Trending Market News

PepsiCo plans to raise prices on select chip brands in the low- to mid-single-digit percentage range to offset rising costs, following earlier price cuts of up to 15% implemented in February 2026. The company is struggling with weak North American demand, shifting consumer preferences toward healthier snacks, and elevated commodity costs driven by higher fuel prices from the Iran war.

• New prices will remain lower than pre-February 2026 levels and affect grocery-sized bags of Doritos, Ruffles, and some sodas by end of 2026 or early 2027
• PepsiCo's North America food business posted a 2% sales drop in Q2 2026, with volumes remaining negative throughout the year despite price cuts
• Activist investor Elliott Investment Management holds a roughly $4 billion stake and is pressuring the company to revive its soda business and boost market share

Paramount Skydance announced a $7.5 billion senior secured term loan as part of broader financing to fund its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. The deal recently cleared final domestic legal hurdles after settling litigation with California-led states and the Writers Guild of America. The combined company is expected to carry approximately $80 billion in debt upon deal closure.

• Paramount plans to raise $44.4 billion in additional secured debt beyond the $7.5 billion term loan and previously announced financings
• Proceeds will fund the Warner Bros Discovery purchase and repay existing debt, utilizing cash on hand and prior equity financing
• As part of settlement terms, Paramount agreed to increase U.S. film production and establish an editorial-independence board for CBS and CNN, avoiding forced asset sales

Oracle's stock declined following reports that the company issued a force majeure notice related to a data center project. The notice suggests Oracle may be unable to fulfill contractual obligations for the project due to circumstances beyond its control. This development raises concerns about Oracle's cloud infrastructure expansion plans.

• Oracle issued a force majeure notice on a data center project, indicating potential delays or inability to meet project commitments
• The company's shares fell in response to the news, reflecting investor concern about cloud infrastructure development
• Force majeure typically refers to unforeseeable circumstances that prevent contract fulfillment, potentially impacting Oracle's competitive position in cloud services

Darden Restaurants reported fiscal first-quarter earnings and revenue that missed Wall Street expectations, driven primarily by slowing same-store sales growth at its flagship Olive Garden chain. While the company's overall same-store sales grew 3.1%, Olive Garden managed only 1.1% growth as consumers became more selective with spending.

• Olive Garden same-store sales grew just 1.1%, significantly underperforming the portfolio average of 3.1% as diners cut back on spending
• LongHorn Steakhouse led the portfolio with 6.2% same-store sales growth, continuing its streak as Darden's top performer
• Darden reiterated its fiscal 2027 forecast of $13.60-$13.75 billion in total sales despite the quarterly miss

Acadia Pharmaceuticals announced that its experimental drug remlifanserin failed to meet the primary endpoint in a mid-stage trial for Alzheimer's disease psychosis, which affects approximately 30% of Alzheimer's patients. Despite missing the main goal of reducing hallucinations and delusions after six weeks, the company will continue enrolling patients in two ongoing late-stage studies while discontinuing the 30-mg dose.

• The 60-mg once-daily dose showed greater improvement than placebo but fell short of statistical significance on the primary endpoint, though improvement increased throughout the six-week period
• The drug achieved statistical significance on a key secondary measure evaluating overall severity of Alzheimer's disease psychosis symptoms
• Safety profile was favorable with side effect rates similar to placebo, no apparent adverse effects on movement or cognitive function, and no deaths reported among patients receiving the drug

Lowe's is launching a drone delivery service in partnership with DoorDash and Alphabet's Wing, becoming the first home improvement retailer to offer this technology. The service, currently piloting in Matthews, North Carolina, delivers over 100 products within 20 minutes to customers within a 5-mile radius. The initiative aims to reduce friction for shoppers who need items mid-project without leaving their home or job site.

• Drones can transport orders of approximately 2.5 pounds per flight within a 5-mile radius, with delivery windows as fast as 20 minutes for over 100 products
• Customers order through DoorDash's platform, where drone delivery appears as an option for eligible users in the pilot location
• Lowe's joins retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Uber Eats in adopting drone delivery, though the technology faces regulatory challenges and public concerns about noise and privacy

Qualcomm announced Thursday it has extended its chip licensing agreement with Apple, effective April 1. The extension follows a 2019 settlement that ended a two-year legal battle over wireless-patent royalties and modem-chip supply. Apple exercised its option to extend the original six-year licensing deal by two years.

• The original agreement stemmed from a 2019 settlement where Apple made an undisclosed payment to Qualcomm and both companies dropped worldwide litigation
• The initial six-year global patent licensing deal ran from April 1, 2019, and included an option for Apple to extend by two years
• Neither company disclosed financial details or specific terms of the extended agreement

The US FDA approved Eli Lilly's Onswik, a once-weekly basal insulin injection for adults with type 2 diabetes, offering an alternative to daily insulin shots. The approval is based on clinical trials involving over 3,400 adults that showed the treatment effectively reduces blood sugar levels comparable to daily insulin options. The drug will be available in the US in coming months and has already received regulatory approvals in Europe, Japan, and Mexico.

• Onswik (insulin efsitora alfa-gobe) could reduce the number of injections by more than 300 per year compared to once-daily basal insulin treatments
• Late-stage trials across four studies demonstrated A1C reductions non-inferior to daily insulin glargine (sold as Sanofi's Lantus and Lilly's Basaglar)
• The drug should not be used in type 1 diabetes patients due to increased risk of severe hypoglycemia; it will be available as a pre-filled KwikPen in 500 and 1,000 units per milliliter concentrations

President Donald Trump and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping are meeting at the White House for a high-stakes summit focused on trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the Iran war. This marks Xi's first visit to Washington since 2015, with Trump making an unprecedented trip to Joint Base Andrews to personally greet Xi upon arrival. China analysts predict the summit will be cautious and yield few major deliverables despite the elaborate diplomatic ceremony.

• Trump became the first president since Obama in 2015 to greet a foreign leader at Joint Base Andrews, rolling out a red carpet and meeting Xi at the airplane stairs
• The summit agenda covers critical issues including trade tensions, AI policy, Taiwan relations, and the Iran conflict, though expectations for concrete outcomes remain modest
• A state dinner featuring U.S. business executives will be held, though Xi's planned delegation of Chinese CEOs reportedly did not materialize for the event

Merck announced that its experimental eye drug remigromig met the primary goal in a mid- to late-stage clinical trial for diabetic macular edema, a serious eye condition that can lead to blindness. The drug demonstrated non-inferiority compared to the control drug ranibizumab in adult patients with the disease, which causes swelling and fluid buildup in the retina.

• Remigromig achieved non-inferiority versus ranibizumab (the control drug) in treating diabetic macular edema
• Diabetic macular edema affects blood vessels at the back of the eye and causes swelling in the macula, potentially leading to blindness
• Trial results will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting

Bentley Motors has launched its first fully electric vehicle, the Torcal, priced at $229,500, entering the luxury EV market three months after Ferrari's controversial $626,000 Luce debut. The British carmaker's entry comes as other luxury brands like Porsche and Lamborghini scale back electric ambitions due to weak demand.

• The Torcal features a 600-kilometer range and sub-three-second 0-60mph acceleration, priced significantly lower than Ferrari's Luce at $229,500 versus $626,000
• Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser reports 'growing' acceptance of EVs among wealthy buyers despite broader market skepticism from competitors
• The vehicle represents Bentley's fourth model line and was developed over a four-year cycle at the company's Crewe, England manufacturing site

Amazon plans to invest $3 billion in India's quick commerce sector by 2030, with $1 billion by 2027 and an additional $2 billion through 2030. This marks the company's largest bet on fast-delivery services in India, where it currently holds only 6.2% market share compared to domestic rivals controlling 77%. The investment aims to help Amazon catch up in a rapidly growing sector projected to double from $19 billion to $41 billion by 2030.

• Amazon's India quick commerce business has exceeded $1 billion in annualized gross sales over the past three months, making it the fastest-growing segment in Amazon India's history
• Investment will fund expansion of small neighborhood warehouses, AI-powered demand prediction tools, and inventory management systems, with focus on daily essentials rather than one-off purchases like iPhones
• Domestic competitors Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto control 77% of the market with over 4,500 stores combined, while Walmart's Flipkart holds 11% with 1,000+ stores, leaving Amazon significantly behind

Swedish fashion retailer H&M reported third-quarter operating profit for June-August that exceeded market expectations. The company also provided guidance that September sales are expected to increase 1% in local currencies, signaling continued positive momentum for the retailer.

• H&M's June-August operating profit rose more than analysts had anticipated
• The company forecasts September sales growth of 1% in local currencies
• The results suggest H&M is maintaining profitability despite challenging retail market conditions

Qantas airport workers at four major Australian airports launched a 24-hour strike on Thursday, demanding higher pay, job security, and improved safety standards. The industrial action by the Transport Worker's Union involves ground services, freight operations, and regional carrier employees, with safety screeners in Sydney planning additional stoppages through September 28.

• Workers are seeking pay increases matching industry standards, more full-time positions, and consolidation under a single Qantas structure instead of fragmented subsidiaries
• The union cites safety concerns with workers being 'maimed and killed,' calling for a 'fundamental reset' after years of cost-cutting by Qantas
• Qantas was previously ordered to pay A$90 million ($64 million) after illegally outsourcing over 1,800 ground worker jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Chinese pharmaceutical company InnoCare Pharma announced a research collaboration and licensing agreement with U.S.-based Eli Lilly valued at up to $3.35 billion. The deal represents a significant cross-border partnership in drug development between the Chinese biotech firm and the major American pharmaceutical company.

• The agreement is structured as a research collaboration and license deal, though specific therapeutic areas or drug candidates were not disclosed in the announcement
• The total deal value of up to $3.35 billion likely includes upfront payments plus milestone-based payments contingent on development and commercial success
• This partnership reflects continued collaboration between Chinese and Western pharmaceutical companies despite broader geopolitical tensions

Honda Motor is preparing to build a new hybrid vehicle production plant in Ohio with an investment of $1.90 billion to $2.53 billion (300-400 billion yen), according to the Nikkei business daily. The plant is expected to begin production in 2030, marking a significant expansion of Honda's hybrid vehicle manufacturing capacity in the United States.

• Investment range: 300-400 billion yen ($1.90-$2.53 billion) for the new Ohio facility
• Production timeline: Plant expected to start operations in 2030
• Honda is in final preparation stages for the hybrid vehicle manufacturing facility

Boeing's hopes for securing new aircraft orders from China at the upcoming US-China summit are fading, with the company now focused on finalizing a previously announced 200-jet deal from May rather than winning additional commitments. Boeing has been effectively shut out of the Chinese market since 2017 while European rival Airbus has gained ground, despite China expecting to order 9,000 new jets by 2045.

• Boeing had initially discussed a deal for hundreds of jets ahead of the spring summit but only secured 200 aircraft in May, which remains unfinalized
• The Thursday summit agenda prioritizes extending the trade truce, AI safeguards, Taiwan arms sales, and commodity flows over new aircraft deals
• Airbus has gained market share in China through its Tianjin assembly line and more stable China-Europe relations, while Boeing faces both political headwinds and internal operational challenges

SoftBank Group has issued $11.1 billion in dollar- and euro-denominated bonds to fund its artificial intelligence investments. The proceeds will finance the final $10 billion tranche of SoftBank's $30 billion commitment to OpenAI, bringing its total investment in the ChatGPT-maker to $64.6 billion.

• The bond issuance includes $10 billion in dollar-denominated senior notes across three terms (3.5, 5.5, and 7.5 years) with interest rates ranging from 8.625% to 9.75%
• An additional €1 billion in euro-denominated notes were issued with 4-year and 6-year terms yielding 7.125% and 8% respectively
• SoftBank also issued 1 trillion yen ($6.32 billion) in corporate bonds aimed at retail investors earlier this month

The U.S. and China have extended their trade truce by two months to January 10, as Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit to Washington through Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the extension on Fox News, noting Beijing must fulfill additional deliverables, though the extension is shorter than the six months many had anticipated.

• The original one-year trade truce agreed in South Korea last October was set to expire in November but will now run until January 10
• The two-month extension is significantly shorter than the six months or longer that many observers had expected ahead of the summit
• Treasury Secretary Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York prior to Xi's arrival to discuss the trade agreement terms

CEOs from major surveillance technology companies, including Flock Safety, Axon Enterprise, Motorola Solutions, and Verkada, declined to attend a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing led by Chairman Josh Hawley examining AI-powered surveillance cameras and privacy concerns. The hearing addressed growing bipartisan concerns about nationwide surveillance networks, with Hawley suggesting the executives could face subpoenas to compel testimony. The scrutiny intensified after five Indiana police officers were charged with crimes related to surveillance technology misuse and a witness testified about being wrongly accused due to camera errors.

• Flock Safety operates about 120,000 AI-powered license plate readers nationwide; a single camera subscription costs approximately $3,000 annually and grants access to the entire network with billions of images
• Five Indiana police officers were charged with crimes related to misuse of surveillance technology, and witness Lindsey Isaacs testified she was wrongly accused of involvement in a fatal crash due to camera error
• Concerns about the surveillance network were bipartisan, with both Chairman Hawley and Ranking Member Durbin expressing frustration at the CEOs' absence and suggesting potential subpoenas to compel testimony