Unusual Whales

Nearly 50% of teenagers say they never read

Educators in the United States say they can tell when parents are reading less to their children. Russell, who runs literacy programs for kids starting as young as 18 months, often hears from parents of older children — some up to 14 years old — who still struggle to pick up a

China is ditching the dollar, fast

Traders have urged Indian state refiners to settle payments for Russian oil in Chinese yuan as relations between New Delhi and Beijing show signs of improvement, Reuters reported on Oct. 8, citing trade sources. According to the report, Indian Oil Corp, the country’s largest state-owned refiner, has recently completed

The IRS announced new 2026 federal income tax brackets

The Internal Revenue Service on Thursday, October 9, released updated federal income tax brackets and standard deduction amounts for tax year 2026. The changes, which determine how much Americans will owe in federal income taxes, will apply to returns filed in early 2027. The standard deduction will rise by 2.

Hamas says we declare an end to the war today and the start of permanent ceasefire

Israel and Hamas have reached agreement on the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage exchange, a step that could mark the beginning of an end to the Gaza conflict. Under the arrangement, Hamas will release the 20 surviving hostages in its custody, while Israel will free nearly 2,000

Trump has said that he will be making permanent cuts to Democrat programs in the US government shutdown

Donald Trump said his administration would make permanent cuts targeting what he called “Democrat programs.” He emphasized repeatedly that only Democratic-backed initiatives would be reduced, including some he described as popular, though not with Republicans. “That’s the way it works,” he said, underscoring that the cuts would be lasting.

Gen Z graduates are so massively unemployed, despite making up only 5% of the workforce, that they’re even pushing up the U.S. jobless rate - having an “oversize” impact on America’s unemployment rate

As millions of students prepare to graduate this spring, their chances of landing that crucial first job—the one that kickstarts a career—appear increasingly uncertain. Beyond a cooling economy burdened by tariff-related uncertainty, the rise of artificial intelligence is now threatening the entry-level roles that have long functioned as

IRS to furlough 46% of staff

The Internal Revenue Service will furlough more than 34,000 employees starting Wednesday as the government shutdown continues, the agency said, a move that will effectively close taxpayer call centers. The furloughs represent about 46% of the IRS workforce. Call center staff, IT personnel, and most headquarters employees will be

Credit scores are now falling at the fastest pace since the Great Recession

Credit scores are declining at the fastest rate since the Great Recession as many Americans struggle with high living costs and the restart of student loan payments. The national average FICO score fell by two points this year, the steepest annual drop since 2009, according to data released Tuesday. Scores

Nvidia, NVDA, CEO Jensen Huang says AI will ‘probably’ bring 4-day work week

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in August 2025 that artificial intelligence will “probably” pave the way for a four-day workweek, much as earlier industrial revolutions reshaped norms around labor. But he cautioned that this would not necessarily mean less work, noting that AI-driven efficiency could make people busier by giving

Here is how the AI bubble is being created

Today, bots—automated software that runs repetitive tasks—are still everywhere and play a major role in the AI boom. According to cybersecurity firm Imperva, bots now account for over half of global internet traffic. In 2024, they officially outpaced human-generated traffic. About 20% are classified as "bad bots,

President Donald Trump is making plans for a significant aid package for U.S soybean farmers

President Donald Trump is preparing a large aid package for U.S. soybean farmers aimed at helping them weather China’s halt in purchases during the ongoing trade standoff. The president said soybeans will be a key part of his upcoming discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but farmers worry

Microsoft, MSFT, has withdrawn its proposal for a data center in a Milwaukee after community outcry

Microsoft has withdrawn plans to build a 244-acre data center in Caledonia, a suburb of Milwaukee, following resistance from local residents and officials. The company said it remains committed to investing in southeast Wisconsin and will work with Caledonia and Racine County to identify an alternative location. Community opposition had

Trump says Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of peace plan, hostages to be released and Israeli troops to withdraw

Donald Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the Middle East has “come together,” adding that people will now be “taken care of” and that the situation marks “a different world.” He said Gaza would become a safer place, with reconstruction supported by neighboring countries that have significant wealth

US soybean sales to China

President Donald Trump is preparing a major aid package for U.S. soybean farmers that could exceed $10 billion, designed to offset losses from China’s halt in purchases during the ongoing trade dispute. The support comes as the tariff war between Washington and Beijing has led China to shift

Former President Joe Biden is having a less lucrative postpresidency than what he’d expected, owing to his advancing age, unpopularity and limited speaking engagements

Former President Joe Biden is having a harder time turning his years in public office into post-presidency income compared with many of his predecessors, according to the Wall Street Journal. While recent ex-presidents have secured millions through speaking fees, book deals, and other ventures, Biden has brought in less. At

Cathie Wood of $ARKK has said that AI has reduced the need for hiring

Advances in artificial intelligence mean Ark Investment Management is hiring more cautiously, founder Cathie Wood said. Speaking to reporters in Helsinki on Wednesday, Wood explained, “We are really thinking carefully about hiring because we’re adopting the Elon Musk philosophy — you really have to make a good case to bring

Seasonal hiring in the retail industry is poised to fall to its lowest level since the 2009 recession

Seasonal hiring in retail is expected to drop to its lowest point since the 2009 recession, signaling a potentially weaker holiday shopping season, according to a Wednesday report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The firm projects retailers may add fewer than 500,000 jobs in the final quarter of 2025

Basic necessities at record costs, with US grocery prices having jumped +29% since Feb 2020

Groceries – Key Facts * Prices are up 29% since February 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. * The increase was driven by: * Pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. * Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which raised global food costs. * Avian flu, which spiked egg prices. * President Trump’s tariffs, raising the cost

Americans are using PTO to sleep, not for vacation

A new survey suggests many Americans are spending their paid time off catching up on sleep rather than traveling. According to Amerisleep.com, which polled more than 1,200 people, 37% said they used vacation days over the past year just to rest. Even as companies expand PTO policies to

Average US electricity price over the years

Wholesale electricity prices in the European Union averaged about USD 90 per MWh in the first half of 2025, supported largely by natural gas prices, which were roughly 20% higher than in 2024, according to the IEA’s Electricity Mid-Year Update 2025. The report notes that prices faced upward pressure

Nvidia, $NVDA, CEO says Nvidia to continue to sponsor H-1B visas

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told employees the company will continue sponsoring H-1B visas and covering all related costs, despite President Donald Trump’s executive order last month that imposed a $100,000 fee on each new application. In the internal note, viewed by Business Insider, Huang reaffirmed his support for

Trump has said: If a Governor can't do their job, we will... the Insurrection act has been used before

Legal battles erupt: President Donald Trump’s efforts to deploy federalized National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities have prompted a series of legal showdowns. The president has said the deployments are aimed at fighting lawlessness and to aid ICE agents carrying out his sweeping immigration enforcement agenda. • Illinois sues: Illinois

The Trump administration is in talks to take equity stakes in multiple critical minerals companies

The federal government will acquire a 10% ownership stake in Trilogy Metals, a Canadian company with mining claims in Alaska’s remote northwest, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the White House announced Monday. The $35.6 million investment will support exploration in the Ambler Mining District. Under the agreement, the

White House announces 25% tariff for medium and heavy-duty trucks to start November 1

President Donald Trump announced Monday that his administration will apply a 25% tariff on medium- and heavy-duty trucks beginning next month. “Starting November 1, 2025, all medium and heavy-duty trucks imported into the United States will face a 25% tariff,” Trump posted on Truth Social. The U.S. trucking sector

US dollar has now lost over 10% of its value this year

The U.S. dollar fell about 11% in the first half of 2025, its steepest decline in more than five decades, effectively ending a 15-year bull run. Morgan Stanley Research projects the greenback could lose another 10% by the close of 2026. Even after a rebound of 3.2% in