Bonds behaving badly – The 10-year Treasury yield topped 5.11% on 9/23, its highest since 2007, as the bond market suffered one of its worst days in more than a year. Stronger-than-expected manufacturing data, rising oil prices, and weak demand at a Treasury auction helped fuel the sell-off, which spilled into stocks as the S&P 500 Index fell 0.8% and the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 1.1%. (Source: Barron’s)

Go big or go home – Investment in US data centers and AI infrastructure is projected to reach $10.3 trillion from 2025 through 2032, averaging 3.6% of GDP annually. That would make the AI build-out bigger relative to the economy than past investments in railroads, highways, electrification, and telecom and fiber infrastructure. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Can’t talk, business is booming – US business activity expanded at its fastest pace in more than five years in September, with the Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index reaching 58.4, its highest since July 2021. Strong consumer spending, AI investment, and defense spending have helped drive the gains, while employment grew at its fastest pace in more than four years. (Source: Bloomberg)

Looks like the gravy train has a few fewer stops – About 19% of global dividend announcements in Q3 have been cuts, the highest share since the second quarter of 2020. Historically, financial pressures such as declining profitability have been a common driver of dividend cuts. Buyback announcements are also on pace for their lowest level in a decade, suggesting companies may be growing more cautious with shareholder payouts. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Harder, better, faster, stronger – China is doubling down on advanced manufacturing, with President Xi Jinping calling for the sector to become “bigger and stronger” as the country pushes for greater technological self-reliance and control over key supply chains. The effort is fueling concerns abroad about a potential “China Shock 2.0,” as rising exports of electric vehicles and other green-tech products increase competitive pressure, particularly in Europe. (Source: Reuters)

Okay, who’s ready to do the “We’re All in This Together” dance? – Perceptions of US government corruption have reached a 20-year high, with 89% of US adults saying it’s widespread. The concern crosses party lines, including 91% of Democrats, 90% of Independents, and 83% of Republicans, and the overall figure is up 10 percentage points from last year. (Source: Gallup)

Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card – Reading for fun may do more than provide a good escape. A study of 10,000 US youths found that those who started reading for pleasure earlier had better attention spans, memory, and learning skills as adolescents, along with better sleep and less screen time. Research has also linked recreational reading among older adults with slower brain aging and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. (Source: NPR)

Smooth sailing, apparently – The Atlantic went without a hurricane through September 21, breaking a 112-year record and marking the latest first hurricane since satellites began regularly tracking them. If the season ends November 30 without one, 2026 would become just the third Atlantic hurricane season on record with no hurricanes, joining 1907 and 1914. A strengthening El Niño may be helping suppress hurricane development. (Source: AccuWeather)

This might make Mariah defrost early this year – Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has spent 23 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the longest run in the chart’s history. The song surpassed Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which accumulated 22 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1, and now sits ahead of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and “Old Town Road,” which each spent 19 weeks at the top. (Source: Entertainment Weekly)

Careful, football. Football’s catching up – Football is still America’s favorite sport to watch, but its lead is narrowing. While 31% of Americans rank football No. 1, its lowest share since 2001, soccer reached a record 9%, putting it nearly even with baseball at 10% and basketball at 11%. Before 2005, soccer had never topped 2%. (Source: Gallup)