Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Rise After U.S.-Japan Trade Deal

When word got out that federal funding for NPR and PBS was on the chopping block, listeners and viewers didn’t just sit back—they opened their wallets. Public media stations across the country saw a sharp uptick in donations, with some reporting record-breaking contributions. It’s a clear sign that audiences value these institutions enough to step up when they’re under threat.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about money—it’s about loyalty. Public media has always relied on a mix of government support and listener donations, but this surge shows how deeply people care about unbiased news and educational programming. If funding cuts continue, this grassroots support could become even more crucial to keeping these stations alive.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is walking a tightrope—pouring $80 billion into AI while defending massive layoffs (over 15,000 jobs) as part of staying "competitive." He frames it as a paradox: the company’s booming financially, but workforce cuts are just the cost of doing business in the AI era.

Editor’s Note: It’s a stark reminder that even tech giants thriving in the AI gold rush aren’t immune to brutal restructuring. Nadella’s balancing act—touting growth while downsizing—highlights the messy reality of "innovation" for workers. For anyone watching the labor market, it’s a red flag that AI’s rise might not mean more jobs, just different (and fewer) ones.

Remember the GameStop craze? It's happening again—only this time, the meme-stock spotlight has shifted to companies like Opendoor, Kohl’s, and Krispy Kreme. Retail investors, hyped up on social media chatter, are piling into these struggling stocks, sending their prices on wild, unpredictable rides. It’s déjà vu for markets, proving that the internet’s power to move money hasn’t faded.

Editor’s Note: These meme-stock surges aren’t just quirky footnotes—they’re reshaping how markets work. When online communities can suddenly inflate (or deflate) a company’s value overnight, it creates chaos for traditional investors and raises big questions about market stability. Love it or hate it, this trend isn’t going away, and it’s forcing Wall Street to take internet-driven trading seriously.

The S&P 500 is up today, but the market's got a split personality—while trade talks and earnings reports are keeping investors busy, Tesla shares took a hit after profits fell, and IBM’s slump dragged down the Dow.

Editor’s Note: It’s one of those mixed-bag days on Wall Street. The broader market’s holding steady, but big-name stocks like Tesla and IBM are reminding everyone that earnings season can be a rollercoaster. With trade talks still in the background, investors are juggling optimism and caution—so don’t read too much into any single move just yet.

An Arizona woman, Christina Chapman, was sentenced to 8½ years in prison for helping North Koreans secretly land remote jobs at major U.S. companies like Nike. Chapman ran a scheme where she provided laptops and fake identities, allowing North Koreans to earn money that ultimately funded their government—violating U.S. sanctions.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about fraud—it’s a stark reminder of how sanctions evasion can happen in plain sight. Remote work scams aren’t new, but when they involve a hostile regime like North Korea, it becomes a national security issue. It also raises questions about how well companies vet their remote hires, especially when big names like Nike are involved.