States, Communities Scrutinize Rapid AI Data Center Growth

 

United States. State and local officials, utilities, and communities are responding to a rapid expansion of AI-capable data centers that require substantial electricity and water. This week lawmakers proposed tax pauses, utility protections, and study commissions while local councils approved or rejected rezoning and residents voiced environmental and cost concerns....

Mixed Corporate Earnings Across Multiple U.S. Firms

 

U.S. Several publicly traded companies released quarterly earnings on Tuesday, reporting mixed results across sectors. Daily Journal reported a fiscal first-quarter loss of $8 million, or $5.79 per share, on $19.5 million revenue. Leidos reported fourth-quarter net income of $327 million, $2.53 per share ($2.76 adjusted), and provided full-year guidance...

Portland General Electric Reports Mixed Q4 Results, Guidance

 

PORTLAND, Ore. Portland General Electric Co. reported Tuesday a fourth-quarter profit of $41 million, or $0.36 per share, and adjusted earnings of $0.47 per share on $889 million in revenue. For the year the utility posted $306 million in profit and $3.58 billion in revenue. Management guided fiscal‑year 2026 earnings...

Companies announce earnings, investments, buybacks, and dividends

 

United States - Corporations announced recent corporate financial actions and investments on Feb. 13, 2026. Gogo Inc. scheduled fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results and an analyst call for Feb. 27. Applied Optoelectronics broke ground Feb. 10 on a 210,000-square-foot Texas manufacturing facility, planning up to $300 million investment and 500...

US and Taiwan Finalize Trade Deal, Cut Tariffs

 

Washington, The Trump administration signed a reciprocal trade agreement with Taiwan on Thursday that sets a 15% U.S. tariff rate on Taiwanese imports and commits Taiwan to reduce or eliminate tariffs on nearly all U.S. goods. The U.S. Trade Representative said Taiwan agreed to boost purchases of U.S. products from...

Trump Orders Pentagon to Buy Coal, Boosts Exports

 

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week directing the Pentagon to enter long-term agreements with coal-fired plants and instructing federal agencies to support coal operations, including Tennessee Valley Authority plant reprieves and Energy Department funding for Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia. He also said recent...

Ghana traders demand flat VAT rate amid protests

 

Accra — The Ghana Union of Traders' Associations (GUTA) urged the government on Wednesday to suspend implementation of the Value Added Tax Act 1151, saying the January 1, 2026 regime places complex 20% VAT burdens on informal traders and risks higher consumer prices and job losses. GUTA President Clement Boateng...

U.S. Companies Report Mixed Fourth-Quarter Financial Results Today

 

United States. Multiple public companies reported fourth-quarter financial results on Wednesday, showing mixed outcomes that in several cases missed Wall Street forecasts. Lithia Motors, Parsons, Vishay and Generac posted results below analyst expectations, while Taylor Morrison and Solstice Advanced Materials exceeded forecasts. Humana and SiteOne reported adjusted metrics that topped...

TVA Keeps Coal Plants Open Amid Rising Demand

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Tennessee Valley Authority this week announced it will retain its Kingston and Cumberland coal-fired plants, reversing prior closure plans, while pursuing new natural gas generation and battery storage to meet rising electricity demand from data centers and population growth. TVA filed a supplemental environmental impact statement in...

US and India Announce Interim Trade Deal Framework

 

Washington — This week the United States and India announced a framework for an interim trade agreement intended to expand reciprocal market access. On Feb. 10 the White House released a fact sheet saying India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on US industrial goods and a broad set of agricultural...