Investors reacted swiftly Monday morning to the U.S. losing its last triple-A credit rating, briefing sending the yield on 30-year Treasuries above 5%.
Why it matters: Credit rating downgrades — like Moody's decision Friday to slash the U.S. government to Aa1 — mean the borrower is now viewed as a riskier bet.
The U.S. government is spending far more than it takes in as revenue, causing ever-rising debt — and there is no sign that will change anytime soon.
The big picture: Those facts are well-known to anybody who has taken a cursory look at the government's books. But Moody's decision to downgrade the U.S. credit rating Friday is the latest reminder that this precarious fiscal standing comes with real risks.
Two weeks ago we discussed private equity's push for retail investors — and how the Trump administration wants to hasten its efforts.
Since then there already have been three more related announcements, including 401(k) giant Empower saying that it will allow private equity and credit into some of its retirement plans.
The U.S. government's fiscal situation has been worrying in a sort of abstract, long-term way for years. Now it's getting real.
The big picture: There are emerging signs that global investors are losing patience with a U.S. government that shows no intention of narrowing deficits to more sustainable levels.
Starbucks launches its summer menu with new and returning limited-time drinks Tuesday despite the coffee giant's plans to keep trimming the menu.
Why it matters: The Seattle-based company is promoting a "back to Starbucks" campaign to return to its roots to try to reverse a decline in foot traffic and sales.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has agreed to acquire the assets of bankrupt genetic testing company 23andMe for $256 million.
Why it matters: 23andMe holds personal genetic data on more than 15 million customers, and there have been widespread concerns about what a buyer could do with that information.
The economy kept chugging along the last time consumer sentiment hit rock-bottom levels.
But some economists worry that resilience isn't going to hold this time around, as Americans signal worries about their income and the labor market in ways not seen in 2022.
Why it matters: The early 2020s inflation shock broke the tenuous link between sour sentiment and the economy. But the indicators pushing sentiment indices now are different, and in some respects, more grim.
Venture capital's series progression is stalling at seed, according to new Carta data.
By the numbers: 46% of all seed deals were bridge rounds in Q1 2025, which is the highest bridge rate for any stage since Carta has been tracking such data.
Some consumer prices will likely rise due to tariffs, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged on Sunday, even after the White House publicly warned retailers against it.
Why it matters: A week after the president's economic team insisted tariffs would not increase consumer prices, there's a different message: They will, but inflation's in check and other costs are coming down.
The U.S. may impose some tariffs by region rather than on individual countries, as time runs out to negotiate a laundry list of trade deals globally, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday.
Why it matters: The administration is quickly curtailing its 90-deals-in-90-days ambition, acknowledging the practical realities of trying to negotiate complex trade agreements with dozens of countries simultaneously.
The enduring legacy of President Trump's trip to the Gulf may be the transformation of the Middle East into a global artificial intelligence powerhouse, despite massive risks to the U.S.
Why it matters: The Biden administration saw the Gulf as a backdoor for China to gain access to the computing power needed to advance AI. President Trump and the tech CEOs who joined him in the Middle East see a chance for multibillion-dollar deals.
