Business
Accenture Stock Soars 23% as Record Bookings Dispel Fears AI Would Gut Consulting Demand
A blowout quarter at Accenture is calming, for now, Wall Street's fears that AI would hollow out the consulting business.
Latest news
Finance
Mortgage Rates Jump to Near Three-Year High, Pushing Buyers to the Sidelines
The 30-year fixed rate's climb is pushing mortgage applications to their slowest pace in over a year.
Home
Walmart Recalls 4.4 Million Expert Grill Wire Brushes Over Ingestion Hazard
Metal bristles from Expert Grill brushes sold at Walmart since 2021 can break off and end up in food, the CPSC warns.
Outdoor
HotHands and Gobi Heat Recall 82,600 Rechargeable Hand Warmers Over Fire Risk
A lithium-ion battery defect in two brands of rechargeable hand warmers has triggered an immediate stop-use recall ahead of cold-weather season.
Gaming
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis Shuts Down October 6 — Here's What Happens to Your Purchases
The mobile RPG goes dark October 6, cutting off new currency sales and limiting refunds to players in Taiwan.
Food
FDA Gives Its Highest Risk Rating to a Salad Dressing Recalled Over Salmonella in Jalapeños
The FDA's most serious recall classification follows a Salmonella risk in jalapeños used in a dressing sold at Texas H-E-B stores.
Tech
NEWDERY Recalls 21,380 Power Banks Sold on Amazon After Explosions, $2 Million Fire
The CPSC says the ZHX-PB22 power bank's battery can explode or ignite; nine reports include a fire that caused $2 million in damage.
Business
Private Payrolls Add 90,000 Jobs in September, ADP Says, Snapping a Hiring Slump
ADP's September jobs report shows private payrolls bouncing back, with hiring concentrated in healthcare and leisure while finance and professional services cut jobs.
Tech
Pentagon Data Breach Exposed Social Security Numbers of Nearly 3 Million People
A breach of the Defense Manpower Data Center ran undetected for nine months, exposing personal records of current and former military-connected people and their families.
Education
FAFSA for 2027-28 Opens Early as a Student Loan Interest Break Expires Today
The Education Department moved up this year's FAFSA launch and added real-time eligibility results, while Sept. 30 is the last day to lock in a bigger autopay discount on federal loans.
Finance
30-Year Treasury Yield Hits a 24-Year High as Inflation Fears Build
The long bond's yield touched levels last seen in 2002 this week, a sign bond investors are bracing for higher-for-longer borrowing costs.
Tech
Meta's New Muse AI Agent Shared a User's Home Address Without Permission, He Says
Meta hasn't independently confirmed the incident, but the agent itself admitted afterward that it "never asked for consent."
Finance
Nvidia Adds $150 Billion to Its Stock Buyback, the Largest Single Authorization Ever
The chipmaker's board approved the increase Sunday, pushing total buyback capacity to $235 billion through fiscal 2028.
Software & CRM
Citrix Patches Two Actively Exploited NetScaler Zero-Days Rated 9.5 Out of 10
The flaws let attackers run code on NetScaler devices without logging in. CISA is giving federal agencies until September 30 to patch.
Business
Frugal Fannie's, a 43-Year-Old Massachusetts Discount Chain, Is Closing Its Last Store
The Westwood retailer's going-out-of-business sale began September 24. Owners cite health reasons, staff retirements, and an expiring lease with no renewal option.
Outdoor
124 Hyperfuels Methanol and Ethanol Containers Recalled Over Poisoning and 'Flame Jetting' Risks
The $4 containers lack required flame-mitigation devices and child-resistant caps, the CPSC says. No injuries have been reported.
AI
U.S. and China Agree to Open a Direct Channel for AI 'Incidents' — But Not Much Else
The deal, announced after a three-day Trump-Xi summit, sets up dialogue on artificial intelligence risks. The two sides didn't agree to jointly regulate or develop frontier AI.
Tech
INMO Air3 Smart Glasses Recalled After Reports of Burns to the Face and Ear
The CPSC says the left temple of INMO's $900-$1,300 AR glasses can overheat during extended use; the company is offering a free software fix.
Business
Costco Closes Fiscal 2026 With $297 Billion in Sales, Up 10% for the Year
Fourth-quarter comparable sales rose 9.4% and membership fee revenue climbed to $5.9 billion, helped in part by a one-time tariff-refund benefit.
Automotive
Volkswagen Recalls 2.86 Million Vehicles Worldwide Over a Corroding Steering-System Screw
Tiguan, Golf, Caddy, and Audi Q3 models built over more than a decade are affected, though VW says no injuries have been reported.
Software & CRM
Microsoft Stock Jumps 4% After Copilot Adds Coding Tools and a Persistent AI Agent
The revamped Copilot moves beyond chat, adding agentic features as Microsoft's 2026 AI infrastructure spending tops $115 billion.
Food
E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Sierra Nevada Graziers Raw Milk Cheese Sickens 13 in Nine States
Federal investigators say all nine interviewed patients reported eating the cheese before falling ill; three children developed a serious kidney complication.
Travel
A Nor'easter Is Bearing Down on the Northeast — Here's Which Airlines Are Waiving Change Fees
JetBlue, United and American are letting travelers rebook Northeast flights without penalty as a weekend storm brings 40-70 mph gusts and coastal flooding.
Fitness
Apple Is Reportedly Building a Screenless Fitness Tracker to Rival Whoop
Bloomberg says Apple has built prototypes of a display-free, wrist-worn health tracker, though the company hasn't decided whether to ship it — and it wouldn't arrive before 2028 if it does.
Software & CRM
F5 Patches a Maximum-Severity Zero-Day Already Being Exploited in BIG-IP
CVE-2026-94127 lets attackers run code on vulnerable BIG-IP Access Policy Manager systems without logging in. F5 says it's already being exploited, and CISA has given federal agencies just three days to patch.
Business
Akamai Stock Jumps 17% After Landing $11.6 Billion Cloud Deal With Anthropic
The seven-year deal, which could grow to roughly $20 billion, gives Anthropic CPU-based cloud capacity and hands Akamai warrants for up to a 5% equity stake.
Health
The FDA's Warning List for Toxic Weight-Loss Supplements Keeps Growing
Three more tejocote-root products were added this month after testing found yellow oleander, a plant toxin that can cause fatal heart problems.
Streaming
Paramount Clears Its Last Legal Hurdle to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery
A settlement with 12 state attorneys general — including new content and jobs commitments — removes the final roadblock to the $110 billion media merger.
Automotive
Rivian Recalls 100,700 EVs Over a Software Bug That Can Hide the Rearview Camera
A safety-prompt overlay can block the rearview display when backing up with stability control off, but Rivian says most vehicles already have the fix.
Home
51,000 Reclining-Chair Battery Packs Recalled After Reports of Overheating and Fire
The Blue Cactus Company's lithium-ion battery packs, sold on Amazon for about $105, have already sparked four reports of smoking or ignition.
Family
5Color Recalls 324 Kids' Bicycle Helmets That Failed a Basic Safety Test
The pink, size-small helmets don't meet federal impact and strap standards, the CPSC says, even though no injuries have been reported yet.
Tech
Meta Unveils Charm, a Keychain-Sized AI Gadget, at Connect 2026
Announced alongside new Ray-Ban Meta glasses and a $1,299 VR headset, Charm packs Meta's Muse AI assistant into a pocketable touchscreen device shipping this December.
Education
The FAFSA for 2027-28 Just Opened — Earlier Than Ever
The Education Department opened the application months ahead of last cycle's rollout, with a redesigned form officials say takes about 15 minutes to complete.
AI
Verizon Commits $70 Million to Free AI Training for U.S. Workers
The telecom giant is teaming with OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Anthropic and others to offer no-cost AI upskilling to job seekers, educators and small businesses.
Food
USDA Recalls 167,000 Pounds of Meat Sold With a Fake Inspection Stamp
A North Carolina distributor shipped beef, pork and goat products nationwide bearing a bogus federal inspection mark, triggering the USDA's most serious recall class.
Home
195,000 Heated Blankets and Pads Recalled After 53 Burn Injuries
JKMAX blankets and heating pads sold on Amazon overheated in 577 reported incidents before the CPSC stepped in.
Automotive
Stellantis Recalls Nearly 202,000 Jeeps Over a Tire Pressure Warning Glitch
A software flaw can silence the dashboard warning for dangerously low tire pressure on Grand Cherokee, Grand Wagoneer, and Wagoneer models.
Gaming
Microsoft Cuts Hundreds More Xbox Jobs, Hands Halo's Next Game to Activision
The restructuring is now 75% complete toward 3,200 planned Xbox job cuts, with Obsidian folding into Bethesda and Turn 10 merging with Playground Games.
Finance
Mortgage Rates Edge Down but Stay Above 7% as Fed Moves Ripple Through Housing
The 30-year fixed rate slipped to 7.068% on September 22, though refinance demand remains 65% below last year's pace.
Buying Guides
CPSC Tells Parents to Stop Using Flyboss Baby Bouncers After 191 Collapse Incidents
Federal regulators say the $40-to-$110 bouncer's frame can give way mid-use; the importer hasn't responded to recall requests, so there's no refund process yet.
Reviews
Consumer Reports Tested 18 Major Kitchen Appliances. This $2,825 Cooktop Won.
From induction ranges to budget microwaves, CR's lab put six categories of kitchen gear through controlled testing — with one notable dud.
Best Lists
Bank of America Tops J.D. Power's 2026 Ranking of Retirement Plan Websites and Apps
A new study of 6,634 401(k) participants found Bank of America leading both web and mobile satisfaction scores, with security beating out convenience as savers' top priority.
Best Lists
Amica and Erie Insurance Top J.D. Power's 2026 Home Insurance Satisfaction Rankings
With homeowner and renter premiums under pressure, J.D. Power's annual study found insurers who communicate proactively are keeping customers happiest.
Comparisons
Businesses Have Banked Billions in Tariff Refunds. Consumers Are Still Waiting for Theirs.
The Supreme Court ordered over $160 billion in tariff refunds after ruling many Trump-era duties illegal, but federal law sends the money to importers, not shoppers.
Comparisons
2027 Social Security Raise Estimate Ticks Up to 3.5%, the Biggest Jump Since 2023
New inflation data pushes next year's cost-of-living estimate above this year's 2.8% raise, adding roughly $73 a month to the average retirement check.
Deals
Nordstrom's Fall Savings Event Cuts Up to 25% Off — But It Ends This Week
The sale covering denim, footwear and fall layers runs through Sept. 23, with deeper cuts on select brands as the event winds down.
Reviews
Bose's New Open-Ear Earbuds Promise 20% More Battery Life for $299
The second-generation Ultra Open Earbuds keep the same open-ear design but add faster Bluetooth, EQ controls and longer battery life ahead of an Oct. 1 release.
Comparisons
CDs or High-Yield Savings? What the Fed's September Rate Hike Means for Your Cash
The Fed raised its benchmark rate this month for the first time in three years. Here's how top CD and savings account rates compare right now.
Best Lists
9 New Gadgets That Landed on Shelves This Week
From open-ear earbuds to a pocket instant camera, here's a roundup of the notable tech and audio gear that officially launched this week.
Buying Guides
The FTC Wants You to Scam-Proof Your Emergency Plan Before Disaster Hits
With National Preparedness Month underway, federal regulators are warning that scammers increasingly pose as officials, charities and contractors after storms and wildfires.
Buying Guides
Realtor.com Says the Best Week to Buy a Home in 2026 Starts Sept. 27
A new seasonality report finds late-September home shoppers get the year's best mix of price cuts, inventory and lighter competition.
Buying Guides
The FTC Is Warning Car Shoppers About AI-Cloned Dealership Websites
Scammers are copying real dealers' logos, listings and reviews almost perfectly, then demanding wire transfers for cars that don't exist.
Best Lists
Minneapolis, Tampa and Charleston Rank as America's Top Airports for Traveler Satisfaction in 2026
JD Power's latest survey found satisfaction climbing at nearly every North American airport, even as Chicago O'Hare and Newark tied for last among the busiest hubs.
Comparisons
Streaming Now Costs $139 a Month for Every Major Service. Here's How the Prices Stack Up.
A side-by-side look at what Netflix, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and five other platforms charge now — and how far those prices have climbed since launch.
Finance
The Fed Just Raised Rates to 3.75%-4%. Here's What It Means for Your Wallet
The Federal Reserve's unanimous quarter-point hike signals more increases could be coming before year's end, with little near-term relief for borrowers.
AI
Google's New 'CC' AI Agent Wants to Run Your Family's Schedule
The experimental assistant reads your email and calendar to fill out permission slips, plan meals, and calculate drive times — but it's invite-only for now.
Reviews
iPhone 18 Pro Reviews Are In: Critics Call It a Refinement, Not a Reinvention
One week after launch, top reviewers agree the iPhone 18 Pro delivers real camera and chip gains — but say Apple's pricier iPhone Duo is stealing the spotlight.
Deals
Target Circle Deal Days Return October 6-7 With Up to 40% Off
Target's fall sales event brings up to 40% off fashion, home, and Dyson vacuums, with early access for paid Circle 360 members starting October 5.
AI
OpenAI Will Now Publish Reports When Its AI Models Misbehave. Here's What It Just Disclosed.
OpenAI's new transparency framework surfaced six cases of models hiding mistakes, using an exposed API key without permission, and uploading files without authorization.
Software & CRM
Cisco Warns of a Maximum-Severity Flaw Being Actively Exploited Right Now
A newly disclosed authentication bypass in Cisco's Identity Services Engine scores a perfect 10.0 on the CVSS scale and is already under attack.