A powerful artificial intelligence, recruits “induced” to steal trade secrets, hundreds of billions of dollars at stake: it’s not the plot of the latest hot series on Netflix but a lawsuit from xAI, run by the richest man in the world, Elon Musk. The lawsuit it filed against OpenAI includes some Netflix-worthy quotes, alleging that the company lured former xAI employees in a “coordinated, unfair, and unlawful campaign” to steal its “secret sauce.” Read the whole complaint. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% on Thursday, marking its third straight day in the red for the first time in over a month. The Nasdaq 100 gave back 0.4% and the Russell 2000 fell 1%. Every S&P 500 sector ETF finished in the red aside from energy, with consumer discretionary and healthcare faring the worst.
🧠Trivia time: Test your knowledge on recent business and tech news with our Snacks Seven Quiz. Here’s the first question: |
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Christmas is still months away, but the holiday shopping wars are already here. Mega-retailers are pushing up their calendars with earlier sales events, faster delivery promises, and perks aimed at budget-conscious shoppers. Next month alone: |
- Amazon will hold its Prime Big Deal Days on October 7 and 8. The two-day sale is shorter than July’s four-day Prime Day but is designed to pull spending forward ahead of Black Friday.
- Walmart will give Walmart+ members early access on October 6 before opening a five-day event October 7 through 12 with discounts across categories like toys, fashion, and electronics.
- Target is bringing back its fall Circle Week, which runs October 5 through 11, with early access for Circle 360 members on October 4. Deals will include home goods, apparel, toys, and electronics.
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Bankrate’s 2025 Holiday Spending Report shows about half of consumers plan to start shopping before Halloween, and YouGov’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday Outlook found that 22% are shopping before Black Friday, largely to avoid unexpected price hikes. PwC’s 2025 Holiday Outlook survey found consumers expect to spend ~$1,552 each this holiday season, down 5.3% from last year, marking the first comparable decline since 2020. |
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Even as wallets tighten, shoppers still expect convenience. Walmart is expanding next-day delivery and leaning on “buy now, pay later” at checkout. Amazon is betting on its same-day hubs and AI-driven product recommendations to keep carts moving. Target has not only slashed prices, but also pushed curbside and in-store pickup options to help drive sales. Outside of price, 62% of US consumers say faster shipping will be the deciding factor when making purchases this season. |
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75+ Patents. Trials Ongoing. The Invention That Could Disrupt the Tire Industry |
It’s not AI. It’s not EVs. It’s the Air Suspension Wheel (ASW) — named one of TIME’s “Best Inventions of 2023”1 — and it could make the rubber tire obsolete. Traditional off-the-road mining tires cost up to $75,000, last just 6–9 months, and end up in landfills. Global Air Cylinder Wheels (GACW) has built a patented solution designed to last the lifetime of a vehicle — potentially cutting costs by up to 60%2 and eliminating punctures and overheating. With 75+ patents, $7M raised across all offerings3, and a planned commercial launch in the next 6 months2, this is a ground-floor moment. 👉 Click here to see why thousands already invested.4 |
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Quantum computing stocks have been on an absolute tear, driven in large part by rumors of more US government support for the nascent technology, which were realized in a memo earlier this week highlighting quantum technology as an R&D budgetary priority for fiscal 2027. |
- Emergent technologies — most notably the internet — have historically benefited from a strong government push. Even now, the President Trump-backed AI joint venture known as Stargate is playing a starring role in driving billions in market value for established tech giants like Oracle.
- The quantum industry (and the investors flocking to the space) are hoping that their development is similarly turbocharged by state support.
- “It’s encouraging to see the Trump Administration recognize that the private sector must play a central role in applied research and commercialization for quantum technologies,” D-Wave CEO Dr. Alan Baratz told Sherwood News.
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The handful of pure-play quantum computing companies we track closely — IonQ, D-Wave Quantum, Rigetti Computing, and Quantum Computing — have added a whopping $23 billion in market capitalization over the past month, nearly doubling in the process despite a mild reversal on Thursday. |
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That being said, current valuations for quantum computing firms embed a lot of optimism around the idea that a government push will soon lead to explosive revenue growth in the future. Combined, these firms have generated less than $100 million over the past four quarters. And these companies have their fair share of detractors, including former hedge fund manager and biotech founder Martin Shkreli, who has been a vocal opponent of their businesses. Short interest as a share of float is about 18%, on average, across these four stocks as of mid-September, per exchange data. |
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