US Politics & Business News
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) shares rallied sharply after the health insurance giant reported second-quarter earnings and signaled growing confidence in its financial recovery. The company’s stock was trading near $416, approaching its highest level in roughly 11 months, as investors responded positively to the updated guidance. UnitedHealth had already impressed Wall Street with a strong…
U.S. stock futures slipped early Thursday as escalating Middle East tensions, semiconductor weakness, and fresh economic data kept investors cautious ahead of the open. Nasdaq futures (QQQ) declined 0.5%, Russell 2000 futures fell 0.3%, S&P 500 futures (SPY) dropped 0.1%, and Dow futures were flat with a negative bias as of 4:00 a.m. ET. U.S….
Pratt & Whitney, a business unit of RTX (NYSE: RTX), has acquired Amsterdam-based Aiir Innovations to expand artificial intelligence use across its aircraft engine inspection and maintenance operations. The deal, announced on July 15, 2026, brings AI-assisted software into Pratt & Whitney’s global maintenance network, covering commercial, civil and military engine programs. Aiir Innovations has…
The question of when to claim Social Security benefits remains one of the most consequential financial decisions American retirees face each year. Many financial planners traditionally advise clients to weigh their life expectancy when deciding whether to claim benefits early, at full retirement age, or delay until age 70. The conventional wisdom holds that those…
After a person dies, their bank account does not simply freeze in place while the estate waits to be settled by the courts. Standing orders tied to cellphone bills, utilities, rent, and mortgage payments can continue drawing from the account until the bank receives an official death certificate. Streaming subscriptions from services such as Apple…
The idea that investors can build a portfolio that sidesteps artificial intelligence exposure has become increasingly difficult to defend in 2026. The U.S. stock market and the AI economy are now so deeply intertwined that avoiding AI is less a strategy and more a fiction for most retail and institutional investors alike. A small cluster…
Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) plunged 12% overnight Wednesday after the company announced a $1 billion convertible note offering that rattled investors and sparked acquisition speculation. ASTS stock had already fallen 4% during Wednesday’s session and is down nearly 10% for the week, putting it on track for a second straight weekly decline. The company…
Cooling inflation has done little to restore investor confidence in speculative growth stocks, leaving quantum computing names among the hardest hit in recent weeks. U.S. consumer inflation slowed to 3.5% in June from 4.2% in May, while core inflation held steady at 2.6%, according to data released July 14, 2026 by the U.S. Bureau of…
Michael Brandmeyer, co-CIO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s External Investing Group, has offered a bold prediction about the long-term trajectory of the space economy. Speaking on the firm’s Exchanges podcast episode titled “The Growth of the Space Industry,” Brandmeyer argued that space will eventually underpin nearly all commercial activity. His central prediction was direct: “I…
United Airlines (UAL) warned investors Wednesday that it expects nearly $6 billion in additional fuel expenses this year compared with its estimates at the start of 2026. A renewed surge in oil prices has placed enormous pressure on the carrier’s third-quarter and full-year profit outlooks, forcing a significant reassessment of costs. Jet fuel prices at…