Trending Market News

First Solar Inc announced it will withdraw its patent infringement complaint from the U.S. International Trade Commission and instead focus on federal court lawsuits against rival solar manufacturers over TOPCon technology patents. The company will continue pursuing cases against affiliates of Canadian Solar, Jinko Solar, T1 Energy, and Trina Solar that were paused during the ITC proceeding. The withdrawal follows recent Trump administration trade measures on polysilicon and solar product imports.

• First Solar is withdrawing its Section 337 ITC complaint without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of refiling later, and will resume federal patent lawsuits that had been paused
• The disputes involve TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contact) technology patents that First Solar acquired through its 2013 purchase of TetraSun, though the company manufactures cadmium telluride panels rather than silicon-based products
• T1 Energy, the only defendant to comment, called the ITC complaint 'flawed' and stated it would defend itself, noting it is the only American company that both owns TOPCon patents and manufactures TOPCon modules

The House of Representatives voted to hold billionaire Leon Black, former Apollo Global Management CEO, in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas related to an investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The matter will be referred to the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution, with potential penalties ranging from one to twelve months in prison.

• Black failed to appear for a September 3 deposition and did not fully comply with subpoenas requesting nondisclosure agreements he has been party to
• Black paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning advice between 2012-2017, despite knowing of Epstein's 2008 guilty plea involving soliciting prostitution from an underage girl
• Black filed a lawsuit against the committee arguing the subpoenas are invalid and exceed legislative authority, calling the contempt action 'retaliation' and 'textbook abuse of power'

The Federal Reserve approved a quarter-point interest rate hike on September 16, 2026, raising the federal funds rate to 3.75%-4%, marking its first increase in over three years. The unanimous 12-0 vote aims to combat elevated inflation driven by rising oil prices from the Iran war and lingering tariff impacts. Updated projections indicate 16 of 18 officials expect one more hike later this year, though no increases are planned beyond 2026.

• The Fed raised rates by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4%, with the 'dot plot' showing 16 of 18 officials expecting another hike this year and four seeing two more as possible
• Inflation projections were increased to 3.7% for headline PCE and 3.4% for core, with the Fed not expecting to reach its 2% target until 2029
• Market borrowing costs surged in response, with 30-year mortgage rates climbing to 7.19% and the 10-year Treasury yield rising a quarter point since Fed Chairman Warsh's Jackson Hole remarks in August

Novartis has discontinued development of its experimental ALS drug, lifonebart (VHB937), after it failed to meet primary and secondary endpoints in a mid-stage trial with 251 patients. This marks the latest in a series of setbacks for the Swiss drugmaker in 2026, including failures of a heart drug, muscle-wasting treatment, and suspension of cell therapy studies following patient deaths.

• The drug failed to stabilize TREM2 protein in early-stage ALS patients within two years of symptom onset, adding to a pattern of TREM2 drug candidate failures across the industry
• Novartis continues to study the same drug for Alzheimer's disease, with mid-stage patient recruitment ongoing despite the ALS trial failure
• The failure intensifies investor concerns following multiple recent setbacks, including three patient deaths that led to halting eight of 10 studies for the company's rap-cel cell therapy

Poland's Orlen purchased 16 million barrels of additional crude oil to supply its refineries in Poland, Lithuania, and Czech Republic after disruptions to Saudi Arabian supplies caused by an Iran-aligned militia attack. The attack took Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline offline on September 10, impacting deliveries from Saudi Aramco, which has been Orlen's largest supplier since 2022, providing around 40% of its volumes.

• Orlen is sourcing replacement crude from Norway, Great Britain, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and the Americas to cover demand through November
• Saudi Aramco supplied approximately 40% of Orlen's crude volumes, but Saudi Arabia has not announced when the East-West Pipeline will reopen
• Orlen recently signed a deal with Norway's Equinor for Sverdrup crude covering 25% of supply needs, part of its strategy to diversify away from Russian oil dependence

American Airlines and United Airlines are planning additional capacity cuts in response to surging fuel prices that are adding roughly $1 billion to American's fourth-quarter costs alone. Both carriers are trimming less-profitable routes while maintaining that strong demand and higher fares will allow them to recover most of the increased fuel expenses, though the recovery may lag.

• American Airlines faces approximately $1 billion in additional Q4 fuel costs, with each 1-cent fuel price change impacting quarterly expenses by about $10 million
• United has already canceled some December flights and warned of potential further cuts in Q1 2027 if fuel prices remain elevated
• Despite capacity reductions, both airlines report resilient demand across all segments, with American projecting Q3 revenue growth of 16-19% year-over-year and executives describing bookings as 'tremendously strong'

Adidas has cut an unspecified number of jobs from its technology team in India as part of efforts to simplify operations. The sportswear company announced the workforce reduction on Wednesday, though specific numbers of affected employees were not disclosed.

• The job cuts specifically target Adidas's technology team based in India
• The company framed the layoffs as part of broader operational simplification efforts
• No specific numbers were provided regarding how many positions were eliminated

Uber and Costco have expanded their Uber Eats delivery partnership from 17 states to 47 states, making nearly 600 Costco warehouse locations available for delivery to members. The expansion allows Costco to reach younger consumers while helping Uber Eats compete in the increasingly crowded grocery and food delivery market against rivals like Instacart, DoorDash, and Walmart.

• Nearly 600 Costco stores are now accessible through Uber Eats, with all Costco items available for delivery and membership verification required before purchase
• Some Costco members will receive discounts on Uber One subscriptions, and customers can purchase Costco memberships directly through the Uber Eats app
• The move intensifies competition in grocery delivery as Walmart recently launched 'Walmart Restaurant Delivery' and established players like Instacart and DoorDash continue expanding

Amazon announced on September 16 that it is raising the minimum wage for eligible full-time U.S. operations workers by $1 to $20 per hour. The company also introduced a new benefit called 'Day 1 Financial' providing lifetime access to low-cost banking services, building on its existing benefits package.

• The wage increase brings Amazon's minimum hourly pay for full-time operations workers to $20, up from $19
• Amazon's average total compensation for eligible full-time operations employees will exceed $32 per hour when including benefits
• New 'Day 1 Financial' benefit offers qualified employees and families lifetime access to low-cost banking through First Tech Federal Credit Union

Autonomous ride-hailing technology firm May Mobility has agreed to go public through a $1.4 billion SPAC merger with ACP Holdings Acquisition, with trading expected on Nasdaq under ticker 'MAY'. The deal reflects renewed investor interest in autonomous driving technology as AI advances bring driverless vehicles closer to widespread deployment.

• The transaction will generate up to $337 million in gross proceeds, including a fully committed $120 million PIPE from institutional and strategic investors
• May Mobility has completed over 550,000 commercial autonomous rides across 1.1 million miles in the U.S. and Japan since its 2017 founding, raising approximately $445 million to date
• The company has established partnerships with major ride-hailing platforms including Uber, Lyft, and Grab, positioning itself in the competitive autonomous vehicle market

Google has signed its largest carbon-removal deal with Brazilian developer Terradot, funding an enhanced rock weathering project across 200,000 hectares of rice paddies in Rio Grande do Sul. The initiative uniquely combines methane abatement from rice farming with atmospheric carbon dioxide capture, aiming to generate 1 million tons of credits in each category by 2030 and 2040 respectively.

• The project is the largest enhanced rock weathering initiative to date and the first at scale to combine methane reduction with carbon removal, addressing both short-term and long-term climate impacts
• Rice paddies account for 10-12% of global methane emissions; the model could eventually expand across Brazil's 1.5 million hectares of rice fields and replicate in India and Vietnam
• Credit pricing remains above the $100/ton industry target (previous deals implied ~$300/ton), though Terradot's CEO says the new project represents 'a big step toward' that threshold through reduced verification costs

Starbucks is considering selling a majority stake in its Japan operations, potentially valued at approximately $3 billion, as part of CEO Brian Niccol's global portfolio restructuring efforts. The Japan business operates 1,883 stores, representing nearly 9% of Starbucks' global footprint and is the company's largest overseas company-operated market. A formal sales process could begin in the fourth quarter of 2025.

• Starbucks Japan has grown significantly since the company took full control in 2014 for $914 million, expanding from 1,050 stores to 1,883 outlets, with the business now estimated at around $3 billion
• The potential divestiture follows a similar move in China, where Starbucks ceded control to Boyu Capital in a $4 billion deal that closed in April 2025, amid pressure from slowing growth and competition
• Analysts suggest monetizing Japan would allow management to focus on reviving the core U.S. business, where efforts to stabilize demand through menu simplification and marketing have increased costs and pressured margins

South Korea's SK Hynix is in talks with Intel to manufacture memory chips in the U.S. for the first time, potentially leasing part of Intel's Ohio facility or forming a joint venture with Intel and cloud companies. The deal would benefit the Trump administration's push for domestic chip production and help financially-strained Intel, but faces potential opposition from the South Korean government over technology transfer concerns.

• Two scenarios under discussion: SK Hynix leasing part of Intel's Ohio facility, or forming a venture with Intel and major cloud firms to secure memory chip supplies amid acute shortages driven by AI demand
• South Korean government may oppose the deal if it involves 'national core technology' like advanced HBM or DRAM, requiring review under Industrial Technology Protection Act
• U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has threatened up to 100% tariffs on South Korean and Taiwanese chipmakers unless they commit to increased U.S. production, putting SK Hynix in a difficult position between Washington pressure and Seoul's leverage tactics

Malaysia's government is conducting scenario planning with rival airlines Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air about potentially absorbing AirAsia's domestic routes as the budget carrier faces severe financial pressures. AirAsia, which controls 60% of Malaysia's domestic market, owes airport operator MAHB at least 500 million ringgit and is seeking over $1 billion in fresh capital after posting an 831 million ringgit second-quarter loss driven by surging fuel costs.

• AirAsia has current liabilities of 18.4 billion ringgit ($4.51 billion) as of June 30, with some sources estimating it needs at least $3 billion in fresh capital to address its financial position
• The airline suffered a 66% surge in jet fuel costs to $183 per barrel in Q2, along with 331 million ringgit in foreign-exchange losses, contributing to its quarterly net loss
• Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air told the government they would only take over AirAsia's operations at scale if they could assume its aircraft leases, though both prefer organic expansion over acquiring the entire business

Australian plumbing supplies company Reliance Worldwide has agreed to a $2.9 billion buyout offer from Brookfield after facing significant pressure from U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty. The board unanimously recommended the deal, citing execution risks and challenging macroeconomic conditions. Brookfield made four approaches before Reliance accepted the A$4.75 per share cash offer.

• Reliance's Americas sales fell 4% in fiscal 2026 while adjusted operating earnings dropped over 11% due to U.S. tariffs, lower volumes, and higher input costs
• The company depends on North America for the majority of its profits, making tariff impacts particularly severe on its business prospects
• A 'Go Shop' provision allows Reliance to seek competing bids during a specified period before the deal closes

Nissan announced it will build a new hybrid small SUV, the Kicks e-POWER, at its Sunderland, UK plant with a £170 million ($229 million) investment. The decision comes amid restructuring efforts and concerns over the future of Britain's largest car assembly plant, which has been in discussions with the UK government for financial support.

• The Kicks e-POWER hybrid will be assembled alongside the Qashqai, Juke, and electric Leaf models at Sunderland, though no production timeline was provided
• Nissan is undergoing cost-cutting restructuring, including job cuts and shelving projects like the electric Qashqai version
• The UK government has been in discussions with Nissan about financial support in exchange for long-term commitment to the Sunderland facility

OpenAI is in early-stage discussions with investors about a funding round that would value the company at approximately $1.2 trillion ahead of a potential IPO. This represents a significant increase from its March 2024 valuation of $852 billion following a funding round with $122 billion in committed capital. The investor-initiated talks remain preliminary and the valuation could change in coming months.

• The $1.2 trillion valuation would mark a roughly 41% increase from OpenAI's $852 billion valuation in its March funding round
• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stated the company will not go public in 2026, citing AI safety concerns
• Rival Anthropic is reportedly preparing to begin marketing its IPO in mid-October, with a potential listing before the November U.S. midterm elections

Meta plans to launch a camera-free pair of smart glasses, internally code-named Luna, this fall, according to The Information. The move represents a departure from Meta's existing Ray-Ban smart glasses that include camera functionality. Reuters has not independently verified the report.

• The new smart glasses are internally code-named 'Luna' and are scheduled for release in fall 2025
• The camera-free design marks a shift from Meta's current Ray-Ban Display glasses that include camera capabilities
• The report comes from The Information and has not been independently verified by Reuters

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff joined the growing debate over AI safety, urging the AI industry to act responsibly and ethically as increasingly powerful models are developed and deployed. He cited social media's harmful impact on society as a cautionary tale, warning AI companies not to repeat those mistakes. His comments come amid intensifying industry discussions about AI safety, including recent calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for frontier labs to slow development.

• Benioff's warning is notable given Salesforce's deep ties to AI companies like Anthropic, whose Claude model was recently integrated into Salesforce's Agentforce 2.0 platform
• The CEO has been an outspoken critic of social media since 2018, and is now applying similar concerns to AI development, emphasizing that 'a lot of companies got hurt, a lot of individuals got hurt through social media'
• While stopping short of calling for slowed AI development, Benioff stressed that AI companies must take responsibility for broader consequences and act ethically as the technology becomes more powerful

The Trump administration appealed a court ruling that blocked the EPA from sending California's vehicle emissions waivers to Congress for potential repeal. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled on September 2 that the EPA acted improperly by submitting four California emissions waivers to the Republican-controlled Congress in June. The waivers include stricter emissions standards for cars, trucks, and lawn-and-garden equipment.

• Judge Beryl Howell blocked the EPA's attempt to send four California emissions waivers to Congress for fast-track repeal review
• The disputed waivers cover stricter emissions standards for vehicles (cars and trucks) and lawn-and-garden equipment
• The appeal sets up a continued legal battle over California's authority to set its own emissions rules under the Trump administration