Sofia Lindqvist

About the author

Sofia covers business trends, money and the economy, with an eye on what changes mean for ordinary people.

Anthropic Reportedly Booked $16.8 Billion in a Quarter as It Eyes a Record IPO

Anthropic’s revenue reportedly rose about 46% to $16.8 billion in the third quarter, ahead of a possible November listing. The numbers are unconfirmed, and growth is slowing.

Inflation Jumps to 3.7% as Gas Prices Soar. What September’s Numbers Mean for Your Money

Consumer prices rose 3.7% from a year earlier in September, driven by a 34% jump in gasoline. Here’s where prices are rising, where they’re calm, and what it means for rates, Social Security and your budget.

Halloween 2026 by the Numbers: A Record $13.5 Billion, and Shoppers Hunting for Value

Americans plan to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Here is where the money goes, who is shopping early and how families are stretching budgets.

Big Batteries Now Beat Gas Peaker Plants on Cost in Every Market Studied

Wood Mackenzie finds four-hour battery storage is cheaper than gas peaking plants in all 43 markets it compared. In the US, tariffs cloud solar costs while data centers strain gas supply.

Apple Reportedly Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders as Pricier Phones Meet Softer Demand

Nikkei Asia reports Apple trimmed October component orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by at least 15% after a $100 price hike tied to soaring memory costs.

Social Security’s 2027 Raise Arrives Wednesday. Forecasters Expect About 3.5%

The Social Security Administration will announce the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment on Oct. 14. Estimates point to 3.5% to 3.6%, the largest raise in three years.

Consumer Sentiment Slides Toward a Record Low as Prices Bite. Here’s What the Numbers Mean

The University of Michigan’s sentiment index fell to 46.3 in early October as views of current conditions hit an all-time low. Here’s what’s behind the gloom and whether it will dent spending.

Mortgage Rates Climb to 7.40%, the Highest in Nearly 3 Years

The average 30-year mortgage rate rose for a seventh straight week to 7.40%, its highest since November 2023. Here’s why, what it costs, and what buyers can do.

Fed Minutes Say the AI Building Boom Is Adding to Inflation

Minutes from the Fed’s September meeting name AI spending as an inflation driver, and most officials expect another rate hike by year end.

Why AI Is Making Your Next Phone and Laptop Cost More: The Memory Chip Squeeze, Explained

AI data centers are swallowing the world’s memory chips, pushing up prices for phones, laptops and tablets. Here’s what’s going on and what it means for shoppers.

Holiday Shoppers Plan to Spend, but Half Expect to Borrow to Do It

A new ICSC survey finds most Americans plan to spend at least as much on the holidays as last year, but about half expect to borrow money to do it.

Service Businesses Kept Growing in September, but Prices Rose at the Fastest Pace Since 2022

The ISM Services PMI slipped to 54.9% in September, still solidly in growth territory, while its prices index hit 74%, the highest since July 2022.

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