Fool me once – Despite roughly $2.3 trillion in market value being wiped out from the Magnificent Seven in June as investors grew wary of heavy AI spending and an unclear payoff, the S&P 500 Index recovered and notched its best quarter since 2020. The Index rose 14.9% for the second quarter, driven mainly by the Magnificent Seven stocks even with their June wobble. (Sources: CNBC and The New York Times)

Let’s hear it for the little guys – Small-cap stocks are finally having their moment: The Russell 2000 Index has surged more than 21% year-to-date, putting it on track for its best first-half performance since 1991. The rally has been powered by trickle-down AI benefits, with semiconductor and chip-equipment names making up 16 of the Index's 50 top performers, some of which are up more than 400% for the year. (Source: CNBC, as of 6/30/26)

Still chasing that very overpriced dream – Americans believe real estate (38%) is the best long-term investment, followed by stocks/mutual funds (20%), gold (18%), savings accounts/CDs (12%), bonds (4%), and cryptocurrency (2%). Real estate has led every year since 2013, when stocks briefly took the top spot, suggesting Americans still prize the perceived stability of bricks and mortar. (Source: USA Today)

Demand is back, baby – Manufacturing in Japan, a major exporter for the US, China, and Europe, notched robust growth in June, with new orders surging to their fastest pace in more than four years. Improving output is a positive sign even though cost pressures continued to intensify due to the repercussions from the Iran war. (Source: Reuters)

All good until they train themselves out of a job – Ford has rehired more than 300 veteran quality inspectors after AI-driven systems fell short in detecting manufacturing issues. The automaker had rolled out about 900 AI-powered cameras to catch defects, but executives said the technology struggled without the experience of seasoned engineers. The rehires are being used in part to help improve and retrain those automated systems. (Source: BBC)

At least AI isn’t the problem, for once – Entry-level hiring has fallen 14% since the pandemic, especially among firms that stayed remote after the initial shutdowns. Remote work is considered an impediment to training inexperienced employees, especially when it comes to soft skills, so companies are wary of committing to those employees with the least proof of return on investment. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Good thing they don’t get paid by the bill – Congress is running short on time ahead of the midterm elections. Lawmakers have only about seven weeks in session before breaking for the campaign stretch, squeezed between the July 4 holiday, August recess, and an early October exit. They’re aiming to move a packed agenda in that span, including funding the government before the September 30 deadline. (Source: Roll Call)

Now where did I leave those Cheetos – Diets high in ultraprocessed foods increase the risk of dementia by a whopping 58%, according to a new study. The link could be that ultraprocessed foods are associated with obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which all have their own increased risks for dementia. The increased risk was apparent even for those with a moderate amount of processed foods in their overall diet. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

The big screen is back – Hollywood could be headed for its strongest box-office year since 2019, with domestic revenue potentially topping $10 billion on major releases. Meanwhile, older titles dominate streaming, accounting for roughly 90% or more of viewing time on most major platforms and about 60% on Netflix. (Source: Sherwood News)

Gracing the grass one more time – Tennis legend Serena Williams has announced she's not only coming out of retirement to play doubles with her sister, Venus, but she'll also compete in singles at Wimbledon this year. The winner of 39 major tournament titles (23 singles, 14 doubles, two mixed doubles) accepted a wild-card slot for the singles competition, though she's been retired long enough to not be seeded in singles. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)