CNN – Business/Consumer

By Clare Duffy, CNN New York (CNN) — “Good morning, my fellow federal furloughed employees!” That’s the start of one of scores of TikTok videos that have been posted by federal workers in the two weeks since the government shutdown began. A growing number of affected employees — both furloughed workers and essential staffers who

By Elisabeth Buchwald, Matt Egan, CNN (CNN) — Many Americans shrugged off the implosion of a pair of overleveraged Bear Stearns hedge funds in 2007. Stocks were at record highs, after all. But later it became apparent that those bankruptcies were among the first shoes to drop in an epic financial meltdown that would impact

By Brian Stelter, CNN (CNN) — A flyer with the words “journalism is not a crime” appeared Tuesday on the wall outside the “Correspondents’ Corridor” where journalists operate at the Pentagon. It was a silent protest of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new policy that severely restricts press access. The policy criminalizes routine reporting, according to

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — An upcoming version of popular chatbot ChatGPT will relax existing restrictions to allow more content, including erotica, for verified adult users, according to OpenAI chief Sam Altman. Altman said in a post on X published Tuesday that the move is part of a drive to “treat adult users like

By Jeanne Sahadi, CNN (CNN) — Federal workers’ experiences this year with layoffs and furloughs may seem extreme. But to anyone who works for a living, they’re a reminder that when you see signs that your job may be at risk, it helps to create a financial plan. US government workers were laid off in

By John Towfighi, CNN New York (CNN) — After months of steadily climbing higher, stocks are bouncing around as investors process renewed US-China trade tensions. Stocks were mixed on Tuesday in volatile trading: The Dow gained 203 points, or 0.44%, after falling as much as 615 points earlier. The S&P 500 fell 0.16%. The tech-heavy

By John Liu, CNN (CNN) — The Dutch government has taken control of a Chinese-owned chip company based in the Netherlands following pressure from Washington, in a move that spotlights how countries are caught in the middle of the US-China battle for tech dominance. Headquartered in the city of Nijmegen, Nexperia produces lower-end chips for

By Ramishah Maruf, CNN New York (CNN) — New car buyers can expect to shell out an average of more than $50,000 for the first time, according to a report from Kelley Blue Book. The average price customers paid for a new vehicle in the US was $50,080 in September, a reflection in part of

By Bryan Mena, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Federal Reserve is doing a difficult balancing act, trying to tamp down inflation while lifting up the job market, Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday. “There is no risk-free path for policy as we navigate the tension between our employment and inflation goals,” Powell said in prepared remarks

By Jordan Valinsky, CNN New York (CNN) — Walmart is partnering with OpenAI to let users browse and make purchases directly through its popular chatbot ChatGPT, as the world’s largest retailer looks to use AI to leapfrog rival Amazon in online shopping. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in an announcement Tuesday that the retailer’s current

By Ana Nicolaci da Costa, CNN London (CNN) — Higher US tariffs have so far had a smaller impact globally than expected, but it would be “premature and incorrect” to conclude they have had no effect on economic growth, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday. The IMF slightly upgraded its expectations for global and US

By Clare Duffy, CNN New York (CNN) — Instagram is further cracking down on what millions of young people can see on the platform, aligning its “Teen Accounts” safety settings with the guidelines for PG-13 movies. The Meta-owned platform launched teen accounts last year, its most dramatic effort yet to protect young people following years

By Gordon Ebanks, CNN (CNN) — Scouting America, the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts, is giving scouts the chance to earn two merit badges that engage new technology: one in artificial intelligence, and another in cybersecurity. The organization, which counts about a million scouts in its ranks, offers hundreds of merit badges spanning

By Clare Duffy, CNN New York (CNN) — Billionaire investor Frank McCourt, an early bidder for TikTok, told CNN last month he is looking into whether the White House-brokered agreement for a majority-American investor group to buy the app’s US assets is legal. While McCourt said “it’s too early to say” whether he would seek

By John Liu, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — President Donald Trump expressed shock at China’s “surprising” move to unleash sweeping export controls on rare earths, accusing the country of “becoming very hostile.” But according to Beijing, it was Washington’s expansion of curbs on Chinese firms that ratcheted up tensions and drove it to further tighten

By Associated Press (CNN) — LendingTree CEO and founder Doug Lebda died in an all-terrain vehicle accident over the weekend, the online loaning platform said Monday. He was 55. In a company announcement, LendingTree confirmed that Lebda died on Sunday and that the company was grieving his unexpected death. A spokesperson said the accident occurred

By Brian Stelter, CNN (CNN) — The Pentagon is telling beat reporters to sign restrictive new rules by Tuesday or surrender their press passes by Wednesday. Virtually every news outlet is rejecting the ultimatum and saying they will not sign. The Pentagon Press Association, a body that represents the beat reporters, says the new policy

By John Towfighi, CNN New York (CNN) — Cryptocurrencies plunged in value on Friday in a short but significant flash crash, leaving investors with billions of dollars in losses and highlighting the volatility associated with the industry. Traders were jolted after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on imports from China, sparking a sell-off in

By Lisa Eadicicco, CNN (CNN) — OpenAI is partnering with Broadcom to design and develop 10 gigawatts of custom AI chips and systems, a massive amount of power that will use as much electricity as a large city. The move further highlights just how power intensive the AI boom has become. It’s the latest partnership

By Jordan Valinsky, CNN New York (CNN) — JPMorgan Chase on Monday announced a massive investment plan that places a substantial bet on industries it thinks are critical to the United States’ economic security. As part of the decade-long initiative, the bank said it’s investing $10 billion in select companies that are primarily based in