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The IMF has warned of AI's looming impact on jobs. “It is a slow-moving tsunami,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, speaking during a Civil Society town hall at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, said of the impact on employment. “We estimate 40 per cent of jobs will be augmented, downgraded or eliminated. In advanced economies, [that figure is] 60 per cent. [In] low income countries, [around] 23 per cent.” She added: “We cannot today imagine what exactly the world of work will be five years from now . . . but we can be disciplined, draw lessons and act on them.”

 

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Reuters

A new survey by professional services firm Highspring suggests that corporate executives may be overestimating their organizations' ability to withstand major disruptions, particularly unforeseen risks. The study, involving 1,137 business leaders, found that 95% had experienced at least one external disruption in the previous 12 months, while two-thirds reported multiple incidents. Despite this, approximately 80% to 82% rated their functions as prepared for future disruptions. Executives at larger companies expressed the greatest confidence, with 61% of respondents at businesses generating at least $2bn annually saying they were very confident in their organization's resilience. However, 53% of these companies rarely or never planned for unexpected risks. The survey also identified differences between senior executives. Chief financial officerss consistently perceived greater exposure to disruption than chief executives, particularly in operations, finance, and technology. Highspring warned that confidence without comprehensive contingency planning could leave organizations vulnerable, emphasizing the importance of combining different executive perspectives to strengthen risk management.

 

CFO

Hackers manipulated refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets, raising temperatures to 50C, causing fires and destroying food worth potentially tens of millions of euros. Around 150 Intermarché stores, 80 Carrefour outlets and several Coopérative U and Monoprix locations were affected. Danish manufacturer Danfoss said affected refrigeration controllers were running outdated firmware, while French authorities launched an investigation and coordinated with European counterparts. Similar attacks were reported in several other European countries. Separately, Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize took systems offline following a cybersecurity incident, disrupting online grocery deliveries and websites belonging to its U.S. supermarket chains. Ahold said there was no evidence linking its incident to the French attacks.

 

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Financial advisors remain broadly optimistic about the U.S. economy and stock market, although confidence in future market performance has weakened, according to Wealth Management’s September 2026 Advisor Sentiment Index. Stock market sentiment fell three points to 115, down 12% from its May peak, while economic sentiment increased four points to 106. Although only 10% of advisors currently view market performance negatively, 39% expect conditions to deteriorate over the next six months, compared with 34% anticipating improvement. Economic expectations are more evenly divided, with 33% forecasting improvement, 34% expecting stability, and 33% predicting deterioration. Advisors cited strong corporate profitability and market performance as reasons for optimism but expressed concerns about elevated equity valuations, government spending, national debt, and policy uncertainty. The findings suggest growing caution despite generally positive assessments of current financial conditions.

 

Wealth Management

American household wealth increased modestly between 2022 and 2025, but gains were concentrated among older and affluent families, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Survey of Consumer Finances. Inflation-adjusted median family net worth rose 2% to approximately $216,000, a sharp slowdown from the 37% increase recorded between 2019 and 2022. Families in the highest 10% of earners experienced a 31% increase in median wealth, while the bottom 40% saw declines. Americans aged 75 and older recorded a 37% increase, reaching a median net worth of $505,000, while wealth among those under 35 fell 23%. Rising stock prices helped drive gains among wealthier households, while persistent inflation contributed to financial pressures elsewhere. The proportion of families behind on loan payments also increased from 12% to 20%, its highest level since 2010.

 

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. Labor Department is to suspend Microsoft and Adobe from its Permanent Labor Certification, which allows companies to hire foreign workers to work permanently in the U.S., amid allegations of fraud. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said IT contractors Cognizant, Infosys, Capgemini, Tata, Wipro and HCL were also suspended from the program. The move came as the White House increases pressure on companies to hire more Americans. “There has been no company in the United States, unfortunately, that has abused this system more than Microsoft,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance said at a news conference on Thursday.  Microsoft responded to Vance’s claims in a blog post, saying that “80 percent of the visas were to extend or change the status of existing Microsoft employees.”

 

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U.S. News

7-Eleven’s North American business is considering bringing parts of its supply chain in-house to reduce operating costs as persistent inflation and higher fuel prices weigh on consumer spending. The convenience store operator, owned by Japan’s Seven & i Holdings, is reviewing its sourcing and distribution network after acknowledging that it may have outsourced too many operations. Newly appointed chief executive Mauricio Leyva said the company is introducing better-value products to attract cost-conscious shoppers while exploring further efficiency measures to offset rising supply chain expenses. Meanwhile, Seven & i has postponed the planned IPO of its North American business until the financial year beginning April 2027 or later, citing market uncertainty. CEO Stephen Dacus said the listing would depend on improved economic conditions and stronger evidence of a successful turnaround, with investor enthusiasm for AI companies currently overshadowing consumer and retail listings.

 

Reuters

The U.S. transportation department has granted Aurora and other self-driving trucking companies a five-year exemption ​from rules that ‌require drivers to place warning devices around a stopped vehicle. The department has agreed to allow ​autonomous trucking firms to use warning beacons mounted on the truck cab to ​avoid needing human drivers. Aurora and Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo have previously sought a waiver of ​rules requiring reflective triangles to be placed outside stopped trucks ⁠to help prevent crashes.

 

Reuters

The Italian Competition Authority has launched an investigation into several Microsoft-owned video-game makers, including Activision Blizzard, over their use of ​virtual currencies. The probe by the antitrust authority is part of a broader European Union initiative by the EU's Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, which last month launched actions against nine video-game companies, including ​Riot Games, Ubisoft and Supercell, and had earlier opened a ​separate action against Activision Blizzard. The EU-wide coordinated action seeks to promote transparency and fairness in the gaming sector, and protect the ​rights of minors.

 

Reuters

Google's planned $15bn data center in Visakhapatnam, India, has sparked significant local opposition. Residents fear it will strain water and power resources while providing insufficient jobs. Google claims the facility - its largest data center outside the United States - will generate $688m in local economic activity and support 4,200 jobs during construction. However, activists are demanding a halt to new data centers until environmental assessments are completed. Andhra Pradesh's government insists that residential needs will take precedence. "They are saying that Google is being established for the education and employment opportunities of our children . . . [but] we are already struggling with water scarcity," observed local shopkeeper Gubbala Ramanamma.

 

France 24

Beyond Meat is seeking to revive its struggling business by expanding beyond plant-based meat alternatives into faster-growing categories, including protein powders, snack bars, and beverages. The company, which dropped “meat” from its packaging in 2025, has introduced three new product lines: Beyond Starmatter protein powder, Beyond Starcut protein bars, and Beyond Immerse carbonated protein drinks. The strategy aims to capitalize on growing consumer interest in protein intake, health, and fitness, supported by a planned marketing campaign featuring athletes and dietary influencers. Beyond has recorded annual operating losses since its 2019 stock market debut, with shares falling more than 98% and revenue continuing to decline. However, its year-over-year sales decline narrowed to 8% in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 20% in the final quarter of 2025. 

 

Wall Street Journal

The Wellcome Global Monitor, which surveyed more than 140,000 adults worldwide, has found that a pandemic-era increase in public trust in science has largely faded. The poll found that 72% of people expressed at least some trust in science in 2025, down from 80% in 2020 and 77% in 2018. John-Arne Røttingen, chief executive officer of London-based health research foundation Wellcome, conjectured that the politicization of science during Covid has probably contributed to the decline. “Politics has made some of science more political and that has led to the polarization and maybe a lack of trust,” he said.

 

Bloomberg