The U.S. national debt this week topped $40 trillion, raising fresh concerns about how rising federal borrowing could affect Americans' finances.
Why it matters: Americans don't personally owe the national debt, but rising debt could pressure lawmakers to raise taxes, cut spending or change federal benefits.
ESPN is eyeing more ways to bring short-form video and social content into its "Unlimited" direct-to-consumer experience, the network's vice president of sports products and strategy Brian Marshall told Axios.
Why it matters: Now that ESPN has brokered all of the critical distribution deals needed to make Unlimited widely accessible, it's now focused on making the tier as sticky as possible.
Employers who've been reeling from near double-digit health cost increases the past three years can expect more of the same in 2027, according to new projections from benefits consultant Aon.
Why it matters: Companies and their workers are locked in one of the most sustained periods of health care inflation in decades — and the trend lines are sure to intensify affordability concerns.
Walmart posted its worst U.S. same-store sales growth in more than six years, raising questions about the health of the American consumer, even as the company raised its outlook for the full fiscal year.
Why it matters: As the world's largest retailer, Walmart has long been viewed as a bellwether for the economy and the health of the consumer.
Castelion, a Torrance, Calif.-based developer of hypersonic missiles, raised $800 million in Series C equity funding at a $13 billion post-money valuation.
Why it matters: Startups are racing to help fill stockpiles depleted by the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
CEOs used to talk up AI progress and efficiency by the number of workers it could replace, but with economic worries climbing, they're being more careful about linking AI to job cuts.
Why it matters: Communicators face competing pressures: Investors want proof AI spending is paying off, while employees don't want to hear that leaders are considering replacing them.
Reddit's share of ChatGPT citations has dropped in recentdays, according to AI visibility platform Promptwatch.
Why it matters: Communicators trying to influence what AI says about their brands are finding that generative engine optimization is a rapidly moving target.
Two senators are demanding TikTok explain an "experiment" that withheld safety measures for millions of users.
The big picture: The demand comes as a cascade of lawsuits over social media's allegedly harmful and addictive designs are playing out in courts across the U.S., including Meta and YouTube's landmark trial earlier this year.
South Korean memory chipmaker SK Hynix plans to shower cash on shareholders in an effort to end a two-month-long share slump.
Why it matters: South Korea's stock market has become the epicenter for global AI-related volatility. SK Hynix and fellow chipmaker Samsung Electronics are the key drivers, accounting for roughly 50% of the country's benchmark KOSPI index.
CrowdStrike global CTO Elia Zaitsev is leaving the cybersecurity giant to launch Cognition, a new venture firm targeting a $170 million fund.
Why it matters: AI is creating new attack surfaces, and Cognition is betting the shift will produce a category-defining cybersecurity platform it can find and fund early.
A new populist fever is coursing through the midterms, forcing campaigns to retreat and recalibrate as they confront a groundswell of hostility toward AI data centers.
Why it matters: Grassroots pressure is breaking the bipartisan consensus that enabled America's AI buildout. Candidates in both parties are now racing to distance themselves from projects their own leaders spent years courting.
