All stories, page 11
Business news written here, in plain English, for people who run something. Every story is ours.
Thursday, October 8
Why the condo sale next door may not be the best comp
Check your condo comps before you price that deal. Two units on the same floor can have totally different buyers. Distance inside a building does not equal distance on the map. Fannie Mae rules put actual buyer behavior above geographic proximity.
Chrysler Building to get crown restored after multi-million-dollar sale deal
The famous Chrysler Building in Manhattan is getting a major fix. Developer Tishman Speyer is putting $235m into the 77-storey skyscraper. Workers will polish the Art Deco crown and upgrade the offices inside. The historic tower near Grand Central will finally shine again.
Tesla Model 3 and Y finally get bidirectional home charging
Your Tesla can now keep the lights on during a blackout. Model 3 and Model Y cars ordered after October 1 now feature bidirectional charging. You will need a Powerwall 3 and a compatible wall connector installed at your house.
Compass moves all title and escrow operations to Qualia platform
Compass just overhauled its back end. They are moving every title operation onto Qualia. Old systems from the Anywhere merger are gone. The rollout finishes by 2027 and multiplies Qualia's footprint fivefold.
Air cargo shippers drop long-term contracts as short deals surge
Long-term shipping deals are losing favor as the Air cargo market shifts rapidly. Shippers locked into 3-month agreements now make up 60% of new business. One-year contracts dropped sharply from 40% down to 25%.
Wednesday, October 7
US power use to reach record highs in 2026 and 2027
US Energy Information Administration says power demand will rise. Demand is surging due to data centers and electrification. Wholesale electricity prices to average $52 per megawatt hour in 2026. This affects your business's electricity bill.
WhatsApp updates video player with Liquid Glass design across devices
Meta rolled out the Liquid Glass design for the WhatsApp video player this week. The translucent progress bar floats at the top of the screen with rounded corners. The update brings a new look to light and dark modes on supported devices.
Walmart and Wing expand drone delivery to over 270 stores
Walmart and drone partner Wing plan to reach over 270 stores by next year. Wing drones cruise at up to 60 mph and carry up to 5 pounds of groceries. Customers can request the service through the Walmart app or website.
Steve Adubato talks to New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program CEO
Steve Adubato speaks with Peter C. Connolly. New Jersey manufacturers face challenges. Tariffs and supply chain issues affect them.
OpenAI brings GPT-6 to ChatGPT and debuts Intelligent UI
OpenAI released new GPT-6 models built for daily ChatGPT chats. The update introduces Intelligent UI to mix text, visuals, and interactive elements. ChatGPT can now generate live widgets, calculators, and bill splitters.
Apple teams up with LG and Schneider for new smart Home accessories
Apple is working with LG and Schneider on smart Home gear. A software leak shows a new thermostat and temperature sensor coming. These second party items get special treatment in the Apple operating system.
HUD opens civil rights probe into Wells Fargo mortgage programs
Wells Fargo is one of the biggest banks in America. HUD says their race-based mortgage programs may violate federal housing laws. The bank promised $60 billion in home loans back in February 2017.
IRS whistleblower agent sues agency over leaked tax records in Chicago
Internal Revenue Service agent Brian Visalli filed a federal lawsuit in Chicago. The suit alleges IRS officials unlawfully leaked his tax records to prosecutors. Visalli spent 24 years at the agency and won 22 performance awards.
Cedar Creek Energy finishes 5-MW solar array on Minnesota landfill
Cedar Creek Energy is a solar developer based in Minnesota. They built the Ramsey II Renewable Station on 25 acres of land. The project features about 8,700 solar panels and took six months to complete.
Spotify rolls out audiobooks to more than 180 markets worldwide
Spotify is expanding its audiobooks service to over 180 markets globally. Users now get access to more than 350,000 titles in over 120 languages. The massive rollout will continue through the end of 2026. Listeners can also buy individual books outright.
IRS employees snooped on confidential taxpayer files of officials and business leaders
A new federal report reveals IRS workers snooped on private tax records. Investigators found 86 irregular file accesses by 52 employees between 2022 and 2025. The IRS failed to notify 175 affected taxpayers about the breaches.
Federal Trade Commission warns 24 hospital systems over hidden medical prices
The FTC warned 24 hospital systems over incomplete pricing disclosures. More than half of hospitals remain noncompliant with federal price transparency rules. The agency fined 28 noncompliant hospitals since 2021.
Greater Baltimore Committee organizes lenders for $100 million housing fund
The Greater Baltimore Committee is organizing lenders for a new $100 million private capital fund. The fund targets vacant properties in Baltimore, Maryland, aiming for a November launch. Enterprise Community Partners is helping build the investment framework.
Anthropic releases Claude Haiku 5.5 with 75 percent lower running costs
Anthropic is a major artificial intelligence company that builds business software. They just released Claude Haiku 5.5 as their cheapest and fastest small model yet. It costs about 75 percent less to run than the previous version.
New bill lets apartment developers immediately deduct up to $250,000 per unit
McDonald's sued in federal court over AI menu price-fixing
McDonald's faces a new federal class action lawsuit in Chicago. The case claims artificial intelligence illegally coordinates prices across nearly 14,000 restaurants. McDonald's calls the allegations speculative and says franchisees set their own prices.
Porsche plans new supercar and more expensive models after profit plunge
Porsche CEO Michael Leiters announced a new turnaround plan in Stuttgart, Germany. Profits plummeted from $5.9 billion in 2024 to $101 million for 2025. The company will focus on exclusive vehicles and higher prices.
Colorado nature library cuts electric bills with rooftop solar panels
Namaste Solar built a rooftop solar system in Colorado. The panels will save over $1 million on utility bills. The library expects to cut its electric costs in half.
Clearway Energy starts building 650-megawatt solar project in Bates County
Clearway Energy Group is building a massive solar farm in Missouri. The Swan Energy Center will sit on old strip-mined land in Bates County. It costs millions and will power 200,000 homes starting in 2028.
Guangdong University researchers build solar cell paste with lignin achieving 25.96% efficiency
Researchers in China developed a new silver paste using biomass lignin. The paste replaces petroleum resin and hits 25.96% solar cell efficiency. This cuts manufacturing costs and improves sustainability.
Apple faces annual EU lump sum tax under new Brussels plan
Apple and other big tech companies face a new EU lump sum tax. The European Commission drafted the compromise to avoid a US trade war. Companies with over €100mn in revenue would pay the annual fee.
Utah approves AI pilots for automated prescriptions and virtual pelvic therapy
Utah approved three new healthcare artificial intelligence pilots on Friday. One pilot lets Nolla Health diagnose acne and issue prescriptions. Another lets August AI renew medications for chronic conditions. None of the programs have launched yet.
Samsung is changing its official safety advice on overheating Galaxy Buds
Samsung is about to reverse its rules on hot Galaxy Buds. The old rule told you never to put warm earbuds in the case. App code shows you will soon be told to put them right in the case to cool.
Tuesday, October 6
Amazon slashes Apple Mac mini by $150 and MacBook Air by $200
Amazon dropped prices on new Apple computers for fall Prime Day sales. You can save $200 on MacBook Air models and $500 on MacBook Pro machines. The sale runs through October on Amazon online.
New Balcony solar laws classify plug-in panels as home appliances
Plug-in solar lets you plug panels straight into a wall outlet. Thirty-five states and Washington D.C. are moving bills to legalize it. The goal is zero building permits and zero utility oversight.
