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U.S. short-term interest-rate futures climbed on Wednesday after reports surfaced suggesting President Donald Trump may soon dismiss Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The speculation has led traders to price in the likelihood of rate cuts beginning as early as September, with expectations of at least one more cut by December. Trump has been a vocal critic of Powell, repeatedly urging the Fed to lower interest rates. However, a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling reinforces the long-standing legal understanding that a president cannot remove the Fed chair solely due to policy disagreements. Despite this, the market reaction signals growing investor anticipation of a shift in monetary policy in the coming mont

Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick stated that while the firm is exploring potential acquisitions, any deal must meet a high strategic bar. Speaking during a post-earnings call with analysts, Pick emphasized that the Wall Street giant is focused on opportunities that align with its long-term strategy. Rather than large-scale takeovers, Morgan Stanley is more inclined to pursue smaller acquisitions that enhance its core operations—particularly in wealth and investment management. Pick, who leads one of Wall Street’s top dealmaking firms, made it clear that strategic fit will be the top priority. The comments come as Morgan Stanley reported second-quarter profits that exceeded analyst expectations, reinforcing the bank’s strong financial footing as it evaluates future growth moves.

OpenAI is reportedly working on integrating a payment checkout system directly within ChatGPT, according to the Financial Times, citing sources familiar with the plan. The move would allow users to complete online purchases without leaving the chatbot. Merchants who use this built-in payment feature to fulfill orders would pay a commission to OpenAI. This development signals a step toward monetizing e-commerce transactions within the ChatGPT platform.

San Francisco, July 16 — Microsoft and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) announced a new collaboration aimed at accelerating the permitting process for nuclear power plants using artificial intelligence. The partnership will focus on leveraging Microsoft’s advanced AI technology to streamline the creation of engineering and safety analysis reports—key documents required for construction and operating licenses in the U.S. nuclear industry. These reports, often stretching hundreds of pages, are traditionally time-consuming to prepare. By training AI systems on a vast library of previously approved permit applications, the initiative aims to automatically gather and organize data from scientific studies and generate comprehensive, high-quality applications faster and more efficiently. The collaboration could be a game-changer for the nuclear energy sector, where regulatory hurdles often slow progress. If successful, the use of AI may pave the way for quicker deployment of clean, reliable nuclear energy across the country.