Dollar

Classified budget estimates indicate the National Security Agency is paying billions of dollars to test artificial intelligence models, according to a new report. The figures suggest US intelligence agencies are moving aggressively to evaluate advanced AI systems for national security uses, and the scale of the spending is drawing attention to how deeply classified programs are funding AI development.

Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices has agreed to acquire World Labs, the artificial intelligence startup founded by AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, in a deal valued at $8.2 billion. The acquisition marks a major move by AMD into frontier AI research and signals intensifying competition among chipmakers to secure leading AI talent and technology. Li, a Stanford researcher known for her work on computer vision, founded World Labs to develop spatial intelligence systems.

Anthropic has signed a $12 billion computing agreement with Akamai to secure AI infrastructure. The deal, reported by Bloomberg, marks a major commitment by the AI company to scale its computing capacity amid intense industry-wide demand for chips and data centers. It adds Anthropic to the list of AI firms locking in multi-billion-dollar infrastructure deals, underscoring how expensive the race to build frontier AI models has become.

Zynga founder Mark Pincus says he came close to buying Finnish mobile games studio Supercell for $400 million before it became one of the industry's biggest success stories. The claim, reported by Mobilegamer.biz, is drawing attention from games industry watchers given Supercell's later multibillion-dollar valuation and hits like Clash of Clans.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service has shut down a website that sold millions of dollars in counterfeit postage labels. The scheme allowed shippers to print fake shipping labels at a fraction of the real cost, costing the Postal Service significant revenue. The story has drawn attention online, with readers discussing how the fraud worked, how it went undetected for so long, and what it means for small sellers who relied on the discounted labels.

President Trump has reportedly told congressional leaders he is canceling billions of dollars in previously approved federal funding. The reported move, made directly to top lawmakers rather than announced publicly, is drawing criticism from Democrats who say it undermines Congress's power of the purse, and is generating heavy attention across US political media and late-night commentary.

Local news outlets are examining how Nevada spends its education funding, raising questions about whether money allocated to schools is reaching classrooms. The coverage follows ongoing concern over the state's school performance despite significant education investment, with reporters tracing where dollars go once distributed to districts.

A roundup of 15 celebrity prenuptial and divorce agreements is circulating, detailing unusual terms such as infidelity clauses, multimillion-dollar payouts, and other strict conditions couples agreed to before marriage. The collection highlights how stars protect their fortunes, and readers are sharing and debating which of the reported terms are the most surprising.

The U.S. Navy has selected Boeing for its F/A-XX program, the effort to develop the next-generation fighter aircraft intended to eventually replace the F/A-18 Super Hornet and serve on aircraft carriers into the 2030s and beyond. The award places Boeing alongside the Navy's future air combat plans, with the decision closely watched by defense analysts and the wider aerospace industry.

Saudi Arabia has reportedly stepped back from Project mBridge, the central bank digital currency platform led by the Bank for International Settlements that aims to enable cross-border payments outside the dollar system. A South China Morning Post opinion column argues the move shows that de-dollarisation efforts face practical limits, as the dollar's dominance in trade and finance remains difficult to displace.

Japanese authorities are holding off on currency market intervention as the yen firms against the dollar. Officials had repeatedly stepped in to support the currency during its long slide, and the latest pause signals they see less urgency now that the exchange rate has moved in their favor. Markets are watching closely for any sign Tokyo will resume action if the yen weakens again.

AMD has acquired an artificial intelligence startup that generates 3D worlds, in a deal reported at roughly R$43 billion (several billion dollars). The purchase points to AMD pushing further into AI hardware and software beyond chips, moving into generative AI tools for building immersive 3D environments. Details on the startup's name and integration plans were not included in the initial reports.

ETF provider HANetf has launched what it describes as the first bitcoin fund hedged against the euro, aimed at European investors seeking exposure to bitcoin without euro currency risk layered on top. The fund tracks bitcoin's price while neutralising fluctuations between the euro and the dollar, in which most bitcoin trading is denominated. Coverage so far is limited to the initial launch announcement, with reactions still emerging across the crypto and ETF sectors.

A joint venture involving Amentum has been selected for a contract worth about $2.78 billion linked to the Sellafield nuclear site in the UK. The deal is one of the larger nuclear awards in Britain and covers work at the Cumbria complex, which handles decommissioning and nuclear waste management. Industry watchers are following the award for its size and what it signals for future UK nuclear cleanup contracts.

Teton County voters will decide on a ballot measure to allocate public dollars to conservation efforts, according to the Jackson Hole News&Guide. The measure would direct county funding toward land and wildlife protection priorities. Residents are weighing the cost against the environmental benefits ahead of the vote.

US job openings dropped to 7.079 million in August, below what economists had expected. Hiring held at 5.2 million and layoffs at 1.6 million, showing little movement. The dollar rose to multi-week highs as markets watch how the Federal Reserve weighs the cooling labor market in its next rate decisions.

Crypto market tracker Feeloop published its digest highlighting an unusual arbitrage opportunity in the GP/USDT trading pair, with funding rates showing an APR of roughly -4380%, meaning shorts pay longs. The digest also lists liquidity pools totalling about 3.2 million dollars, with a top BSC LP pair offering over 5000% APR. Such extreme funding anomalies typically attract traders looking to capture yields.

Gold prices are holding steady as investors hold off on major moves ahead of upcoming U.S. economic data. Traders are looking to the releases for clues on the Federal Reserve's next steps on interest rates, which would shape the outlook for the dollar and bullion. The report notes muted trading across commodities markets while participants await the numbers.

New analysis from the Centre for Economic Policy Research examines how the international financial system is changing, focusing on persistent global imbalances, the shifting role of major currencies, and threats to financial stability. It argues that structural shifts in capital flows and reserve currency dynamics are creating new policy challenges. Economists are being urged to rethink how the system can be made more resilient to future shocks.

US midterm elections are in focus for financial markets, with investors weighing how the vote could affect policy, regulation and spending. Commentators are discussing which congressional outcomes might move stocks, bonds and the dollar, and how historical midterm patterns have shaped market performance.

The euro is holding on to its gains against the Canadian dollar even after German retail sales data came in weaker than expected. Currency traders appear to be looking past the disappointing German consumer spending figures, keeping the euro to Canadian dollar exchange rate elevated despite the negative economic signal from Europe's largest economy.

El Salvador is reportedly moving toward stablecoins for everyday payments as actual bitcoin use among consumers and merchants declines. The country, which made bitcoin legal tender in 2021, is seeing lower-than-hoped transaction volumes in bitcoin, and dollar-pegged stablecoins are emerging as the more practical digital payment option, prompting fresh debate about the future of the country's crypto policy.

Alabama State Finance Director Bill Poole is stepping down, with Doryan Carlton set to take over the role. Poole, a former state legislator who has led the Finance Department under Governor Kay Ivey, oversaw state budgeting through periods of strong revenues. The change raises questions about continuity in managing Alabama's multibillion-dollar budgets, and Carlton's appointment will draw attention in Montgomery.