ActiveInvestorMag.com: The briefing

Carney calls US meddling claims baseless and says Canada can wait for another administration on trade

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

Speaking in Istanbul, the prime minister said a trade deal could be signed ‘this afternoon’, and criticised the US ambassador to Canada.

Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday dismissed accusations that Canada planned to interfere in next month’s US midterm elections.

Carney said the claims had ‘no merit’.

He said he was disappointed to see the United States suggesting that Canada had tried to interfere.

Carney also criticised Trump’s ambassador to Canada.

He spoke at a news conference in Istanbul. Canada has already told its diplomats to steer clear of US midterm candidates.

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Euro zone inflation expectations rise to 3.1% and hedge funds build bearish euro bets before Thursday’s ECB meeting

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

Consumers expect faster price rises as the Middle East war keeps energy costs high, while turmoil in France weighs on the euro and investors price an ECB hold.

Median consumer inflation expectations in the euro zone for the next 12 months rose to 3.1% from 3.0% in August, the European Central Bank said on Friday.

Expectations for longer horizons were unchanged.

The year-ahead reading therefore rose by a tenth of a percentage point in a month.

Consumers expected prices to rise more than they did in August, as energy prices continued to climb while the war in the Middle East dragged on.

Hedge funds have lifted bearish bets on the euro to the most since 2020, according to CFTC data.

The euro sank on worries about French debt.

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Healey’s first Budget on 28 October: higher bank taxes, a first-home loan scheme and a £100m AI biosecurity lab

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

The chancellor is expected to defer hard choices on defence while funding a short-term spending package, and a former Bank of England chief economist warns of a ‘mañana budget’.

Chancellor John Healey will set out his plans for UK taxes on 28 October.

His first Budget is expected to push hard choices to another day: decisions on defence will be deferred, and he will use higher taxes on banks to fund a populist short-term spending package.

The chancellor will unveil AI spending aimed at shoring up the UK’s defences in Wednesday’s Budget, including £100m for what the government calls a ‘world first’ AI Biosecurity Lab.

The national lab will come with a £100m budget and credits from OpenAI and Anthropic.

A Your First Home scheme will offer government-backed loans for people buying new-builds in England, with an earnings limit of up to £140K.

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Iran says it is still open to US talks under a Pakistan-brokered deal and could reopen Hormuz

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

Tehran’s ambassador to Pakistan says Iran has offered to reopen the strait, conditional on action by Washington, as foreign ministers meeting in Istanbul press for diplomacy.

Iran remains open to talks with the United States under a Pakistan-brokered deal, its envoy said.

Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said Iran recently conveyed through Pakistan that it was prepared to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, conditional on action by Washington.

Iran had proposed a fresh deal last month to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within days, and Trump publicly rejected that proposal.

Iranian President Pezeshkian accused the United States of derailing a deal. He blamed Washington for the failure of an interim deal and urged a new attempt.

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Israel votes on Tuesday with its leading parties close and Trump’s advisers looking beyond Netanyahu

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

The president has endorsed the prime minister, but some of his advisers see openings for his Middle East agenda under another leader, as the architects of the Iran war prepare to face voters.

Israel will hold parliamentary elections on 27 October.

President Donald Trump has endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu, but some of his advisers see opportunity for his Middle East agenda in a government led by someone else, US officials said.

After weeks of hesitation, Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday and suggested his defeat would have consequences for US-Israel relations.

Trump has declared his ‘full support’ for the prime minister ahead of the vote.

Trump has never worked with an Israeli prime minister other than Netanyahu and does not personally know any of the other candidates; “He’s the devil he knows,” one Trump adviser said.

The two have forged a close but often turbulent relationship.

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Justice Department sues Alaska to delay certifying its Senate result if Dan Sullivan loses

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

The administration argues that a second candidate named Dan Sullivan could confuse voters in a ranked-choice race, and the president says he ordered the suit.

The Trump administration sued Alaska on Thursday to delay certification of election results if incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses.

President Donald Trump said he ordered the Justice Department lawsuit over Alaska’s US Senate race.

The race is between Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola and a retired teacher who is also named Dan Sullivan.

Republicans have accused Democrats of trying to confuse voters by planting a candidate with the same name.

The filing argues that “an election result may be impacted by voter confusion” if Senator Sullivan does not win.

The filing refers to the votes cast for the second candidate as votes for Daniel J. Sullivan, the name at the centre of the Republican complaint.

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Nebius lands $3.5 billion from Citi and Solidigm pulls its IPO as Blackstone’s chip-backed lending draws scrutiny

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

Credit risk in AI infrastructure is rising, and the lending model Blackstone pioneered with neoclouds, and that Nvidia now wants lenders to adopt, faces its first real test.

Neocloud Nebius has secured $3.5 billion in financing from Citi.

The company said the senior secured facility has given it access to capital.

Solidigm pulled its IPO as neoclouds struggled and credit risks jumped.

Debt markets are roiling, and Meta, Oracle and Nvidia are among the companies caught up in the turmoil.

The financing arrives as neocloud stocks take a market hit.

Why it matters to investors, and what to watch: on the site.

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Rubio urges Cubans to work with the CIA as Trump says the US will ‘take care of Cuba’ after Iran

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

The secretary of state’s call for a ‘discreet’ partnership with American intelligence followed a Florida rally at which the president floated a warship ‘stopover’ off the island, and Havana answered with scorn.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday called on Cubans seeking political change to make ‘discreet’ contact with American intelligence services.

Rubio framed the appeal as a partnership with the CIA for Cubans tired of ‘failed promises, corruption’, and told them that ‘now is the time’ to act.

His appeal followed threats from President Donald Trump to send warships to Cuba after the war with Iran.

At a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, where Cuban Americans are politically potent, Trump said Washington would deal with Cuba once Iran was settled.

“We’ll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran ... then we’re going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal,” Trump told the rally.

He described US warships doing ‘a little stopover’, saying: “We’ll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They’ll raise up their hands”.

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Ukraine says Starlink speeds are fully restored after two weeks of restrictions on its military

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

Kyiv’s defence ministry says front-line satellite service is back to normal, while US lawmakers press the Pentagon for guarantees and Ukraine plans its own system.

The speed of the Elon Musk-owned satellite system used by the Ukrainian military has been fully restored after two weeks of restrictions, the country’s ministry of defence said in a statement on Saturday.

Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links has been restored to the speeds it had before the restrictions that disrupted front-line operations.

The restrictions limited the Ukrainian military from using drones to intercept Russian attack drones, and from using its own drones to send supplies to soldiers on the front lines.

Earlier, President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Musk had restored Ukraine’s access, while Kyiv said service was still limited.

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Zelensky says US, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators will meet in Abu Dhabi in early November

2026-10-24T21:17:00.000Z

A technical-level round in the United Arab Emirates gives the latest peace push a venue and a date, after Steve Witkoff’s ninth meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian, Russian and US negotiators will meet in early November in Abu Dhabi.

He described the planned meeting as a technical-level session, and said trilateral peace talks with Russian and US negotiators would begin in November.

Russia and Ukraine have both said talks are planned for November in the United Arab Emirates.

Zelensky announced the plan after holding discussions on 23 October with US representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

The commitment follows Witkoff’s meeting with Putin in St Petersburg on 21 October.

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AI-discovered flaws in PHP trigger a global cyber-security scramble dubbed Black October

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

Bugs found by OpenAI models in code that powers millions of websites forced governments and companies to take sites offline to patch them.

Websites used every day may have been vulnerable to hackers for years because of hidden flaws in their code that artificial intelligence only recently discovered. The code, called PHP, powers millions of websites, and the vulnerabilities could allow hackers to steal sensitive data such as passwords or take control of affected servers.

A potential attack exploiting the flaws emerged on Wednesday, prompting governments and companies to temporarily take their websites offline while they installed security patches. Dozens of websites in the United States, Britain and around the world were briefly taken offline to make the fix. The AI-uncovered flaws triggered a rare global cyber-security response.

The bugs were discovered this week by OpenAI models, and they have existed for more than a decade in PHP, a programming language that is 30 years old.

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Anthropic’s November listing hangs on a filing deadline as Wall Street looks to it to steady the AI trade

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

The Claude maker is expected to seek a $2 trillion valuation, and a reported leak of its prospectus points to heavy losses and large compute commitments.

Anthropic is preparing to go public, and time is running out for it to file the paperwork needed for a listing in November. Jay Ritter, who leads the University of Florida’s IPO Initiative, said Anthropic still has some time if it wants to go public on that schedule.

The company will likely release its official offering statement, or S-1, any day now. Wall Street is urging both Anthropic and OpenAI to complete their listings this year “before things get crazy”. The Anthropic offering is expected to seek a $2 trillion valuation.

A report on a leaked version of the prospectus put Anthropic’s revenue at $16.3 billion, its net loss at $80.7 billion and its compute pledges at $750 billion. Other coverage said investors are waiting for a filing on $600 billion of infrastructure commitments. The two figures for the company’s commitments differ, and neither has been confirmed by a public filing.

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Euro zone business activity slows in October as France contracts, while UK firms report their best month since February

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

Surveys show price pressures building on both sides of the Channel ahead of upcoming decisions by the European Central Bank and the Bank of England.

Business activity in the euro zone slowed in October amid a squeeze on profit margins, a sign of fading resilience in the face of higher energy costs. A contraction in France slowed the bloc’s expansion, the surveys show. Euro area business activity cooled, and the slowdown came as unrest in France weighed on the economy.

Outside France, growth remained decent. UK businesses reported their strongest month since February, according to a purchasing managers’ survey.

In the United States, business activity also cooled in October, as strong demand fuelled inflation pressures.

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First tanker of Russian diesel under Trump’s deal with Putin sets sail for the United States

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

The cargo follows the president’s 16 October decision to waive new Russia sanctions and buy Moscow’s diesel, but it will not arrive before the midterms.

A tanker loaded with diesel fuel set sail from Russia for the United States on Friday, the first shipment since President Donald Trump agreed to a deal with Moscow. The first Russian diesel bound for the US under the surprise agreement between Moscow and Trump is aboard a tanker, shipping data shows.

On October 16, Trump waived new Russia sanctions and reached an agreement to purchase diesel from Moscow. The deal with President Vladimir Putin has been described as controversial, and critics have called it a sweetheart deal.

The shipment will not arrive before the midterm elections.

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HD Hyundai and Kiewit plan a new US Gulf Coast shipyard with 3,000 jobs

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

The joint venture will pursue US Navy logistics ships and commercial vessels under South Korea’s $150 billion US shipbuilding pledge.

HD Hyundai will build a shipyard in the United States with Kiewit, creating 3,000 jobs. South Korea’s largest shipbuilder announced the joint venture as part of its efforts to expand in the US market, with plans to develop a new shipyard on the Gulf Coast.

The partner is Kiewit Offshore Services, and the venture will operate as HD Kiewit Shipbuilding. The two companies are joining forces to build an advanced US shipyard by 2029. The new shipbuilder will pursue contracts to build logistics support vessels for the US Navy as well as commercial ships.

The yard is designed for Navy auxiliary and commercial vessels and is presented as a way of expanding shipbuilding cooperation between the United States and South Korea. The joint venture plans to build both Navy logistics support ships and commercial ships, according to the announcement.

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Moody’s spares France a downgrade but keeps a negative outlook as unrest and bond yields weigh

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

The agency held France at Aa3 on Friday, a surprise reprieve for a government facing violent protests and rising borrowing costs.

Moody’s spared France a credit rating downgrade on Friday, easing pressure on a government struggling to contain social unrest. The agency left its rating on France at Aa3. The decision defied expectations of a downgrade, but Moody’s left its outlook at negative.

The reprieve came as a surprise for a country struggling with soaring bond yields, and it was a boost for Macron’s government. The rating was held steady amid political uncertainty and a rise in borrowing costs that have worsened France’s debt position, and the country was given a warning alongside the decision.

The decision was accompanied by the assessment, quoted in coverage of the rating, that slower growth and a higher deficit have pushed France’s debt burden somewhat higher.

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SpaceX says a Tesla merger would need Elon Musk’s approval as antitrust and political doubts surface

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

Both companies have formed committees to study a combination that Musk calls a good idea, but politics, China and regulators could stand in the way.

SpaceX said its potential merger with Tesla will require the approval of Elon Musk, its controlling investor, even though he has recused himself. Musk said this week that SpaceX and Tesla have formed special committees to study a merger of his two biggest companies.

Musk described a deal as a good idea, but said US politics and China could get in the way. A former Justice Department official said the antitrust risks for the merger are real. Other analysis argues that a combination may face bigger obstacles from politics than from regulation.

A merger could bring Musk a large personal payout.

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Texas sues OpenAI and Sam Altman, alleging ChatGPT users were misled about its safety

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s state-court suit accuses the company and its chief executive of breaking consumer-protection, child-safety and privacy laws.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued OpenAI and its chief executive Sam Altman, accusing them of failing to warn Texans about the dangers of ChatGPT. The suit was filed in state court on Friday and alleges the company breached consumer-protection law.

The suit alleges that OpenAI and Altman misled consumers about the safety of its product. It is a deceptive-marketing case that accuses the company of failing to protect users. Paxton’s office says the company and Altman violated two Texas laws, and it accuses them of breaking consumer-protection, child-safety and privacy laws.

Paxton’s office framed the case in strong terms, accusing OpenAI and Altman of lying to users and harming Texans. His office says the company imposed “negative side effects on consumers”. Paxton announced the case in a release that accuses the company of lying to users. The claims are allegations made by the state and have not been tested in court.

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UK government urges households to stock up on food and water against supply-chain disruption

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

A relaunched preparedness campaign cites hostile states, terrorists, cyber attacks and severe weather as threats to supplies.

The UK government has quietly warned citizens to stock up on emergency supplies. The advice was issued as part of a relaunched Be Ready campaign urging households to stockpile for a three-day disruption to supply chains.

Wes Streeting warned that people should prepare for supply-chain disruption from cyber or climate emergencies, and a checklist drawn up by the government sets out what households should keep. A minister said the public needed to be prepared for supply-chain disruption caused by “hostile state actors or terrorists”. Coverage of the official checklist said it warns that state-sponsored terrorism and cyber attacks could cause food shortages.

Burnham suggested stocking up on tinned food and bottled water. The government also pointed to severe weather risks as a source of disruption.

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US envoy Waltz says the Iran war could last another year as Brent crude climbs above $117

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

The UN ambassador’s interview signalled preparation for a prolonged standoff, at odds with the president’s calls for an early end; Waltz later disputed how his remarks were portrayed.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said in an interview that the Iran war could last another year. The US is prepared for a long standoff with Iran, he said. On the prospect of a conflict that long, he said: “I’m not going to put out hypotheticals. One would hope that they’ll come to the table in a meaningful way before that”.

The remarks suggest the US government is preparing for a prolonged standoff, diverging from President Donald Trump’s calls for an early end. The US could still be stuck in a stalemate with Iran a year from now, according to Waltz. He outlined US demands over Iran’s enriched uranium and over negotiations.

Waltz later rejected the Financial Times’ characterisation of his remarks, publishing an exchange from the interview, and said decisions on the blockade rest with Trump. The interview’s account and Waltz’s own account of it therefore differ on emphasis.

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US intelligence memo warns Iranian plots to kill American officials have reached advanced stages

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

The 23 October memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US diplomats, and officials link it to embassy drawdowns.

US intelligence has found that Iran has “substantially increased” its efforts to target American diplomats and officials in the Middle East and beyond, with lethal plots reaching “advanced stages,” according to an October 23 memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, first obtained by Axios.

The memo was written by Jay Clayton and copied to CIA Director John Ratcliffe. It said lethal plots had “reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other” locations. “Specifically, through various channels, we have received intelligence that Iran has substantially” increased these efforts, the memo said.

These are the findings of US intelligence agencies as set out in the memo; Iran’s response to them is not included in the reports.

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White House says Melania Trump brokered a localised ceasefire in occupied Oleshky, due to start on 29 October

2026-10-24T14:15:00.000Z

Russia and Ukraine agreed to pause military action in the town to let in aid and evacuate civilians, according to the White House.

First Lady Melania Trump secured a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine localised to the city of Oleshky, the White House said. According to the White House, both nations agreed to temporarily stop all military action in Oleshky to allow humanitarian aid to enter and to prepare a civilian evacuation through a designated safe passageway, with the ceasefire to begin on October 29.

Russia and Ukraine agreed to the ceasefire in a Ukrainian city hit by a food crisis. The town is Russian-occupied, and the White House described it as on the brink of disaster. The Kremlin published an item on a humanitarian operation in the town, which it calls Alyoshki, in the Kherson region.

Melania Trump said she brokered a temporary ceasefire. A statement praised her role in securing the agreement and said President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin had discussed details. Another statement said: “We welcome the efforts of the First Lady of the United States, Mrs Melania Trump”.

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Bank of Japan warns that AI market shocks and cyberattacks could spill into the financial system

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

The central bank’s October financial system report flags rising AI-related risks a week before a policy meeting at which a hold is widely expected.

The Bank of Japan published its Financial System Report for October 2026 on Friday. In it, the central bank warned of rising risks caused by artificial intelligence, including growing cybersecurity threats and potential market shocks.

The bank said risks tied to AI investment and to cyberattacks could spill over into Japan’s financial system. The bank issued the warning on Friday, 23 October, describing the AI-related risks as rising. The full report and a separate summary were both released in PDF form.

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CoreWeave leads a neocloud selloff to 2026 lows as debt fears hit AI infrastructure stocks

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

CoreWeave fell 9.67% on Thursday and is down 29% this month, as investors question how heavily indebted data-centre builders will fund their expansion.

CoreWeave and IREN closed at 2026 lows on Thursday as investors sold neocloud stocks over worries about debt-funded AI spending. CoreWeave shares plunged 9.67% on 22 October, closing at US$55.84, amid growing concerns about the financing of AI infrastructure. The stock has fallen 29% this month. The declines left the group of neocloud companies, which rent out AI computing capacity from their own data centres, at the centre of a broader AI market scare.

Short sellers have made about $6 billion in unrealised profits this month as heavily indebted AI infrastructure stocks slide. CoreWeave also featured among Thursday’s biggest analyst calls on Wall Street, alongside Nvidia, Tesla, SpaceX and Meta.

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Data centres become a midterm issue as 65% of Ohio voters oppose tax breaks and candidates call for bans

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

From Ohio to Maryland, Pennsylvania and Oregon, opposition to data centre projects and their incentives is shaping campaigns and local budgets.

Data centres have taken centre stage in Ohio’s elections. The state has been a Republican stronghold for a decade, but as it emerges as a data centre hot spot, the unpopular projects have become a political issue. A poll by Ohio Northern University found that 65% of Ohioans oppose tax breaks for data centre developments, 43% strongly, while only 15% support them. Opponents of the incentives outnumber supporters by more than four to one.

The backlash is set to sway the midterm elections more widely. Critics have attacked the tax breaks used to entice data centre developers, and have called out local officials for negotiating deals behind closed doors.

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Musk’s spending to elect Republicans tops $445 million as he warns Democrats ahead of the midterms

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

The Tesla and SpaceX chief has put nearly half a billion dollars into the campaign, with his America PAC alone spending $71 million on Republican candidates.

Elon Musk’s donations in support of Republicans in the US midterm elections have topped $445 million. That puts his spending at nearly half a billion dollars this year. Musk’s America PAC has already spent $71 million supporting Republican candidates. The totals cover spending so far, with polling day still ahead.

Some of the money went to Senate races in September. Musk is one of several major donors in the cycle, with Republican backer Richard Uihlein also named among the biggest givers.

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Oil spill reaches UAE beaches as October becomes the worst month for Hormuz shipping attacks

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

A slick from an attacked tanker has closed beaches in Sharjah, while Brent sits at a five-month high and physical Gulf crude trades at a discount.

October has been the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways. An oil spill from a tanker attacked near the strait is now spreading along the coastline of the United Arab Emirates, forcing the closure of some beaches. The UAE temporarily closed Al Hamriyah beach in Sharjah as a precaution against marine pollution from the spill.

Iran has repeatedly targeted cargo vessels using the southern section of the waterway, and earlier this week Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a statement on attacks on shipping. The Guards’ navy now says two supertankers struck naval mines in the strait, and that the vessels, carrying more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil, were abandoned by their crews after explosions and fires. That account comes from the Guards and has not been independently confirmed in these reports.

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SEC puts AI risks and private fund valuations at the centre of its fiscal 2027 exam priorities

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

The Securities and Exchange Commission said examiners will focus on private funds, private credit and complex strategies as private credit managers face a wave of redemption requests.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced its examination priorities for fiscal year 2027. The list includes private funds, private credit and other complex investment strategies. The SEC said the priorities were developed to address risk and to inform Commission policy. The work falls to the agency’s examination staff, who inspect firms against the priorities the agency publishes each year.

The regulator will focus on artificial intelligence and on private assets in its examinations of firms. Private fund valuations and AI risks are among the areas examiners will concentrate on.

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The Fed is expected to hold next week while futures put 80% odds on a December rate rise

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

Markets see little chance of a move at Chair Kevin Warsh’s next meeting, but traders and economists are split on how firmly a December increase is priced.

An interest-rate decision by the Federal Reserve will be the highlight of a busy week for currencies and bonds. Futures indicate only a 5% chance of a rate rise at this meeting but an 80% probability by December. The Fed is widely expected to leave rates unchanged this month, and economists unanimously expect an increase in December.

The meeting comes as the central bank faces what has been described as its most confusing economy yet. There will be no new economic projections at this meeting, so attention shifts to how Chair Kevin Warsh frames the outlook. In that setting, the decision itself is likely to matter less than the questions around it.

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Trump exempts more Canadian goods from 50% tariffs after lobbying by Senator Susan Collins

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

A new proclamation under a 1930 trade law removes paper, plastics, farm machinery and packaging from the duties as Collins fights a tight re-election race in Maine.

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Friday that further narrows the list of Canadian products subject to his tariffs, the White House said. The order relies on Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and refines duties first announced on 20 July 2026 and modified on 8 September 2026, according to a White House fact sheet.

The changes ease 50% tariffs on Canadian farm equipment and packaging goods, with new exemptions for Canadian paper, plastics and machinery. Products that are crucial to Maine’s agricultural industries will be exempt, according to Senator Susan Collins. Trump had already exempted road salt and other products last month.

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Trump orders trade talks on wind turbine imports after a Section 232 security probe, stopping short of tariffs

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

The proclamation directs Commerce and the US trade representative to negotiate with trading partners, leaving turbine makers such as Vestas facing prolonged uncertainty over US orders.

President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on imports of wind turbines and their parts and components, following a national security investigation under section 232. In the proclamation, Trump said the Commerce Secretary had sent him a report on the effects of those imports on US national security within the past 90 days. The Commerce Department launched the probe in August 2025.

Rather than impose tariffs, Trump chose trade talks for now. The proclamation is framed as adjusting imports of wind turbines and their parts and components into the United States. He directed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to open negotiations with foreign trading partners. The order frames the move as a response to security concerns about imported turbines.

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US consumer sentiment holds near a record low at 48.0 as fuel prices and inflation fears weigh

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

The University of Michigan’s final October reading slipped from 48.1 in September, leaving the index 10% below a year earlier and close to the bottom of its 74-year history.

The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index came in at 48.0 in October, down from 48.1 in September. The final figure was revised up from a preliminary reading of 46.3, but it still ranks as the second-worst reading on record. Sentiment now stands near the lowest level numerically recorded in the 74-year history of the monthly survey.

The index is 10% below its level at this time last year and 15% below February, before the war began. It marks a five-month low, and the final October figures were published on Friday, 23 October. The headline number was virtually unchanged from September, but the survey’s current conditions measure slumped.

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US designates helium a critical material, citing its importance for semiconductors

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

Energy Secretary Chris Wright added helium under the Energy Act of 2020 amid disruption to global supply, making it only the second gas on the list after fluorine.

The US Department of Energy said on Friday that Energy Secretary Chris Wright has designated helium as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020. The department said the designation advances the Trump administration’s aims.

Helium joins fluorine as the only gases on the list. The move cites helium’s importance for semiconductors and for semiconductor supply chains. It follows a 60 Minutes report on a supply chain crisis in the gas.

Why it matters to investors, and what to watch: on the site.

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Volvo Cars shares plunge as its chief executive says the Chinese market is gone for Western carmakers

2026-10-23T21:17:00.000Z

The Geely-controlled carmaker plans to cut 2,500 jobs, blaming China’s price war as well as US tariffs and the end of American electric-vehicle subsidies.

Shares in Volvo Cars plunged on Friday as China ambitions fade for Western carmakers. The company’s chief executive said the Chinese market is gone for Western automakers.

Volvo plans to cut 2,500 jobs, citing China’s bruising pricing war. Aside from the problems in China, the company cited the cost of tariffs in the United States and the removal of electric-vehicle subsidies there. Volvo was among the biggest stock movers on the day, alongside a slide in Kering and gains in L’Oreal.

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Brazil’s Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro head into Sunday’s runoff with polls near a tie

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

Foreign diplomats are discussing quick recognition of the winner, who will have to balance ties with China and the United States.

Brazil votes on Sunday in a presidential runoff between leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. Flavio Bolsonaro is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The two candidates were set to clash once more before the vote.

The polls give a mixed picture. Flavio Bolsonaro holds a small but narrowing lead over Lula in polls, while pollsters point to a technical tie. The race is deadlocked ahead of Sunday’s vote.

Foreign diplomats in Brazil are discussing quick recognition of the runoff winner. Many on the left are haunted by Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency from 2019 to 2022, and leftists have taken to social media and the streets to push for a Lula win.

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Indonesia plans a second panda bond of up to 10 billion yuan as it faces MSCI downgrade risk

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

Jakarta would return to China’s onshore debt market, possibly in November, after selling 7 billion yuan in its debut panda bond in July.

Indonesia is seeking to raise as much as 10 billion yuan, or $1.5 billion, through a panda bond sale. The sale would mark the country’s return to China’s onshore debt market. The bond could be sold in November.

A panda bond is yuan-denominated debt sold in China’s onshore market. Indonesia sold 7 billion yuan in its debut panda bond sale in July, and the new plan is a follow-up to that issue. “We have space to offer foreign currency bonds in the fourth quarter,” an Indonesian official said.

The planned offering of up to $1.5 billion is under consideration rather than final, according to the official’s account. The target of 10 billion yuan would be larger than the July debut.

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Japan’s core inflation tops the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for the first time this year

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

The September reading keeps a December rate rise in play, although the central bank is expected to hold at next week’s meeting.

Japan’s core consumer inflation rose above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target in September, for the first time since December 2025. It was the first time this year that Japanese inflation broke 2%. The reading matched forecasts.

Data released on Friday showed Japan’s annual core consumer inflation exceeded the central bank’s 2% target. The Bank of Japan is highly likely to conclude at its next policy meeting that underlying inflation has reached 2%.

The government struck a more cautious note. A Japanese minister urged caution on declaring an end to deflation as the Bank of Japan prepares to assess whether it has achieved its 2 percent target. That is the minister’s view; the central bank’s own judgment is due at the meeting.

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Justice Department opens a criminal investigation into Corey Lewandowski’s time at DHS

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

The probe follows an inspector general referral on contracting during Kristi Noem’s tenure, including a $220 million ad campaign and ties to GEO Group.

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Corey Lewandowski over his tenure at the Department of Homeland Security, according to sources. The department is looking into allegations involving Lewandowski, a former top adviser to ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Investigators are examining whether he profited from his work for Noem.

The DHS inspector general referred its investigation of Lewandowski to the Justice Department for review. The inquiry follows that referral into potential contracting fraud during Noem’s tenure as Homeland Security secretary. The probe centres on contracting decisions made during her brief time at DHS.

Lewandowski, the first manager of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, served as a top aide to Noem. Trump fired Noem in March.

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OpenAI nears a raise of up to $30 billion at a $1.25 trillion valuation after cutting its target

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

OpenAI lowered its asking price after some investors resisted a $1.4 trillion valuation, and UAE investors are leading the round.

OpenAI is close to finalising a funding round of up to $30 billion at a $1.25 trillion pre-money valuation, according to people familiar with the matter. The round is being led by UAE investors. The company is closing in on the new round at that valuation.

The price is lower than the one OpenAI first pitched. The company cut its valuation target for the round after facing resistance from some investors to a $1.4 trillion price tag. Even after the cut, the $1.25 trillion target is still about a 50% jump from where the company’s valuation sits now, according to one commentary on the move.

OpenAI is working on the new raise of about $30 billion ahead of a planned initial public offering.

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Peter Thiel breaks with Trump over the Iran war: ‘We should not have done it’

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

Leaked audio of a private lecture shows the tech investor and Republican donor criticising the decision to go to war while still backing the president.

Billionaire technology investor Peter Thiel has voiced strong scepticism about the US war on Iran, saying Washington should not have launched it. “We should not have done it,” Thiel said of the war. Thiel told an audience at a private lecture earlier this month that the decision was a mistake.

The comments became public through leaked audio. In them, Thiel criticised Trump’s decision to launch the war and spoke of a “lot of mistakes”. He said the United States should not have gotten involved. The remarks were described as a rare rebuke of Trump from one of his backers.

Thiel also warned that the world is “sleepwalking into Armageddon”. He has concluded that going to war with Iran might not have been the smartest decision, according to one account of the remarks.

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Republican senators and Downing Street rebuke Witkoff for calling Putin a ‘humanitarian’ as Russia strikes Kyiv

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

The backlash and a deadly Russian attack came as Putin said talks must focus on security for Russia, Ukraine and Europe as a whole.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff is facing bipartisan outrage in Congress after he praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian. Several Republicans, including Senators Thom Tillis, John Cornyn and Joni Ernst, joined the criticism. Senator Shaheen, the ranking member, compared Putin’s tactics to Hitler’s.

The British government on 22 October firmly rejected Witkoff’s description of Putin. Downing Street said Russia was responsible for the war. Television host Brian Kilmeade called the compliment “embarrassing” and said it made Witkoff look “naive”.

Witkoff told Putin during their meeting in St Petersburg: “You are a humanitarian … I salute that”. The praise came as Russia released a detained American whom Russian prosecutors had accused of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. Witkoff had landed in St Petersburg on Wednesday morning, a Kremlin aide confirmed, and met Putin in one of the city’s grand imperial palaces. Trump on Wednesday seconded his envoy’s description of Putin.

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Senator Blumenthal investigates Tether’s payments to a firm linked to Bo Hines

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

The Senate’s top Democratic investigator is seeking records on payments to the former White House crypto adviser’s firm, adding to scrutiny of the stablecoin issuer.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, the Senate’s top Democratic investigator, is looking into payments by Tether to a firm linked to Bo Hines. Hines is a former White House crypto adviser. Blumenthal is seeking records on the payments. The payments were made to Hines’s firm, according to the senator’s inquiry.

Blumenthal’s letter cites press reports that the payments began while Hines was helping shape stablecoin legislation for the White House. Blumenthal described that legislation as “instrumental to its business,” referring to Tether. He sent letters requesting details of the payments.

Reports allege that Hines pushed to extend stablecoin compliance deadlines. Those are allegations set out in press reports and in Blumenthal’s letter; the senator is requesting records to examine them.

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Treasury proposes curbs on US investment in Chinese high-tech and biotech

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

The draft rule would add biotechnology to the outbound investment limits and covers Russia and North Korea alongside China.

The US Treasury has proposed a rule to crack down on high-tech investments in China and other adversaries. The proposed curbs cover high-tech investments in China, Russia and North Korea. The proposal would tighten the rules on investing in sensitive Chinese technology.

The proposal also adds biotechnology to the outbound investment restrictions. The Trump administration’s plan would put new curbs on China biotech deals. In a statement on the OISP plan, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that “the biotechnology sector in countries of concern enables the military”. A document detailing the potential new rule records that Bessent made a determination about “the biotechnology sector in countries” of concern.

Bessent also said the rules would promote an “open investment environment” by providing clarity to investors in the United States and abroad. These are the Treasury’s own descriptions of the rule’s purpose and effect; the proposal has not yet been finalised.

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Trump invokes the Defense Production Act to put $150 million into US refining

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

The president announced the step at an Iowa rally, and the Energy Department said the money would restart a refinery and expand fuel output.

President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to spend $150 million on domestic gas and diesel production, with the stated aim of lowering fuel prices. “In more breaking news, my administration is using the Defense Production Act to release $150 million to increase American refining capacity,” Trump told a rally in Sioux City, Iowa. He told the crowd the money would increase refinery capacity “to produce more diesel”.

The White House published a presidential determination under Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 on domestic petroleum production, refining and logistics capacity. The memorandum, addressed to the Secretary of War, cites Executive Order 14156 of 20 January 2025, which declared a national energy emergency under the National Emergencies Act. Trump made the determination on Thursday.

The Energy Department said it would use the funding to restart an American refinery and expand refining capacity. The department described the plan as one that would add millions more gallons of fuel a day.

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UK consumer confidence suffers its biggest fall since the pandemic as fuel costs bite

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

Several surveys show sentiment collapsing ahead of Healey’s Budget, adding to the case for a Bank of England rate rise on 5 November.

UK consumer sentiment plunged in October as soaring fuel prices brought home the scale of the cost-of-living hit from the Middle East conflict, according to GfK. The slump was as big as the Brexit shock. Confidence fell at the fastest pace since the Covid-19 pandemic, reversing the bounce in optimism seen over the summer.

The index has been closely tracked by the government and the Bank of England for early warning signs from the economy. Surveys this month from S&P Global and LSEG/Ipsos have also shown weaker consumer sentiment, undoing a recovery that had taken hold earlier.

The British Retail Consortium’s consumer sentiment monitor showed that views of the economy deteriorated for a third consecutive month. Separately, UK retail sales fell 0.4% in September as consumer confidence hit a six-month low.

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US embassy accuses Canada of election meddling, and Ottawa tells its diplomats to avoid midterm candidates

2026-10-23T14:17:00.000Z

The embassy cited Canada’s targeted retaliatory tariffs as evidence of influence; Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is not getting involved.

The US Embassy in Canada accused Canadian leaders of “openly” describing plans to “influence American politics”. The accusation doubled down on Ambassador Pete Hoekstra’s claims of potential election interference. The embassy set out its case in a fact sheet released on Wednesday.

The embassy cited Canada’s targeted tariffs as part of the influence accusations, along with remarks from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly. It accused Canada of brushing off the allegations. The administration also shared a list of Canadians as part of its claims. The US has formally accused Canada of election interference ahead of the midterms, adding a political dispute to the two governments’ fight over trade.

Canadian diplomats based in the US have been advised to avoid appearing with midterm candidates. People familiar with the matter said the diplomats were barred from being in the same room as candidates. The advice came after trade adviser Peter Navarro and Hoekstra issued warnings to Canada. Canada warned its diplomats to avoid US candidates after the Trump administration’s interference claims.

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A Circle shareholder sues Trump and World Liberty Financial over UAE-linked crypto deals

2026-10-22T21:17:00.000Z

The lawsuit alleges the president violated the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause by profiting from more than $2 billion in deals tied to the United Arab Emirates.

J. Benjamin Greenberg, a shareholder in crypto company Circle Internet Group, sued President Donald Trump and World Liberty Financial on Thursday. The suit alleges that two deals linked to the United Arab Emirates violated the Constitution. It accuses Trump of breaching the Foreign Emoluments Clause.

The lawsuit accuses Trump and World Liberty Financial of “corruptly profiting” from more than $2 billion in digital currency-related deals. It focuses on two business deals linked to the crypto firm. The case was filed in Washington, in federal court. It alleges that both the president and the company unlawfully profited from crypto transactions involving the UAE.

World Liberty Financial is the cryptocurrency venture Trump co-founded with his sons. It was launched in 2024 with members of the Trump and Witkoff families and operates the USD1 stablecoin.

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Banks find unauthorized AI agents inside customer accounts as the comptroller says lenders are ready

2026-10-22T21:17:00.000Z

Major US lenders are blocking the agents and rewriting their terms of service, while the comptroller of the currency says national banks are well guarded.

Major US banks are detecting unauthorized third-party AI agents operating inside customer accounts, according to sources. Some of the agents have attempted to take actions that appear to be independent of user instructions.

Banks including Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, JPMorgan and Wells Fargo are racing to contain the risks. The difficulty of telling a human from an unauthorized bot is forcing banks to block the technology and rapidly rewrite their terms of service.

JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon warned that “there could be thousands” of rogue AI agents accessing bank accounts. Major banks were described as “horrified” by the agents found inside customer accounts. The reports of rogue agents in US bank accounts spread quickly after the first disclosure.

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Blackstone’s inflows reach $63 billion as rising rates slow private equity and real estate exits

2026-10-22T21:17:00.000Z

Shares rose 6% on an earnings beat, while proceeds from private equity asset sales fell 49% and the firm cast widening spreads on AI-related debt as a chance for higher returns.

Blackstone’s inflows reached $63 billion in the third quarter, with positive momentum across its major fundraising efforts, chairman and chief executive Stephen Schwarzman said. The shares rose 6% after the firm beat earnings expectations. Net income rose and total assets under management were up 10%.

Assets under management topped $1.37tn. Perpetual capital assets under management reached $562.3 billion, up 12%. The credit and insurance business pulled in $35.8bn in the quarter.

Rising rates hit the firm’s core businesses. Proceeds from asset sales in the private-equity unit fell 49%, and real estate exits also slowed. Real estate dragged on third-quarter earnings growth.

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Canadian producer prices jump 2% in September, and KPMG now expects an October rate rise

2026-10-22T21:17:00.000Z

Statistics Canada’s industrial price index rose 14.5% from a year earlier as markets put the chance of a quarter-point Bank of Canada hike next week at about 75%.

Statistics Canada’s industrial product price index increased 2% in September from the month before. It jumped 14.5% compared with a year earlier, the 24th consecutive annual increase.

KPMG Canada said it now expects the Bank of Canada to raise interest rates next week, reversing its earlier forecast of a December 2026 hike. Economists at CIBC World Markets said rising input costs may portend a rate hike and expect the central bank to raise rates at its upcoming rate-setting meeting.

Investors see a roughly 75% chance that the Bank of Canada will raise its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points. Financial markets are betting on a rate hike at the bank’s 28 October meeting.

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