The U.S. rig count saw a marginal increase this week, yet remains significantly below last year's levels as crude production dips and completions activity sends conflicting signals.
A pivotal week for prediction markets saw Coinbase partner with Kalshi to offer event contracts nationwide, while the CFTC moved to establish clearer regulatory standards. Meanwhile, traders sharply increased bets on a potential U.S. government shutdown.
Major music publishers have launched a massive copyright infringement lawsuit against AI company Anthropic, alleging its Claude AI was trained on a dataset of over 20,000 pirated songs, in a case that could redefine the rules for AI development.
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, a senior official confirmed Friday. The probe could lead to criminal charges, though legal hurdles remain high.
A Boston federal judge has temporarily blocked the Biden administration's move to terminate Temporary Protected Status for over 5,000 Ethiopians, granting more time for a legal challenge against the decision.
Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW), a major healthcare real estate investment trust, is relocating its corporate headquarters to Birmingham, Alabama. The move is seen as a strategic effort to streamline operations and deepen ties with its primary U.S. hospital network, lenders, and investors, amid an evolving landscape for hospital ownership and healthcare infrastructure.
Alibaba-backed Moonshot AI has unveiled an upgraded flagship model, Kimi K2.5, asserting superiority in video generation and agentic capabilities against leading U.S. models. The development coincides with Beijing's approval for major tech firms, including Alibaba, to import advanced Nvidia H200 AI chips, signaling a dual-track strategy in the intensifying global AI race.
Chevron is significantly increasing crude exports from Venezuela to the United States, capitalizing on a special U.S. license and growing demand from Gulf Coast refineries, while new competitors enter the recently reopened market.
U.S. producer prices rose more than expected in December, driven by the largest increase in service costs in months, complicating the inflation outlook as the Federal Reserve weighs its next policy move.
Facing a new U.S. threat of tariffs on nations supplying oil to Cuba, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pledges to pursue diplomatic channels and seek alternatives to avert a potential humanitarian crisis on the island, while safeguarding Mexico's own economic interests.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking from Istanbul, stated Iran's conditional willingness to engage in "fair and just" nuclear diplomacy with the United States, while firmly rejecting negotiations on its missile program and any external "dictation." The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions and renewed U.S. military threats.
With the specter of U.S. military action looming, Iran is engaging in a frantic diplomatic push with regional powers like Turkey, while global capitals scramble to prevent a full-scale war. Despite the outreach, analysts warn the window for de-escalation is narrowing.
Innodata Inc. (NASDAQ: INOD), a data engineering and AI services firm, has been awarded a place on a critical U.S. Missile Defense Agency contract vehicle, positioning it for future task orders in defense technology development and fueling analyst optimism for its 2026 growth trajectory.
Dutch payments giant Adyen is forging ahead with two key partnerships—enabling SNAP EBT payments in the U.S. with Forage and launching embedded solutions in Asia-Pacific with Raptor—as it seeks to reignite growth while its shares languish well below historic highs.
Nubank, the Latin American fintech leader, has secured conditional approval from the OCC for a U.S. national bank charter, setting an 18-month timeline to launch and challenging incumbent banks with its digital-first model.
Promised U.S. funds to repair Ukraine's war-shattered energy grid are caught in administrative limbo, leaving millions vulnerable to extreme cold amid renewed Russian strikes and internal U.S. agency disputes.
Reports of U.S. officials meeting with Alberta independence advocates have ignited a diplomatic row, as Canada's western province weighs a contentious push for sovereignty with an eye toward Washington.
A U.S. Navy destroyer has docked at Israel's southern port of Eilat, a move reported by Israeli media as U.S.-Iranian tensions simmer. While officials describe the deployment as routine, it coincides with a significant American military buildup in the region.
The U.S. military and civilian leaders of Washington's flagship Gaza mission are departing, with successors unannounced, as European allies reassess their participation and questions mount over the initiative's future direction.
Starbucks is overhauling its popular Rewards program for over 35 million U.S. members, introducing a tiered structure (Green, Gold, Reserve) designed to offer faster, more personalized benefits and deeper integration with travel partners.
