Business

Domestic U.S. air travel reached record holiday levels, and TSA PreCheck enrollment events let applicants complete their final screening in person on a first-come, first-served basis without prescheduling.

The Justice Department let the 30-day federal waiting period expire and Compass closed its acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate after shareholders approved the deal; antitrust staff had recommended a deeper investigation but senior officials did not pursue it.

Summit Properties USA won an auction with a $451 million bid to buy about 5,150 apartments from the Pinnacle Group; the bankruptcy judge allowed the auction to proceed but must still approve the sale. A hearing on the proposed sale is scheduled for next Thursday and city officials say they are evaluating their options.

Paul Allen Perez was convicted on multiple counts in connection with the deaths of five of his children; sentencing is scheduled for April 6, 2026.

U.S. oil executives are due at a White House meeting to discuss possible investment in Venezuela, a move President Trump has promoted and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright reiterated. Some energy investors told Reuters they remain skeptical because of high costs, political instability and past nationalizations, the article reports.

OpenAI and SoftBank Group will invest $1 billion in SB Energy to support OpenAI's artificial intelligence infrastructure, including a planned 1.2 gigawatt data center site in Milam County, Texas; the move is linked to the previously announced $500 billion Stargate commitment.

OPM data show the federal workforce fell by about 220,000 workers through November 2025, a roughly 10 percent decline; some agencies saw much larger reductions while Immigration and Customs Enforcement grew by about 30 percent.

Representative Robin Kelly has introduced the Securing Accessible Functional Emergency (SAFE) Exit Act to require manual door releases on vehicles, inside and outside. Bloomberg has reported at least 15 deaths tied to Tesla electronic doors that did not open when power was lost.

French authorities said HSBC will pay nearly €268 million to resolve accusations of tax fraud tied to intra‑group dividend transactions; prosecutors said the case will be shelved once the fine is paid.

Fast Retailing reported a 12% rise in first-quarter net profit to ¥147.45 billion and lifted its fiscal-year profit and revenue forecasts after broad regional sales gains.

Comerica filed a WARN notice saying it will lay off 184 employees at its Frisco Star Tower location, with the reductions expected to begin March 13, 2026. The notice came as Comerica moves forward with a proposed merger with Fifth Third Bank and did not detail which roles would be affected.

Union Pacific announced that Big Boy No. 4014 is planned to make a coast-to-coast tour in 2026 to mark the nation's 250th anniversary, with a full schedule still pending; the restored steam locomotive last passed through Texas in October 2024 and is currently in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Japan's new vehicle market rose 1.7% in December 2025 to 335,459 units, and full-year sales increased 3.3% to 4,565,777 units.

Infiniti says it will introduce a new sports sedan in 2027 and a compact hybrid SUV using Nissan’s e-Power system in 2028, while broader electric-vehicle plans remain under evaluation.

President Trump announced a plan to have his "representatives" buy $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities, and the average 30-year rate fell from about 6.21% to 5.99% after the announcement.

Federal prosecutors called defense claims that Attorney General Pam Bondi should recuse 'meritless' ahead of a federal hearing in Luigi Mangione's case; the defense is also seeking to suppress evidence recovered from a backpack.

Saks Global is reported to be seeking up to $1 billion in debtor-in-possession financing to support operations during a potential Chapter 11 filing, but investors have shown limited interest after the company missed an interest payment; liquidation is among the possible outcomes if financing cannot be secured.

Major U.S. grocery chains have announced product rebranding, technology pilots, new store openings and membership adjustments set to roll out or continue in 2026; specific plans were shared by Aldi, Whole Foods, Wegmans, Kroger, Costco and Walmart.

American Airlines is rolling out free high-speed Wi‑Fi for AAdvantage members beginning Jan. 6, starting on narrowbody and dual-class regional jets and aiming to cover most of the fleet by early spring.

The European Commission will meet national agriculture ministers in Brussels to address member states' concerns about a long‑standing Mercosur trade agreement, including future farm funding and import controls; Italy signalled possible support after a proposed acceleration of 45 billion euros for farmers, while Poland, Hungary and France remain opposed.

Three major British retailers issued mixed trading updates after a challenging holiday period, with Associated British Foods warning on profits and Tesco reporting slower-than-expected Christmas sales.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department is increasing scrutiny of transfers between Minnesota and Somalia and has opened investigations into four money service businesses; the Treasury also announced enhanced reporting and alerts for transfers from Hennepin and Ramsey counties.

Ten elementary students were taken to hospitals after a school bus braked abruptly to avoid a sedan that ran a red light; investigators said the sedan was at fault.

US President Donald Trump said interim Venezuelan authorities will turn over between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States; the announcement coincided with a 2.4% drop in the US oil benchmark, West Texas Intermediate.

Devyn Michaels, 47, was convicted in the August 2023 death of her ex-boyfriend and was sentenced to at least 28 years in prison. Prosecutors said the incident occurred as the man was preparing to move into Michaels' home.

China, Russia and South Africa announced maritime exercises called "Will for Peace 2026" to be held off South Africa in January, with the Port of Simon's Town named as the base; Chinese officials said the drills will include maritime security tasks such as counter-terrorism and rescue operations.

Glencore and Rio Tinto confirmed preliminary talks about a possible combination of some or all of their businesses, and Rio Tinto said the talks could include an all-share merger.

Nationwide protests in Iran over worsening economic conditions have led authorities to cut internet and phone services; a rights group reports demonstrations across all provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands of arrests.

S&P Global projects global copper demand will rise about 50% to roughly 42 million metric tons by 2040 while mine output may peak near 33 million tons around 2030, creating a potential 10‑million‑ton gap.

Kia unveiled the EV2 at the Brussels Auto Show as a compact, lower-cost electric model for Europe, offered in Standard (42.2 kWh, 317 km WLTP) and Long-range (61 kWh, 440+ km WLTP) trims; Kia says production of the standard-range model starts in Slovakia in February 2026, with longer-range and GT trims following in June 2026.