Unusual Whales

Mark Cuban says companies should be taxed more for buying back their own shares

Mark Cuban is taking aim at one of corporate America’s most powerful financial tools: stock buybacks. In a post on X Tuesday, the billionaire entrepreneur argued that raising the federal tax on buybacks would pressure companies to reinvest in their businesses instead of funneling cash to shareholders. He added

US bankruptcies are surging past 2020 pandemic levels

Forever 21 and Joann’s are the latest in a string of well-known retailers forced into bankruptcy, as store closures and shrinking physical footprints continue to reshape the retail landscape. According to S&P Global data, U.S. corporate bankruptcies spiked this summer to their highest level since 2020.

Vanguard says buy more bonds than stocks over the next decade

Vanguard’s recommended portfolio mix for the next decade is raising eyebrows. The asset manager now advises investors to allocate 70% of their holdings to bonds and just 30% to stocks — a far more cautious stance than the long-favored 60/40 stock-bond portfolio. The shift reflects Vanguard’s sober view

U.S. birth rate hits all-time low

The U.S. fertility rate fell to a record low in 2024, with fewer than 1.6 children born per woman, according to new federal data released Thursday by the CDC. For decades, the U.S. maintained a birth rate that ensured population replacement — about 2.1 children per woman.

Meta’s, META, Reality Labs posted a $4.53 billion loss in second quarter

Meta’s Reality Labs division, which is responsible for building the company’s vision of the metaverse, continues to rack up heavy losses. In its second-quarter earnings report released Wednesday, Meta disclosed that Reality Labs posted an operating loss of $4.53 billion while generating $370 million in revenue. Wall

Trump: The US states must do what the Federal government tells them

Trump says ceasefire not essential for talks to move forward Pressed on whether there would still be “serious consequences” for Russia if no ceasefire is reached, as he had previously suggested, Trump responded: “I don’t think you need a ceasefire.” He added that while a ceasefire is “good to

Hamas accepts latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal proposal

Hamas has accepted the latest ceasefire and hostage-release proposal from regional mediators, a source in the group told the BBC. The plan, put forward by Egypt and Qatar, is based on a two-stage framework first introduced in June by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Under the terms, Hamas would release

The median rent was in the US in July was $1,402

The national median rent was unchanged in July, holding at $1,402. Momentum in rental growth, which spiked early in the year, has since cooled, even during the peak moving months when demand normally drives faster increases. Compared with a year ago, rents are down 0.8%. Year-over-year growth had

The Trump administration said to discuss taking 10% stake in Intel, INTC, and converting Intel’s CHIPS act grants into equity

Intel shares slid 5% after a Bloomberg report revealed that the Trump administration is weighing taking about a 10% stake in the company. Sources told Bloomberg that officials are considering converting some or all of Intel’s $10.9 billion in Chips and Science Act grants into equity. At current

Novo Nordisk halves the price of Ozempic in the US

Novo Nordisk is rolling out a new direct-pay option for Ozempic, pricing the drug at $499 a month for uninsured patients or those who choose to pay out-of-pocket, according to a company press release. The program is available through both the company’s website and Ozempic.com. “While Ozempic is

Trump has said: I know exactly what I'm doing

Trump says ceasefire not essential for talks to move forward Pressed on whether there would still be “serious consequences” for Russia if no ceasefire is reached, as he had previously suggested, Trump responded: “I don’t think you need a ceasefire.” He added that while a ceasefire is “good to

$9.2 trillion in Treasuries mature in 2025

The bond market is staring down an unprecedented supply wave. Treasury data shows that $9.2 trillion in marketable debt — nearly one-third of the entire Treasury market and close to a third of U.S. GDP — will mature in 2025, with roughly 55% to 60% coming due before July. Adding

Social Security recipients set to face an $18,000 benefit cut in just seven years

The Social Security and Medicare trust funds are projected to be just over seven years away from insolvency, according to calculations that combine the programs’ official Trustees’ estimates with our analysis of the effects of the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Under current law, once these trust

Trump meeting Putin in Alaska today

Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska on Friday for a high-stakes summit, as the United States pushes for a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The talks will take place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not

US military deploying over 4,000 additional troops to waters around Latin America as part of Trump’s counter-cartel mission

The U.S. military is sending more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to waters surrounding Latin America and the Caribbean in a heightened push to counter drug cartels, two U.S. defense officials told CNN. The move, described as a significant show of force, will give the president a

Mortgage rates in the US fell for a fourth straight week, reaching the lowest point since October

Mortgage rates continued their downward trend this week, with the 30-year fixed mortgage slipping five basis points to 6.58% and the 15-year fixed dropping four points to 5.71%, according to Freddie Mac’s latest weekly survey. This marks the fourth consecutive week of declines. Just a month ago,

Kellogg’s, K, becomes first company to sign legally binding agreement removing toxic dyes from cereals

WK Kellogg Co. has made history as the first major food manufacturer to enter into a legally binding commitment to eliminate artificial food dyes from its cereal products, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Wednesday. The landmark agreement marks a significant step in the growing push to remove synthetic additives

There are now more homebuyers over age 70 than under 35

Breaking into the housing market has become a steep uphill battle for younger generations in recent years. Elevated mortgage rates, coupled with soaring property values, have made the prospect of buying a first home feel increasingly out of reach for many millennials and members of Gen Z. The trend is

Trump: There is hardly any inflation at all

The producer price index (PPI) posted its sharpest increase in more than three years last month, signaling that President Trump’s tariffs are beginning to meaningfully push up the cost of imported goods. According to the Labor Department, wholesale prices jumped 0.9% in July from the previous month, far

Trump considering having US take stake in Intel, INTC

The Trump administration is in discussions with Intel about the possibility of the U.S. government taking a stake in the struggling chipmaker, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Intel’s shares jumped more than 7% during regular trading and rose another 2.6% after hours

Beyond Meat, BYND, headed to Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Beyond Meat’s downfall was, in many ways, baked into its success story. The company may have pioneered the concept of plant-based meat that looks, cooks, and tastes like the real thing, but creating a category is not the same as securing a lasting competitive moat. Once Beyond Meat brought

India and China are restoring economic links strained by a deadly 2020 border clash, the latest sign Prime Minister Narendra Modi is drawing closer to BRICS after Trump hit the nation with a 50% tariff

India and China are moving to repair economic ties that had been severely strained since a deadly 2020 border clash, signaling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pivot toward closer engagement with BRICS nations in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a steep 50% tariff on

California governor Gavin Newsom says the state will draw new electoral maps after Donald Trump “missed” a deadline

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state will move forward with drawing new electoral maps after Donald Trump “missed” a Tuesday night deadline in a heated redistricting dispute between Democratic and Republican-led states. In a pointed social media post, Newsom’s office wrote in all caps, mimicking Trump’s

Moynihan says economists predict no Fed rate cuts as inflation gradually decreases

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent renewed his call for a half-percentage-point interest rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s September meeting, urging the central bank to move into a sequence of rate reductions. His comments followed fresh data showing inflation holding steady at 2.7% in July. Bessent argued

94% of Gen Z want to hit financial independence before 55

Gen Z is having a tough time entering the job market—but young male college grads may be facing the steepest climb. New data from the Federal Reserve shows the unemployment rate for recent college graduates has risen to about 5.5%. While that’s still below the 6.9%