Monday, October 26, 2026
14 stories
New York City Mayor Mamdani's early efforts on homeless encampments are drawing criticism from community leaders, who say the problem has not been addressed. In some cases, they say, the efforts have made things worse. The criticism centers on whether the mayor's early approach is working at all.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term as Brazil's president in an election upset, according to the Journal's morning roundup. The same roundup also notes Citigroup receiving regulator approval for a wholly owned securities venture in China, and a tanker carrying Russian diesel signaling a U.S. port after a Trump-Putin deal.
California's proposed billionaire tax has divided Democrats, with a messy fight unfolding over the plan. The dispute shows the party split over whether, and how, to tax the state's wealthiest residents. The same roundup also notes shoppers' suspicions that businesses use AI to set higher prices, and that more U.S. manufacturing jobs now require a college degree.
Many shoppers suspect retailers are using artificial intelligence to raise prices based on who is buying or on sudden need. Walmart, McDonald's and other companies have dismissed those concerns, saying they do not set prices that way. The dispute highlights growing unease about how AI might be used in everyday pricing.
U.S. manufacturing is adding jobs again, but the hiring rules have changed. A shift toward high-tech automation is creating roles with greater barriers to entry, so the new factory jobs are not the same as the old ones. Workers looking to get in may now need more training or credentials than before.
South Korea holds a key to America's shipbuilding revival, according to the Journal. The same roundup also notes Audi planning a $4.2 billion investment to build its first U.S. factory, and recyclers picking apart retiring wind turbines for rare earths.
Oil prices fell from recent highs as traders weighed diplomatic efforts to ease U.S.-Iran hostilities against renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The market is caught between hopes for diplomacy and persistent Middle East tensions. For now, the pullback reflects that push and pull rather than a clear direction.
A former Deutsche Bank executive went into business with the kingpins of Russia's shadow fleet, and then it all went south. What followed was a battle involving death threats, lawsuits and billions of dollars over the movement of Russian oil. The story shows how murky, and how high-stakes, the trade in Russian oil has become.
Siemens Energy looks like an overlooked bargain tied to the AI boom, according to the Journal. The German energy giant is outselling GE Vernova on gas turbines. That edge, the piece argues, makes it a bargain investors are missing.
Rivan Industries and other startups are betting they can make green fuel cost-competitive using mini power plants that draw on the air around them. The idea is to produce fuel from ambient air rather than from fossil sources. If the economics work, the technology could offer a new route to cleaner fuel.
Saudi Arabia's Sabic, one of the world's largest petrochemical manufacturers, reported an increase in net profit despite lower sales volumes. Regional shipping disruptions weighed on sales, but profits still rose. The result shows a major producer growing earnings even as volumes and logistics work against it.
Galp Energia shares fell more than 8% after merger talks with Moeve over a potential downstream combination collapsed. The drop overshadowed earnings growth and a full-year guidance hike. Investors focused on the failed deal rather than the stronger results.
Retirement-village operator Ingenia revoked Warburg Pincus's access to its data room after receiving a rival US$1.55 billion takeover offer from AVID Property Group. The move shut out one suitor as a competing bid emerged. The episode shows how quickly a takeover contest can turn into a fight over access to information.
Britain's pubs are struggling with rising costs and younger drinkers who are more sober-curious, and pints alone will not save them. Bars are exploring niche community needs, with the Journal highlighting one activating its knitting circle, to find new revenue. The search for survival is pushing pubs to become community hubs, not just places to drink.