Axios

Over a third of Americans think their bank accounts will look worse in 2026, the most pessimistic people have been since Bankrate began monitoring the sentiment in 2018, according to a new report.

Why it matters: Americans vote based on their pocketbooks, and if consumer outlooks don't improve, that pessimism could spell trouble for President Trump and Republicans in the 2026 midterms.

President Trump is being condemned by both right wing and centrist Republican members of Congress for posting that director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were killed due to "Trump Derangement Syndrome."

Why it matters: It's a rare break between the president and his party in Congress, some members of which have grown more willing to call out his excesses in recent months.

Companies are suing to lock down the billions of dollars they might be owed if the Supreme Court rules against President Trump's tariffs.

Why it matters: Implementing the sprawling levies at the center of Trump's economic agenda looks simple relative to the chaos of trying to undo it.

Boring companies are going public again, which may be an even stronger signal for the 2026 IPO market than is SpaceX.

Catch up quick: Three buzz-less companies priced successful IPOs last week, raising a combined $1.2 billion.

Dragoneer has raised $4.3 billion for its seventh venture capital fund, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It's an outlier in what has been an exceptionally slow year for VC fundraising, closing above its target after just a few months in market.

Rolls-Royce has commenced AE 1107 engine testing for prototypes of the U.S. Army's MV-75 Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft.

Why it matters: It's a significant milestone for the multibillion-dollar tiltrotor project, which service leadership has demanded be accelerated and is expected to replace many Black Hawk helicopters.

Yoonie Joung, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, dives into Samsung's cultural partnership with the Smithsonian that combines art and tech.

The idea: Business is complicated. Earning rewards shouldn't be.

With Capital One's Venture X Business card, small business owners skip the complexity of other premium cards and turn everyday spending into real momentum.

The honeymoon with AI is over on Wall Street. Investors will no longer bid up every AI stock on nothing but hopes of future revenue for the technology.

Why it matters: 2026 will be a year of harsher judgment from tech investors, who are already indicating that they plan to reward the fundamentals again: disciplined spending coupled with returns.

President Trump and his advisers have an almost messianic belief the economy will take off in the first quarter of next year, based largely on stimulus from the "One Big Beautiful Bill" he signed in July.

• For the White House, it's an article of faith.

Why it matters: Trump's bullish belief is key to understanding why he's so reluctant to say there's an "affordability crisis." He calls that talk a "hoax" and a "con job," advisers say, because the problem didn't start under him and the economy is growing steadily.

Arkansas, Idaho and North Carolina drew the most new arrivals this year, according to an analysis of interstate moves by Atlas Van Lines.

Why it matters: High housing costs are keeping many people in place. But some are still moving, often for lower prices, jobs, climate resilience, or to be closer to family.

The mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, prompted police in New York and Los Angeles to step up security protections for the first night of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah on Sunday.

The big picture: While there were no known threats locally, police departments in N.Y. and L.A. announced enhanced protections during Hanukkah celebrations in the wake of the Sydney terrorist attack that killed 15 people as about 1,000 people gathered for a "Chanukah by the Sea" event.