AI-ppetites abound – So far in 2026, the amount of bond issuance related to AI infrastructure and tech is already nearly double the amount of tech-related bond issuance for all of 2025. About $270 billion has been issued this year vs. $136 billion last year, with a majority of this year’s capital expenditure coming from AI hyperscalers. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Big drop for Big Blue – IBM's stock dropped 25% following a second-quarter earnings warning, surpassing its previous record one-day decline of 23.7% during the October 1987 market crash. The company cited weaker-than-expected software and infrastructure results, as customers redirected spending toward servers, storage, and memory purchases. (Source: CNBC)

Summertime and the livin’s not easy – The number of Americans out of work for 27 weeks or more comprised more than a quarter of jobless claims in June, nearing a 2021 record from the post-COVID-19 era. However, since the overall unemployment rate is low, the increasing level of long-term unemployment isn’t showing up as a detriment to the economy—yet. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Cooling off despite the heatwaves – US inflation cooled in June, with the Consumer Price Index rising 3.5% year over year, down from 4.2% in May. Prices fell 0.4% from the prior month (the largest monthly decline since April 2020) driven largely by a 5.7% drop in energy prices. However, the report predates the latest escalation of the Iran conflict, and Brent crude oil had already risen more than 20% since the start of July. (Source: Axios)

Time to get on Grandma's good side – A projected $124 trillion is expected to pass from Baby Boomers to younger generations in the coming decades, reshaping not only family wealth but also business ownership. Among wealthy Americans, inherited businesses are projected to account for 23% of ownership in 2026, up from just 5% in 2022. (Source: Fortune)

Truly giving it their all – Americans donated a record $617.2 billion to charity in 2025, marking the first time annual giving has topped $600 billion in the 60-year history of the Giving USA report. While individual donors contributed the largest share at $394.2 billion, gifts made through charitable bequests (gifts made after death) surged 16.6%, fueled in part by rising wealth and strong stock-market performance. (Source: CNBC)

The Golden Girls were on to something – More seniors are turning to home-sharing programs as a means to offset rising living costs, reduce loneliness, and age in place at home. Legislative efforts are also underway to support these arrangements, which could help alleviate housing shortages without new-home construction. (Source: The New York Times)

Jurassic Perks – A 67-million-year-old T-Rex named Gus, who is one of the most complete fossils by bone count, set an auction record for fossilized dinosaur skeletons last week when it sold for $50.1 million. Gus was discovered in South Dakota on a cattle ranch and named after the ranch’s owner; the US is the only country where fossils excavated on private land can be sold. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

They’re right, this is exactly how you treat family – Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Pass is back. The restaurant chain is offering its popular promotion for the first time since 2019, allowing customers 13 weeks of unlimited pasta for $100. The catch: There are only 10,000 available. The passes sold out immediately the last time they were offered. (Source: Nation’s Restaurant News)

Not messing around – At age 39, Lionel Messi broke the men's World Cup career-scoring record during Argentina's run to the finals. His 21 goals moved him past Germany's Miroslav Klose for the most in tournament history and helped extend his record-breaking World Cup goal streak to nine straight matches. (Source: FIFA)