AP Business Digest
Here are the AP's top business stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit AP Newsroom's Coverage Plan.
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UPCOMING
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US TRUMP-CLIMATE
DESCRIPTION: The Trump administration was expected Tuesday to propose revoking a scientific finding that has long been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions and fight climate change. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had called in March for a rewrite of what's known as the endangerment finding -- a 2009 declaration that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. By Matthew Daly.
UPCOMING: By 07/29/2025 1:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
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STARBUCKS-RESULTS
DESCRIPTION: Starbucks is scheduled to release its fiscal third quarter results Tuesday.
UPCOMING: By 07/29/2025 4:30 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
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CLIMATE HEAT YAK HERDERS
DESCRIPTION: In India's remote Ladakh region, rising temperatures and erratic weather are making the wind-swept plains less hospitable to yaks and endangering the livelihoods of herders who have raised the shaggy animals for generations. The massive, cold-loving animals have roamed these high-altitude Himalayan pastures near the Tibetan border for centuries, providing food, wool and transportation. But warming temperatures and weather changes have made it harder for yaks to find nourishing vegetation and have also exposed their bodies to more stress. Researchers have found that the average temperature in the Ladakh region has increased by 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the last four decades, while heat waves have become more extreme and rains more unpredictable.
UPCOMING: By 07/29/2025 9:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text, Video
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NEW AND DEVELOPING
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US--FEDERAL RESERVE
Federal Reserve likely to stand pat on rates this week, deepening the gulf between Powell and Trump
SUMMARY: The Federal Reserve is expected to leave its short-term interest rate unchanged on Wednesday for the fifth straight meeting, a move that will likely underscore the deep divide between how Chair Jerome Powell and President Donald Trump see the economy. The Fed itself is increasingly divided over its next steps, and many economists expect that two members of the Fed's governing board could dissent on Wednesday in favor of cutting rates. Trump says that because the U.S. economy is doing well, the Fed should cut rates but Fed officials, and most economists, say a solid economy means rates should be relatively high to prevent overheating and a burst of inflation.
WORDS: 1047 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:29 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:992781f6409010df19e24ebb03863204&mediaType=text
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UNITEDHEALTH-RESULTS
UnitedHealth falls short of second quarter expectations and offers weak outlook for 2025
SUMMARY: UnitedHealth delivered disappointing second-quarter earnings and went conservative with its 2025 forecast as soaring medical costs continue to swamp insurers. The health care giant said Tuesday expenses that have jumped beyond what it expected when it set coverage prices will continue to pressure its performance. But the company expects a return to earnings growth in 2026. UnitedHealth now expects adjusted earnings of at least $16 per share in 2025 after withdrawing its previous forecast in May. It had started 2025 with expectations of making up to $30 per share. FactSet says analysts forecast $20.64 per share for the full year.
WORDS: 512 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:27 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4189fae975e4ee1c0aac88ed11b8dcf4&mediaType=text
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EU--GREECE-ISRAEL-CRUISE SHIP
Anti-war demonstrators protest the arrival of an Israeli cruise ship on the Greek island of Crete
SUMMARY: Demonstrators calling for an end to the war in Gaza have protested the arrival of an Israeli cruise ship on another Greek island. The protest on Crete on Tuesday was the third such one on Greek islands in the last week. Protesters on Crete unfurled a huge Palestinian flag at the port of Agios Nikolaos. Images on local media outlets showed that the demonstrators shouted "Free, free Palestine" as the tourists on board the Crown Iris disembarked and left on buses for their tours of the island. Riot police kept the crowd away from the pier where the cruise ship was docked while scuffles broke out between demonstrators and police. Local media reported that officers used pepper spray at one point to keep the crowd back.
WORDS: 384 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:26 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8e127f13348217bc032855621d3ea527&mediaType=text
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS
Wall Street tiptoes around its records as its busy week picks up momentum
SUMMARY: U.S. stock indexes are tiptoeing around their record levels as a busy week for Wall Street picks up momentum. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Tuesday after setting all-time highs for six straight days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 8 points, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.2% to its own record. JetBlue Airways and SoFi Technologies rallied, but Merck fell following a jumbled set of profit reports. Treasury yields eased a bit in the bond market as the Federal Reserve gets set to begin a two-day meeting on interest rates. Reports suggested the U.S. economy remains solid but is slowing.
WORDS: 743 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:23 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f71e1ad9dbc8d2991239b6dbfadeec0b&mediaType=text
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US--MILLIONAIRE BOOM
Millionaires multiply across the U.S., but most find it's not all mansions and champagne
WORDS: 1133 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:23 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8bc8bf04552feac2625afd6752faa29e&mediaType=text
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US-JOB-OPENINGS
US job openings fell to 7.4 million last month as job market continues to cool
SUMMARY: Employers posted 7.4 million job vacancies last month, a sign that the American job market continues to cool. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that job openings in June were down from 7.7 million in May. Layoffs were little changed. But the number of people quitting their jobs -- a sign of confidence in their prospects elsewhere -- dropped last month. The U.S. job market has lost momentum this year, partly because of the lingering effects of 11 interest rate hikes by the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve in 2022 and 2023 and partly because President Donald Trump's trade wars have created uncertainty that is paralyzing managers making hiring decisions.
WORDS: 280 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:14 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e947a345b65792e7ecde0b52947c2ee7&mediaType=text
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CONSUMER CONFIDENCE
US consumer confidence improves slightly in July, but Americans remain concerned about tariffs
SUMMARY: Americans' view of the U.S. economy improved this month, but Americans remain concerned about the impact of tariffs on their economic futures. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose two points to 97.2 in July, up from 95.2 the previous month. In April, American consumers' confidence in the economy sank to its lowest reading since May 2020, largely due to anxiety over the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs. A measure of Americans' short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market rose 4.5 points to 74.4, however that's still well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead.
WORDS: 143 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:14 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:66701044010feebc23dbf1802f947f99&mediaType=text
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US--TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD MERGER
Union Pacific and Norfolk seek 1st transcontinental railroad through a massive merger
SUMMARY: Union Pacific is seeking to buy Norfolk Southern in a $85 billion deal that would create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S, and potentially trigger a final wave of rail mergers across the country. The proposed merger, announced Tuesday, would marry Union Pacific's rail network in the West with Norfolk's rails that snake across Eastern states. The nation was first linked by rail in 1869, when a golden railroad spike was driven in Utah to symbolize the connection of East and West Coasts. Yet no single entity has controlled that coast-to-coast passage that so many businesses rely on.
WORDS: 1099 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 10:08 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b15664ec5cc55b985a0a32a1bf990d41&mediaType=text
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US--TARIFFS-PRICE-P&G
P&G to increase prices in part due to tariffs as shoppers remain cautious and delay purchases
SUMMARY: Consumer products giant Procter & Gamble offered an annual earnings outlook that was below analysts' projections and said it would raise prices on about a quarter of its products in the U.S. in part due to costs of President Donald Trump's tariffs. The assessment comes a day after the Cincinnati-based maker of such products as Crest toothpaste, Tide detergent and Charmin toilet paper, named Shailesh Jejurikar, currently chief operating officer, to succeed Jon Moeller as the company president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Moeller, who has been at the company's helm since November 2021, will become P&G's executive chairman.
WORDS: 473 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 9:55 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ef1ce2e60d4bdf0ddf2e9aac72549bb9&mediaType=text
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IMF-GLOBAL-ECONOMY
IMF upgrades outlook for global economy, citing less-than-expected damage from Trump's trade wars
SUMMARY: The International Monetary Fund is upgrading the economic outlook for the world this year because President Donald Trump's protectionist trade policies have so far proven less damaging than expected. The IMF now forecasts 3% growth for the global economy this year. That is an improvement on the 2.8% it had forecast for 2025 back in April. The damage from Trump's tariffs was limited, the IMF said, partly because many U.S. importers scrambled to bring in foreign goods before they took effect and partly because Trump ended up suspending his biggest levies (including 145% tariffs on Chinese goods).
WORDS: 822 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 9:36 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f384c9c165b0c7152edb53d66a9ebd6b&mediaType=text
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CLIMATE-TRUMP-AI-ENVIRONMENT
With AI plan, Trump keeps chipping away at a foundational environmental law
SUMMARY: When big infrastructure projects spring up, one crucial law -- the National Environmental Policy Act -- has for decades been a key way the government has required powerful industry interests to consider the environment and the public's voice. But President Donald Trump's recently announced AI Action Plan would sweep aside that law, which his administration has already been weakening for months. Business groups have long criticized NEPA for slowing down projects, but environmentalists worry that a weakened NEPA will mean a less informed public and less scrutiny of the impacts of building, mining and infrastructure, including data centers.
WORDS: 1171 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 9:04 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a1efa3f9a8b2022ded585fd8f1524cce&mediaType=text
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OCEAN-FISHERIES-ANTARCTIC KRILL
A record catch of krill near Antarctica could trigger an unprecedented end to fishing season
SUMMARY: Fishing for krill near Antarctica has surged to a record high, nearing a seasonal catch limit that could close the fishery early. This boom follows last year's failure by several governments to approve a new management plan. In the first seven months of the 2024-25 season, krill fishing reached 518,568 tons, about 84% of the 620,000-ton limit. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources reported a nearly 60% increase in one area. Krill are crucial for marine ecosystems and climate regulation, but increased demand and fishing pressure threaten their stocks.
WORDS: 1012 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 8:55 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bd7708913cd1482ae190365b04d98ede&mediaType=text
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US--TRUMP-TARIFFS-MANUFACTURING
Trump's tariffs could squeeze US factories and boost costs by up to 4.5%, a new analysis finds
SUMMARY: A new analysis suggests President Donald Trump's tariffs could increase factory costs by 2% to 4.5%. The analysis highlights potential challenges for domestic manufacturers relying on global supply chains just as the Republican president prepares to announce tariff hikes he says will boost the U.S. economy. While the U.S. stock market shows relief tariffs aren't as high as initially threatened, concerns remain about higher prices and slower growth. Tuesday's analysis by the Washington Center for Equitable Growth warns of economic and political costs, especially in swing states with significant manufacturing sectors, like Michigan and Wisconsin.
WORDS: 1246 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 8:41 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4c928842b57c7f36db9d5ca26a84108b&mediaType=text
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US--BOEING-RESULTS
Boeing's 2Q loss narrows and revenue rises, topping Wall Street's expectations
SUMMARY: Boeing's second-quarter loss narrowed and revenue improved as the aircraft manufacturer delivered more commercial planes in the period. Boeing Co. lost $611 million, or 92 cents per share, for the three months ended June 30. A year earlier it lost $1.44 billion, or $2.33 per share. Adjusting for one-time gains, Boeing lost $1.24 per share. This was better than the loss of $1.54 per share that analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research expected.
WORDS: 531 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 8:01 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a5d9b4a7fc3d26906fee65130cd43234&mediaType=text
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US--CONGRESS-BUDGET
Government shutdown talk is starting early ahead of a difficult funding fight in Congress this fall
SUMMARY: Congressional leaders are already starting to trade blame for a government shutdown, two months before the funding deadline. The posturing sends a signal the threat of a stoppage is more serious than usual. Democratic leadership from both chambers and the two panels responsible for drafting spending bills met behind closed doors recently to discuss the strategy ahead. The Democrats emerged asserting Republicans need to work with them. But the Democrats carefully avoided spelling out red lines if Republicans opt not to go that route. Republican lawmakers view the Democrats as itching for a shutdown after a series of political losses this year.
WORDS: 1005 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 8:00 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a282c46016d64c5f4ffb8c3c99c9077e&mediaType=text
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US-TEA-APP BREACH
Tea app takes messaging system offline after second security issue reported
SUMMARY: Tea, a dating discussion app that recently suffered a high-profile cybersecurity breach, announced late Monday that some direct messages were also accessed in the incident. The app -- designed to let women safely discuss men they date -- rocketed to the top of of the U.S. Apple App Store last week but then confirmed on Friday that thousands of selfies and photo IDs of registered users were exposed in a digital security breach.
WORDS: 260 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 7:59 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:24c6e3ca6e8256f0594f80588607ba11&mediaType=text
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US--AP POLL-AI
How US adults are using AI, according to AP-NORC polling
SUMMARY: A new poll finds most Americans say they've used artificial intelligence to search for information. But it's younger adults who appear to be the generation leaning the most into AI, with many using it for brainstorming and work tasks. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds about 60% of U.S. adults and 74% of younger ones use AI to find information at least some of the time. Only about 4 in 10 Americans say they've ever used AI for work tasks or coming up with ideas, a sign the tech industry's promises of highly productive AI assistants still haven't touched most livelihoods after years of promotion and investment.
WORDS: 997 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 7:48 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:229b665d10d057441a69f56648b973e1&mediaType=text
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EU--EUROPE-US-TRADE-UKRAINE
Higher US tariffs part of the price Europe was willing to pay for its security and arms for Ukraine
SUMMARY: The EU-U.S. tariff agreement sealed over the weekend has been described as a "dark day" for Europe and even a capitulation to American demands. As unpalatable as the 15% levy on most European Union exports was, the bloc relies heavily on the United States, and not just for trade. It's a major provider of security to Europe and the Europeans need U.S. weapons to help Ukraine fight off Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has chose to swallow humble pie in her tariff talks with President Donald Trump. Only a month ago, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte ingratiated himself with Trump by referring to him as "daddy," again for security reasons.
WORDS: 986 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 7:17 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:cb323423c4317c89410c0dee3d389753&mediaType=text
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EU--SWEDEN-US-CHINA-TRADE
Top Chinese, US trade officials huddle in Sweden for second day of thorny talks over tariffs
SUMMARY: Chinese and U.S. trade officials have arrived for a second day of meetings in the Swedish capital Tuesday to try to break a logjam over tariffs that have skewed the pivotal commercial ties between the world's two largest economies. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng made no public comments to reporters after the first day of talks that lasted nearly five hours behind closed doors at the Swedish prime minister's office Monday. Analysts expect the Stockholm talks, at a minimum, will result in an extension of current tariff levels that are far lower than the triple-digit percentage rates earlier this year.
WORDS: 702 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 6:54 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2cffb7de31169afc8de0c02bedb4683a&mediaType=text
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EU--EARNS-STELLANTIS
Stellantis faces $1.7B hit from US tariffs this year
SUMMARY: Stellantis is forecasting that U.S. tariffs would cost the carmaker $1.7 billion this year, five times the hit taken in the first six months of the year when the carmaker tallied losses of $2.65 billion. The maker of Jeep, Chrysler, Fiat and Peugeot cars said that net profits plummeted from $6.5 billion in the same period last year as it burned $3.8 billion in cash. U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs cost the company $346 million in the first six months of the year, Stellantis said. During the period, U.S. shipments were down by nearly a quarter as the carmaker reduced the importation of vehicles produced abroad.
WORDS: 256 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 4:06 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0384957c318f3069eb69bd5e61a34cf3&mediaType=text
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UN--MIDEAST WARS-TWO-STATE SOLUTION-EXPLAINER
What to expect, and what not to, at the UN meeting on an Israel-Palestinian two-state solution
SUMMARY: The U.N. General Assembly has brought high-level officials together to promote a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel and its close ally the United States are boycotting the meeting. The gathering will be co-chaired by the foreign ministers of France and Saudi Arabia. Israel's government opposes a two-state solution. The United States has called the meeting "counterproductive" to its efforts to end the war in Gaza. France and Saudi Arabia want the meeting to put a spotlight on the two-state solution which they view as the only viable road map to peace and to start addressing the steps to get there. The Palestinians accuse Israel of undermining repeated peace initiatives.
WORDS: 1399 - MOVED: 07/29/2025 2:58 a.m. EDT
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