Venezuela expects $76 billion oil investment boost amid U.S. cooperation

“By contrast, the breakdown of USMCA would be accompanied by 214,000 and 102,000 fewer jobs, respectively, in the US and Canada.”  The report models three outcomes following the July 1, 2026, deadline to renew USMCA, which passed without a formal agreement: a Status Quo scenario, a Successful Renegotiation, and a full USMCA Breakdown.  “Many of…

Target is seeing sales tick up amid a growth in digital traffic from artificial intelligence platforms. The retailer reported second-quarter 2026 earnings results Wednesday (Aug. 19) that showed guest traffic up 3.6% and comparable sales climbing 3.8%. Speaking during an earnings call, CEO Michael Fiddelke said Target is seeing the benefits of its agentic commerce…

Key Insight: How the Mortgage Bankers Association plans to reshape mortgage origination rules and bring buyers back to the housing market. What’s at Stake: Homebuyers and lenders face escalating costs if redundant paperwork, regulatory friction and outdated rules persist. Expert Quote: “MBA and its members are continuously working with policymakers to advance solutions that lower…

The luxury pied-à-terre is alive and well, despite any efforts to stifle — or excessively tax — it. While the second week of August saw a Staten Island Supreme Court judge block the rollout of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax — a controversial surcharge on second homes worth more than $5 million…

As the U.S. bond market firmed Thursday and the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) posted its best intraday rally in at least a month, some less notable but equally important action for bond bulls happened in two corners of the options market. In equities, about an hour after the opening bell on Thursday,…