Several major companies, including Starbucks, UnitedHealth, Boeing, Spotify, and pharmaceutical giants Novo Nordisk and Merck, report mixed financial results, revenue growth, or profit challenges due to rising costs and market competition.

• Starbucks Earnings Show Same-Store Sales Slid Amid Turnaround Effort — The New York Times Business -
• Starbucks Abandons Mobile Order, Pickup-Only Stores — Wall Street Journal -
• Starbucks profits plunge as turnaround costs add up — Financial Times -

• Boeing Takes Slow Approach to Expansion — Wall Street Journal -
• Spotify Gains Subscribers but Posts Loss — Wall Street Journal -
• UnitedHealth’s Profits Fall as Medical Care Costs Continue to Rise — The New York Times Business -
• Apple Is Shutting a Store in China, Its First Closure in the Country — The New York Times Business -
• Boeing Reports Strongest Revenue in 6 Years — The New York Times Business -
• Novo Nordisk, Ozempic Drugmaker, Sees Stock Plunge 20% After Profit Warning — The New York Times Business -
• UnitedHealth Continues to Struggle as Rising Medical Costs, Shortfalls Affect Business — Wall Street Journal -
• Novo Nordisk Shares Plummet as Competition Weighs on Sales — Wall Street Journal -
• Procter & Gamble to increase US prices to counter $1bn tariff costs — Financial Times -
• UnitedHealth says it faces $1.6bn in potential settlement costs — Financial Times -
• Spotify’s Crown Lies Heavy, but It’s Still the Streaming King — Wall Street Journal -
• Boeing recovery ‘ahead’ of schedule, says chief Kelly Ortberg — Financial Times -
• Procter & Gamble Says Consumers Are Under Stress — Wall Street Journal -
• Merck to Lay Off Workers and Narrows Guidance as Earnings Fall — Wall Street Journal -
• Merck hit by sharp decline in HPV vaccine sales in China — Financial Times -
• Mars to Invest $2 Billion in U.S. Manufacturing Through 2026 — Wall Street Journal -

The Trump administration's aggressive trade policies continue to reshape global commerce, with ongoing tariff negotiations and their impact on various industries drawing significant attention.

• FirstFT: US says extended tariff truce with China depends on Trump approval — Financial Times -
• Wall Street gears up for ‘pivotal’ three days for US markets — Financial Times -
• US says extended trade war truce with China hinges on Trump approval — Financial Times -

• India and Trump Still Don’t Have a Tariff Deal: Here’s Why That Matters — The New York Times Business -
• Trade Deal Brings Relief to Europe’s Luxury Industry — Wall Street Journal -
• US companies use hot markets to slash borrowing costs on risky loans — Financial Times -
• French seek US tariff exemption for champagne and other drinks — Financial Times -
• I.M.F. Raises Global Growth Outlook as U.S. Eases Some Tariffs — The New York Times Business -
• Europe Made Major Trade Concessions to Trump. How Did That Happen? — The New York Times Business -
• IMF upgrades global growth forecast as weaker dollar aids world economy — Financial Times -
• Trump’s tariff deals stack up, threatening to redraw global trade — Financial Times -
• Trump Is Winning His Trade War. What Will That Mean for the Economy? — The New York Times Business -
• The market is looking through the tariffs — Financial Times -
• Trump’s tariff blitz brings US levies to highest levels since 1930s — Financial Times -
• EU politicians bristle at US trade deal — Financial Times -

Global geopolitical events including China's tightening exit bans and manufacturing challenges, Middle East conflicts influencing UK policy on Palestinian statehood, and international efforts to stabilize regions impact the international business landscape.

• Starmer finally sets out his stance on Palestinian statehood — Financial Times -
• ‘Pervasive sense of fear’: China steps up exit bans as US tensions flare — Financial Times -
• Opinion | A Peace Deal for Armenia and Azerbaijan — Wall Street Journal -

• UK to recognise Palestinian state unless Israel ends Gaza crisis — Financial Times -
• Ivory Coast leader seeks fourth term after rivals sidelined — Financial Times -
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s unforced error — Financial Times -
• ‘Worst-case scenario’ of famine unfolding in Gaza, says global hunger monitor — Financial Times -
• India says it has killed perpetrators of Kashmir terror attack — Financial Times -
• The Thai-Cambodian clash is a systemic failure for the region — Financial Times -
• West risks losing credibility over Gaza, says Norway — Financial Times -
• North Korea says relations with Trump are ‘not bad’ — Financial Times -
• Trump turns peacekeeping efforts to Sudan as Ukraine and Gaza talks stall — Financial Times -
• Starmer weighs timing of UK recognition of Palestinian statehood — Financial Times -
• ECB staff accuse Lagarde of running ‘unaccountable legal fortress’ — Financial Times -
• It is not too late for investors to ride the European stock rally — Financial Times -
• China struggles to break its addiction to manufacturing — Financial Times -
• Europe’s roads and rail unfit for war with Russia, EU transport chief warns — Financial Times -
• Global AI rivalry is a dangerous game — Financial Times -
• At least 30 killed as storms lash Beijing — Financial Times -
• Colombia’s ex-president Uribe found guilty of bribery and witness tampering — Financial Times -

Significant consolidation is underway with major railroad mergers creating coast-to-coast networks and cybersecurity acquisitions, alongside substantial funding rounds for AI startups and strategic partnerships like the JPMorgan Chase-Apple credit card program.

• Union Pacific to Buy Norfolk Southern in $85 Billion Railroad Deal — The New York Times Business -
• Opinion | A Railroad Merger Test for the Feds — Wall Street Journal -
• Palo Alto Networks Nears Over $20 Billion Deal for Cybersecurity Firm CyberArk — Wall Street Journal -

• A Megamerger Creates America’s First Coast-to-Coast Rail Operator — Wall Street Journal -
• Iconiq set to lead $5bn funding round for AI start-up Anthropic — Financial Times -
• JPMorgan Chase Nears a Deal to Take Over Apple’s Credit-Card Program — Wall Street Journal -
• Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to create $250bn US rail giant in biggest deal of the year — Financial Times -
• Baker Hughes seals $13.6bn deal to buy Chart over the head of rival suitor — Financial Times -

The Trump administration's regulatory approach is impacting environmental policies, international organizations like the OECD, energy drilling, and antitrust strategies, while the President's unpredictable influence is also seen in the stock market and Fed policy.

• Opinion | Mergers Test ‘Madman’ Trump — Wall Street Journal -
• Trump administration moves to scrap Obama-era rule on CO₂ pollution — Financial Times -
• Republicans seek to defund the OECD — Financial Times -

• Trump Urges the U.K. to Drill More Oil, Criticizing Its Energy Policy — The New York Times Business -
• Stellantis bets on petrol cars to cash in on Trump’s anti-EV campaign — Financial Times -
• Trump blocks Taiwan’s President Lai from New York stopover — Financial Times -
• Trump says UK taxes on North Sea oil ‘make no sense’ — Financial Times -
• Are Cracks Appearing in Trump’s Antitrust Strategy? — The New York Times Business -
• How Trump muddles the stock market — Financial Times -
• U.S. Exporters Get Welcome Surprise in Trump Tax Law — Wall Street Journal -
• Powell Under Siege as Fed Plans to Stand Pat on Rate Cuts — The New York Times Business -

Consumer product innovations and retail strategies are adapting to changing shopping behaviors like early holiday purchases, while industry-specific trends involve advancements in food production, electric vehicle adoption, and business model transformations.

• The New ‘Perfect Combination’: The Reese’s Oreo Cup? The Oreo Reese’s Cookie? — Wall Street Journal -
• The First Soda in Space: When NASA Got Caught Up in the Cola Wars — The New York Times Business -
• Shoppers Embrace ‘Christmas in July’ Amid Rising Costs and Tariff Limbo — The New York Times Business -

• Finding Faster, Cheaper Ways to Get to Bacon — Wall Street Journal -
• The Country Where 76% of Cars Sold Are Electric — The New York Times Business -
• WeWork Wants You to Know It’s a Grown-Up Real-Estate Firm Now — Wall Street Journal -
• Where to eat in Singapore: top tips from Dave Pynt of Michelin-starred Burnt Ends — Financial Times -
• The five buzziest beauty treatments — Financial Times -
• Dutch pension giant pledges $650mn to Octopus Australia — Financial Times -

Key developments in the UK economy involve rising food inflation, household savings trends, regulatory decisions impacting rail services, and government discussions concerning banking and the gambling industry.

• Albert Hall heads for trial with private seat owners over access to performances — Financial Times -
• UK rail regulator approves new ‘open-access’ passenger services — Financial Times -
• NHS England chief urges clampdown on doctors profiting from strikes — Financial Times -

• UK households save more in bank accounts as tax fears loom — Financial Times -
• Oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler fails to overturn UK sanctions — Financial Times -
• UK food inflation rises for sixth month running, industry data shows — Financial Times -
• Minister accuses Farage of siding with late paedophile Savile in online safety row — Financial Times -
• Rachel Reeves faces calls to increase taxes on £15bn gambling industry — Financial Times -
• Reeves and Bailey clash over Revolut meeting — Financial Times -

The future of financial services is being redefined by advancements in cross-border payments and data sharing deals, while the AI boom presents new challenges for energy infrastructure and European defense technology.

• There is a data deal to be done by banking incumbents and upstarts — Financial Times -
• The race for the future of cross-border payments — Financial Times -
• Who Pays? AI Boom Sparks Fight Over Soaring Power Costs — Wall Street Journal -

• Tata Sons fends off central bank IPO order as deadline looms — Financial Times -
• Ex-Apple engineer brings Silicon Valley tactics to European defence tech — Financial Times -
• Clorox sues Cognizant as troubles mount in India’s tech sector — Financial Times -

Corporate security measures are being reassessed in the wake of recent shootings in New York City, highlighting concerns over workplace safety and executive well-being, alongside broader issues like health system structures and transport security.

• US companies move to tighten security after fatal shooting in New York — Financial Times -
• Former Football Players With CTE Have Turned to Violence — The New York Times Business -
• Gunman kills 4 in shooting at New York tower housing NFL — Financial Times -

• FirstFT: Shooting at Blackstone’s New York headquarters building — Financial Times -
• Delta Pilot Is Arrested on Child Sex Abuse Charges After Flight, U.S. Says — The New York Times Business -
• Arkansas governor leads charge to break up US pharmacy companies — Financial Times -

Tributes are paid to influential figures who have passed away, including a pioneer in pizza cheese production, a consumer advocate journalist, a philanthropist supporting arts and wildlife, and a biotech innovator.

• James Leprino, ‘Willy Wonka of Cheese’ Who Revolutionized Pizza, Dies at 87 — The New York Times Business -
• Morton Mintz, Muckraking Crusader for Consumers, Dies at 103 — The New York Times Business -
• Wallis Annenberg, Arts and Wildlife Philanthropist, Dies at 86 — The New York Times Business -

• William J. Rutter, Biotech Pioneer of Gene-Based Medicine, Dies at 97 — The New York Times Business -