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Crypto exchanges are seeking to quickly shore up their defenses following the record $6.3bn hack of Binance, the world's largest player in the sector. Observers say the industry will need to address security issues with urgency as President Donald Trump's regulators move to make digital assets more embedded in mainstream finance. Binance's rivals, including Kraken and Coinbase, say they are bolstering their own systems in a bid to reassure customers that their tokens are safe. "For crypto to reach its full potential, the security situation must be addressed immediately," said Chris Perkins, Franklin Templeton's head ​of crypto. Some in the industry are urging the development of a coordinated hack detection system. "We need a real-time alert system that allows participants to share information immediately when a hack occurs, coordinate a rapid ⁠response, and ​temporarily freeze suspected stolen funds," Star Xu, CEO of crypto exchange OKX, wrote in a post ​on X.

 

Reuters

The economy, healthcare, and the war in Iran are the leading concerns for U.S. voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, according to a new Gallup poll. Half of registered voters rated the economy and healthcare as extremely important to their voting decisions, while 47% assigned the same importance to the Iran conflict, with another 30% describing it as very important. Immigration ranked as extremely important for 40% of voters, while climate change received the lowest rating among the 11 issues surveyed, at 29%. Economic concerns remain significant, although fewer voters consider the issue extremely important than in 2010, when the figure reached 63%. The survey also revealed differences across political affiliations, with Democrats generally assigning greater importance to most issues than Republicans. Among independent voters, the economy ranked highest, followed by healthcare and the Iran war. The poll surveyed 1,057 registered voters between October 1 and 19, with a margin of error of approximately four percentage points. 

 

The Hill

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration aimed at preventing Alaska from certifying a potential loss by Republican Senator Dan Sullivan in the November 3 election. The lawsuit sought to block certification if the second Dan Sullivan running for Senate causes voter confusion and Democrats flip the seat. On Sunday, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason said the administration had not demonstrated how she could rectify their concerns, because ballots are already prepared and Election Day is on Tuesday. “More fundamentally, the United States provides no workable plan as to how it proposes to segregate ballots cast for Daniel J. Sullivan on Election Day and then conduct a court-ordered unspecified ‘investigation' of those ballots in a manner that would preserve voter secrecy,” Gleason wrote.

 

The Hill

The Baltimore Sun

U.S. News

U.S. labor costs rose at a slower pace in the third quarter of 2026, suggesting that wage pressures are becoming less of a concern for inflation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Employment Cost Index increased 0.8%, down from 0.9% in the previous quarter, while wages and salaries grew 0.7%, compared with 0.9% in the second quarter. Annual labor cost growth remained unchanged at 3.4%. Despite moderating wage growth, workers continue to face declining purchasing power. Annual wage growth slowed to 3.1% in September, below the 3.6% increase in consumer prices, while inflation-adjusted wages fell 0.6% over the year. Employee benefits rose 0.9% during the quarter, with health insurance costs increasing at their fastest pace since 2005. The findings suggest that the labor market is contributing less to inflation, although broader price pressures remain elevated. The Federal Reserve has maintained its benchmark interest rate at 3.75%–4.00%, with economists anticipating a potential increase in December as policymakers balance persistent inflation against subdued hiring and slowing wage growth.

 

Bloomberg

Reuters

Several prominent U.S. billionaires are opposing California’s proposed wealth tax while advocating alternative measures to make the tax system fairer. Critics argue that taxing accumulated wealth could encourage wealthy individuals and entrepreneurs to relocate, potentially reducing state tax revenues and discouraging investment. Investor and philanthropist John Arnold supports aligning capital gains tax rates with ordinary income tax rates, increasing taxation on higher incomes, and taxing unrealized gains when assets are gifted or inherited. He also favors eliminating certain tax benefits available to professional sports team owners. Mark Cuban proposes increasing the 1% corporate stock buyback tax, introducing higher taxes on transaction profits exceeding $1bn, and expanding employee stock ownership to help workers build wealth. Meanwhile, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has suggested eliminating federal income taxes for the bottom half of earners, while investor Bill Ackman advocates restricting the tax advantages of borrowing against appreciated assets. Although their approaches differ, the proposals reflect a preference for targeted tax reforms over broad wealth taxes, with an emphasis on improving fairness while preserving investment incentives.

 

Wall Street Journal

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is increasing its oversight of the rapidly expanding prediction market industry, focusing on potential insider trading, market manipulation, and fraud involving contracts linked to corporate earnings and performance metrics. SEC enforcement director David Woodcock indicated that enforcement actions are likely as the agency monitors activity on platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which are primarily regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The CFTC has already pursued several enforcement cases involving alleged manipulation and misuse of confidential information, highlighting growing regulatory concerns. Meanwhile, the SEC and CFTC are working to clarify their overlapping jurisdictions as prediction markets expand into securities-related products. The scrutiny follows SEC approval for Cboe Global Markets to offer options contracts tied to corporate performance indicators, including earnings per share and product sales

 

Bloomberg

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has successfully compelled TikTok, Meta and X to provide data on their moderation of harmful content. The ruling marks the first legal test of the watchdog's authority under the Online Safety Act 2023. Lord Justice Singh and Mrs Justice Collins Rice upheld Ofcom's information requests, rejecting claims from the companies that compliance would be excessively burdensome. Ofcom argued that the data is crucial for assessing compliance with legal duties and ensuring user safety online.

 

Reuters

The Independent UK

General Motors has agreed to a $220m settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of 35 states and the District of Columbia, alleging the automaker illegally sold drivers' data. The complaint accused GM of selling private behavior and location data to brokers, which insurers used to set rates. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield observed: "People bought a car, not a tracking device." The settlement mandates GM to limit data collection and obtain drivers' express consent before sharing their information. GM has previously pledged not to disclose vehicle geolocation and driver behavior data to consumer reporting agencies for five years.

 

Great Falls Tribune

Dollar General is facing legal action from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 20 states over allegations that customers have routinely been charged higher prices at checkouts than those advertised on shelves and in promotional materials. The discount retailer, which operates more than 21,000 stores across 48 states, received over 29,000 customer complaints relating to pricing discrepancies between January 2023 and March 2026, according to the lawsuit. The legal challenge follows seven settlements with six state attorneys general and consumer protection agencies since 2018, with regulators alleging widespread and systemic pricing inaccuracies rather than isolated errors. Former employees have attributed the discrepancies to understaffing, outdated pricing technology and difficulties keeping shelf labels updated, while the company has acknowledged that occasional errors occur. 

 

Wall Street Journal

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has said the success of “war rooms” he has set up to tackle quality problems, alongside efficiency measures, show his turnaround plan for the automaker is working. Engineering, quality and manufacturing teams work with experts from the group’s suppliers, with the aid of AI, to help fix vehicle issues that have increased expenses for repairs and warranties. Old as well as new glitches that affected vehicles had hit confidence and drove away customers.

 

Bloomberg

Garment factories in Bangladesh reopened on Sunday after wage protests disrupted operations. Workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka ($243), significantly higher than the current 12,500 taka, amid rising living costs and inflation. Babul Akhter, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, said: "If factory owners cannot pay workers properly, they should negotiate better prices with international buyers." The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) reported that protests affected 529 factories and nearly 1 million workers. The government has formed a six-member minimum wage board to review the workers' ​demand. "The government has already taken a step by forming the wage board. We expect workers to allow the review process to proceed," said BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan.

 

France 24

U.S. News

North Korea has announced the opening of more than a dozen barbecue restaurants across the country since September, as leader Kim Jong Un seeks to showcase rising prosperity beyond the capital, Pyongyang. The new venues, some spanning several floors and accommodating hundreds of diners, form part of a broader expansion of leisure facilities, including waterparks, coffee shops and luxury shopping centers. The openings come as North Korea's economy grew 3.5% in 2025, marking a third consecutive year of growth above 3%. However, analysts have questioned whether the restaurants reflect genuine improvements in living standards or government propaganda, particularly as more than 40% of the population is estimated to be undernourished. Critics argue that the high-end establishments remain largely inaccessible to ordinary citizens, with the expansion potentially benefiting a relatively small, wealthier segment of the population.

 

Reuters