Tesla is hiking lease prices as automakers adjust to the new normal with no federal tax credits to drive sales of electric vehicles.
Why it matters: The $7,500 tax credit was a significant incentive for qualifying buyers, but President Trump and congressional Republicans recently killed it.
Neptune Insurance didn't just price its IPO last night ahead of the government shutdown, it thinks the shutdown could help its business.
What they're saying: "We compete with the federal government, which provides flood insurance through FEMA" explains Neptune CEO Trevor Burgess, who adds that he received lots of shutdown questions from prospective investors. "They'll be closed, but we'll be open and able to serve thousands of homeowners."
Divisions between MAGA and the White House are taking a backseat as an intense focus on "leftist violence," Charlie Kirk's assassination and other culture wars fuels a hunger to wield raw power against liberals.
Why it matters: MAGA is marching in lockstep with President Trump, even when his policies clash with their demands. Under this new playbook, policy fissures can be overlooked in favor of a unified offensive against the left.
Unemployment is low, the stock market booming, GDP growth surging, and inflation reasonably well-behaved. It seems like a recipe for a morning-in-America surge of economic optimism.
The big picture: Nope.
A range of measures show Americans to be exceptionally gloomy about the economic picture.
My overnight stay in the sleeper cab of Volvo's new long-haul truck had all the trappings of a 5-star experience, right down to the monogrammed robe and the mints on the pillow.
Why it matters: Driving a truck for a living is grueling, both mentally and physically, and turnover rates are high.
Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook can remain in her job at least through January as the Supreme Court hears a case over whether President Trump can fire her, the court said Wednesday.
Why it matters: It is a win for Cook and advocates of central bank independence, who believe that if she was temporarily removed without the matter being litigated, it would open the door for a president to fire any Fed governor for dubious cause.
Pfizer's decision to announce a deal with the Trump administration on drug prices Tuesday caused an uproar within much of the pharmaceutical industry, most of which was caught off guard by the announcement.
Why it matters: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla's acquiescence to President Trump's demands — broadcast live from the Oval Office as the two men stood side by side — puts much more pressure on other drug companies to fall in line after months of unified resistance to Trump's "most favored nation" pricing plan.
Stocks keep grinding higher and Wall Street remains sanguine about policy risks, yet the grounds-eye view of the economy from a big regional lender is more cautious. Tariffs, the CEO of Citizen Financial tells Axios, still have the potential to trigger an economic slowdown.
Why it matters: While ignoring tariffs has been a critical part of the bull market formula, the bank's CEO, Bruce Van Saun, warns investors to check their "unbridled enthusiasm."
The federal government will shut down for the first time since 2019 after the Senate on Tuesday failed to pass a government funding measure ahead of a midnight deadline.
Why it matters: Party leaders don't appear anywhere close to a compromise, and a path to reopening the government is unclear.
The White House withdrew the controversial nomination of economist E.J. Antoni to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday.
Why it matters: Antoni was a favorite of MAGA stalwarts like Steve Bannon, but even conservative economists viewed him as unqualified and too partisan.
