Data for Good

Historical data suggests divided government has generally been good for stock markets, with one notable exception. Prediction markets now put the odds of Democrats winning control of the House of Representatives at 92%. Investors are weighing what a split Congress could mean for equities, gridlock on legislation, and market volatility heading into the midterm results.

New orders for US durable goods were unchanged in August, according to the latest Commerce Department figures, falling short of the growth many analysts expected. The flat reading suggests businesses remained cautious on big-ticket investments amid uncertain demand and higher borrowing costs. Economists say the data adds to questions about the strength of US manufacturing heading into the final months of the year.

La Clef cinema in Paris is screening Valerie Veatch's 2026 documentary Ghost in the Machine at 7pm, marking the film's French premiere. The film examines what artificial intelligence conceals, and the screening will be followed by a discussion with guests from Data for Good, Tribe-X and Technopolice Paris-Banlieues as part of the venue's cine-club.

Faith-based community groups in areas where Microsoft is building data centers are asking the company to contribute 1% of project costs to local causes, arguing it should be a good neighbor. According to Ars Technica, Microsoft has so far gone quiet on the request, with critics saying its neighborly claims remain unproven while the expansion of AI infrastructure strains local resources.

Max Verstappen set the quickest time of the day using his FP1 session lap, calling it "a good day" and saying Red Bull will analyse tyre data overnight. He skipped the soft tyre in FP2, instead focusing on long runs to build race pace understanding. The performance puts Red Bull on top as the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend begins.

Despite headline indicators pointing to a strong US economy, polling shows Americans remain downbeat about their own financial situation. Axios highlights the gap between macroeconomic data and public sentiment, with many consumers saying prices, housing costs and everyday expenses still feel crushing. The disconnect between official good news and how people actually feel is shaping up as a major political issue.

US jobs growth slowed sharply in September, with weaker labor data lifting expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts and broadening macro risk sentiment. Separately, the United States and China announced tariff reductions on $30 billion of goods each, seen as a modest thaw in trade tensions. Traders are weighing what the softer employment picture means for policy and markets.

Brands are adjusting how they market products as artificial intelligence agents increasingly shop on behalf of consumers. Instead of pitching to human shoppers with emotional advertising, companies are optimizing product data and descriptions so AI assistants can find, evaluate and recommend their goods, a shift with significant implications for e-commerce and digital marketing.

A new opinion piece argues that artificial intelligence in biology can only be as reliable as the data it is trained on. The author warns that flawed, incomplete, or biased biological datasets can lead AI models to produce misleading conclusions, with real consequences for research and medicine. The article calls for better data quality and curation as AI tools spread through the life sciences.

Eurostat data shows turnover in the EU consumer durables sector declined by 1.0% in July 2026, according to newly released statistics. The dip signals weakening demand for durable consumer goods across the bloc, and analysts are watching whether the decline points to broader softening in household spending.

Softer-than-expected US jobs figures triggered a stock market rally, as investors bet the weakening labor market could push the Federal Reserve toward cutting interest rates sooner. While weak hiring is normally bad news for the economy, traders welcomed the report as a sign inflation pressures may be easing. Analysts noted the paradox: bad economic data is now being read as good news for markets.

The EU capital goods turnover index reached 125.2 in July 2026, declining 0.4% from the previous month while rising 5.6% year on year. The figures point to a modest monthly slowdown in the euro area's investment goods sector, even as underlying annual growth remains solid. Analysts will watch whether the dip reflects seasonal factors or the start of a broader cooling in industrial demand.

A Joint Market Monitoring Initiative report covering South Sudan for 1–11 September 2026 has been published, providing updated data on market conditions, prices and access to essentials across the country. Such assessments are typically used by humanitarian agencies to track whether households can afford food and basic goods. Specific findings from the latest edition were not included in the available information.

Azure Standard, an Oregon-based natural food and bulk goods distributor, is the subject of a lawsuit investigation following a reported data breach. Attorneys are probing whether the company failed to adequately protect customer personal information and whether affected individuals may be entitled to compensation through legal action. Customers potentially impacted may be watching for updates on eligibility and next steps.

Developers are discussing what it takes to build a secure modern Android application. The argument being made is that a good interface and a working API connection are only the beginning: apps now handle sensitive data including authentication tokens, personal and financial information, files, location data, and business-critical material. The conversation is a reminder to Android developers that security practices must be built in from the start, not added later.

Bankrate has published a historical overview of certificate of deposit interest rates in the United States covering 1984 through 2025. The data traces how CD yields climbed to double digits in the mid-1980s, fell steadily through the 1990s and 2010s, and rose again after the recent cycle of Federal Reserve rate increases. Savers are comparing today's rates against four decades of history.

A new essay argues that evidence alone is not enough for good science, pointing to the role of reasoning, values, and judgement in scientific work. The piece has sparked discussion among scientists and commentators about how research should be evaluated beyond raw data.

AWS formally ended support for the Copilot CLI on June 12, 2026, and archived the repository ten days later, leaving developers without updates or fixes. Engineers are now flagging a sharp edge for teams still running Copilot-managed environments: deleting leftover Copilot stacks can also delete connected databases, so cleanup must be done carefully before the tool disappears for good.

Investors are weighing whether CoreWeave, the AI cloud infrastructure company that went public in 2025, is worth buying at current levels. The stock has drawn attention for its ties to the AI boom, with analysts debating whether its growth in data center capacity and major tech contracts justifies its valuation after sharp post-IPO swings.

Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said inflation remains 'still too high' despite a softer-than-expected PCE inflation reading, while describing the US labor market as 'pretty good'. His comments suggest the Federal Reserve is in no rush to cut interest rates, with policymakers still waiting for more evidence that price pressures are durably returning to the 2% target.

Italy's national statistics agency Istat reported that retail sales in August rose 0.5% year-on-year in value, but fell 1% in volume. The gap suggests shoppers are paying higher prices rather than buying more goods, pointing to inflation rather than growing demand as the driver of the increase in spending.

Italy's statistics agency Istat reported retail sales in August rose 0.5% year-on-year in value but fell 1% in volume, according to figures carried by ANSA. The gap suggests shoppers are paying higher prices while buying fewer goods, pointing to persistent pressure on household consumption from inflation despite a nominal increase in spending.