the spiky-eared collectible from China and star of the "cute horror" boom.
Why it matters: There were already concerns that President Trump's trade war would lead to toy shortages and higher prices for the holidays before Labubu became the runaway "hot toy."
President Trump's pick to head NOAA — which includes the National Weather Service — will tell Congress on Wednesday that he wants to make the U.S. a weather forecasting leader.
Why it matters: Neil Jacobs' nomination hearing arrives as Democratic critics question whether NWS staffing reductions hampered performance in the deadly Texas flooding — and whether proposed budget cuts will hinder the very forecasting improvements he's vowing.
