Business

TSMC plans to spend tens of billions to build several new chip fabs in Arizona as part of a larger U.S. expansion; a recent Taiwan-U.S. trade deal includes more than $250 billion in Taiwanese spending in the U.S. and $250 billion in credit guarantees.

The Department of Education announced a temporary pause on wage garnishment and the Treasury Offset Program to give defaulted student-loan borrowers more time to arrange repayment before filing taxes. The pause was announced on January 16.

Harvard research finds that metros issuing the most building permits have a high share of foreign-born construction workers, and experts warn that stepped-up immigration enforcement could worsen a nationwide construction worker shortage.

The EU and Mercosur signed a long‑awaited free trade agreement in Asunción after more than 25 years of negotiations. The pact removes over 90% of tariffs on goods and services but still needs ratification by the European Parliament.

A senior government official said Prime Minister Mark Carney will take a role on a U.S.-led 'Board of Peace' for Gaza; President Trump announced a founding Executive Board on Jan. 16 and said he would serve as chairman.

Texas has allocated about $5 million to a bitcoin ETF as a placeholder for a state strategic reserve, and New Hampshire approved a $100 million bitcoin-backed municipal bond that officials plan to issue this year.

On Jan. 17, family members, NASCAR figures and fans gathered at Bojangles Coliseum to remember seven people who died when the Cessna carrying Greg Biffle experienced mechanical trouble and attempted a return to Statesville Airport on Dec. 18, 2025.

Warren Buffett described a classroom exercise in which students choose five classmates whose lifetime earnings they would take 10% of, and he noted that anyone can work to become one of those chosen; the exchange appears in the CNBC program "Warren Buffett: A Life and Legacy," airing Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. ET.

Schwarzman Scholars has named 150 recipients for its 2026–27 program, chosen from more than 5,800 applicants; over 50 are from the U.S. and will begin a one-year master’s program at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University, in August 2025.

Research from the Center for Retirement Research finds 83% of retiree households face unplanned expenses in any year, and among those households the average annual amount is about $6,000, roughly 10% of yearly income.

Iceland’s most famous landscapes — geysers, glaciers, lava fields and waterfalls — lie inland and are rarely visible from a ship, so shore excursions and overnight stays are commonly needed to reach them.

Jay Mandel, a 48-year-old former corporate marketing executive in New York, supplements his income by delivering for Uber Eats and says the work has been humbling while bringing in a few hundred dollars a week.

Employment among Black women rose to a 7.8 percent unemployment rate by December 2025, and many midcareer and senior Black women have formed peer networks such as the Discord group 'Black Women Rising' to share leads, résumé help and mutual support.

Walmart executive Daniel Danker said many "agentic commerce" AI tools lack consumer appeal and described potential uses such as personalized apparel previews and AI that remembers typical orders to reduce scrolling.

Lloyd Fisher left a decade in corporate marketing and started Oak Avenue Landscaping in December 2023; in 2025 he reported about $52,000 in net income and roughly $430,000 in revenue while prioritizing flexible hours and sustainable, all‑electric equipment.

Surveys and user reviews at the start of 2026 show Amica leading in auto insurance customer satisfaction, with J.D. Power reporting a 735 score in New England and U.S. News noting strong customer service in a survey of over 1,100 users.

The article examines the paradox that the same generative AI systems linked to so-called AI psychosis are also being proposed as tools to help people experiencing AI-induced mental health issues, and it reports that OpenAI is adjusting ChatGPT to flag suspected cases and to connect users with human therapists.

Mercosur and the European Union will sign a trade agreement on Saturday that eliminates tariffs on more than 90% of bilateral trade and aims to create one of the world’s largest free-trade areas; signing will take place in Asuncion with senior EU officials and some Mercosur leaders present.

PJM's Board of Managers outlined actions for 2026 to integrate new large loads while preserving reliability and affordability for the 67 million people it serves, including an immediate backstop generation procurement process and a broader market review that will inform possible changes to the recent price floor and ceiling.

The article reports AMD saw meaningful data center revenue in its latest quarter as Phase 1 of the AI infrastructure capex cycle peaks; it also warns that AMD's elevated valuation could compress as spending shifts from securing capacity to utilizing it.

Bloomberg reports equity ETFs still draw the bulk of investor flows, while income strategies, active ETFs and crypto are increasingly being incorporated into model-driven portfolios, according to panels held at the ETFs in Depth event.

Mortgage rates fell to 6.06%, the lowest in over three years, and the article reports the President plans to direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities to help lower borrowing costs.

The U.S. Education Department announced a pause on planned tax-refund seizures and administrative wage garnishments for loans in collection while it revises repayment regulations under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear Bayer's appeal seeking to limit state-law claims over the Roundup weedkiller; the article notes the court has not yet scheduled argument dates.

The America First Policy Institute and influencer Benny Johnson launched the 'Make Housing Great Again' initiative and released a white paper proposing supply-side deregulation, local incentives, and buyer-focused measures to address housing affordability.

Bill Ford told Yahoo Finance at the Detroit Auto Show that the United States still needs a strong manufacturing base and discussed Ford's domestic production, electric vehicles and its partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing in Formula One.

The IRS raised 2026 contribution limits for several retirement accounts, including a $24,500 cap for 401(k)s and higher IRA limits. The SECURE 2.0 Act also requires some high‑income catch-up contributions to be made as Roth contributions.

The Florida Office of Financial Regulation and the Federal Reserve approved Inter to establish a state‑licensed international banking branch in Miami, expanding its cross‑border services. The article notes Inter serves more than 41 million customers and that the branch will be a digital‑first banking hub.

The Education Department announced a temporary delay to wage garnishments and other involuntary collections for federal student loan borrowers in default, saying the pause will allow it to implement repayment reforms under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

President Trump will announce next week a proposal to let Americans use 401(k) funds for home down payments, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said. Hassett said final details are still being finalized and will be presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos.