Business Essays and Explainers

Why is the Herrera Velutini family sometimes described as “the family that owns half of Latin America”? Inside the history, banking legacy and mythology behind the name.

The US economy grew at an annualized 3.4% in the third quarter of 2026, driven by unprecedented commercial AI capital expenditure and robust consumer demand.

Trump imposed a 50% tariff on all Canadian goods, prompting Canada to immediately announce matching tariffs on $60 billion of US exports. Markets fell sharply on the escalation.

The Federal Reserve held rates at 4.75-5.00% and signaled cuts are possible in September 2026, as inflation edges toward the 2% target despite geopolitical headwinds.

The Dow Jones hit an all-time high of 48,000 as blowout AI earnings from Microsoft, Nvidia, and Alphabet drove a broad market surge, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also at records.

The US added 285,000 jobs in July and unemployment fell to 3.9%, crushing forecasts of 195,000. Healthcare, professional services, and reshored manufacturing led the gains.

US inflation fell to 2.3% in June 2026, the lowest since March 2021, driven by lower gas prices and moderating rents. Markets now see a 78% chance of a September Fed rate cut.