Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell was asked about his future at the central bank beyond the end of his term in May and also offered some advice to his successor. Powell spoke at a news conference Wednesday after the central bank left interest rates unchanged at its January meeting after it cut the benchmark federal funds rate by 25 basis points at each of its final three meetings last year.His term as chairman of the Federal Reserve expires in May, though he could remain at the Fed as a member of the cent ...

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced it will leave interest rates unchanged, breaking a streak of three straight rate cuts amid uncertainty over the labor market and inflation. Fed policymakers voted to leave the benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at its current range of 3.5% to 3.75%. The move follows three successive 25 basis point rate cuts in September, October and December to close out last year.Economic data showing a slowdown in the labor market along with inflation continuing to run hotter ...

Demand is rebounding at Starbucks, signaling that CEO Brian ​Niccol's turnaround efforts are working.  The company said on Wednesday that sales at North American stores open for at least a year rose by 4%. This growth was mainly due to a 3% increase in purchases from existing customers and a 1% increase in the average amount spent per transaction. That's the first uptick in store sales in eight quarters. Globally, sales at stores also rose 4% as existing customers bought more and spent slightly more per pur ...

United Postal Service CEO Carol Tome said Tuesday that the company is officially retiring its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes after one of them was involved in a deadly crash in Louisville.  Tome told analysts on its fourth-quarter earnings call that the shipping giant has taken a "systematic programmatic approach to modernizing" its global air fleet, which included "the decision to accelerate our plans and retire all MD-11 aircraft in our fleet." That was completed in the fourth quarter.Tome ...

A major leadership transition is underway at Walmart, with CEO Doug McMillon set to retire on Jan. 31, 2026, after more than 40 years at the company. As he wraps up nearly 12 years as CEO, the retailer he leaves behind looks very different from the one he inherited. McMillon joined FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo on "Mornings with Maria" to discuss how inflation is reshaping consumer behavior and Walmart’s customer base. Higher-income households are increasingly turning to the nation’s largest retailer in sea ...

Restaurant franchiser FAT Brands, which owns popular fast-casual chains including Fatburger, Johnny Rockets and Twin Peaks, has filed for bankruptcy amid a mounting debt of roughly $1.3 billion. The California-based company, which oversees 18 restaurant brands with more than 2,200 locations worldwide, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas on Monday.Its subsidiary, Texas-based Twin Hospitality Group, which spun off from FAT Brands in 2025 primarily to operate the Twin Peaks sports bar chain, also filed fo ...

Core Insights - U.S. consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since 2014, dropping 9.7 points to 84.5 in January, below pandemic-era lows [1][2] Group 1: Consumer Confidence Index - The January reading of 84.5 is the lowest since May 2014, when the index was at 82.2, and it has fallen below the worst levels recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic [2] - All five components of the consumer confidence index deteriorated, indicating a broad decline in consumer sentiment [3][8] Group 2: Present Situation and Expectations - The present situation index decreased by 9.9 points to 113.7, reflecting worsened perceptions of current business and labor market conditions [5] - The expectations index fell by 9.5 points to 65.1, significantly below the 80 threshold that typically signals an impending recession [5][6] Group 3: Demographic Insights - The decline in consumer confidence was widespread across political affiliations, with the sharpest drop observed among Independents [8] - Confidence levels varied by age and income, with consumers under 35 showing more optimism compared to older groups, while those earning less than $15,000 remained the least optimistic [9] Group 4: Financial Outlook - Consumers' views on their current financial situation improved slightly in January, but expectations for future financial conditions declined [12] - The proportion of consumers believing a recession is "very likely" in the next year increased, while those who think a recession is "not likely" decreased [13][14]

Federal Reserve policymakers are expected to hold interest rates steady when they conclude their first meeting of the new year on Wednesday, as central bank officials look to navigate stubborn inflation and a softening labor market. The central bank's monetary policy panel, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), is expected to leave the Fed's benchmark federal funds rate target unchanged at a range of 3.5% to 3.75%. It would be the first time the central bank left interest rates unchanged since last summ ...

Meta is blocking users from sharing links to a controversial website called "ICE List," which allegedly published thousands of names of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees, including immigration enforcement agents. The site, created in 2025, claims to "document federal immigration enforcement, preserve evidence and maintain a public record for accountability." However, critics claim the document dump could be considered doxxing. JD VANCE SHARES ‘CRAZY' STORY OF ICE AND CBP OFFICERS BEING MOBBED ...

Group 1 - McDonald's is reintroducing its iconic Changeables Happy Meal toys, which transform from food items into robot or dinosaur characters, for a new generation [1][2] - The updated Changeables are based on designs from the original Happy Meal programs launched in 1987, 1989, and 1990, and were highly requested by customers on social media [4] - The return of these toys is part of a broader strategy by McDonald's to combine nostalgia, technology, and loyalty initiatives to adapt to changing consumer habits [5] Group 2 - McDonald's has recently implemented a value strategy, including the return of Extra Value Meals, which offer meal bundles at a 15% discount compared to purchasing items separately [9] - This value strategy has intensified competition in the fast-food industry, prompting rivals to enhance their own value offerings in response to McDonald's initiatives [8] - McDonald's shares have seen a 2.7% increase year to date, reflecting positive market response to its new strategies [6]