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Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement director David Woodcock has told Reuters that the agency is monitoring AI companies' corporate disclosures amid growing investor concern about a potential bubble in the sector that ​may have been fueled by circular deals. "Our principal concern ⁠is that people are making accurate disclosures about material information so that investors know what they're getting into," ​Woodcock said. "Enforcement is a very necessary piece of making sure people are doing that." Where such disclosure ​does not occur, "then enforcement will be present," he added.

 

Reuters

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton has rejected a bid by the NAACP civil rights group to block the Justice Department from deploying staff from federal law enforcement agencies to serve as poll monitors during today's midterm election. He said the NAACP had not offered sufficient evidence that including the employees among the nearly 1,000 poll monitors the DOJ is dispatching nationwide would be voter intimidation in violation of federal law. “The evidence indicates that the personnel that will work as election monitors will not be armed with firearms, not be in uniform, not carry any insignia of their law enforcement association, and will not be sworn law enforcement officials and therefore will not possess the power to arrest,” the judge wrote.

 

Bloomberg

President Trump has said that he would pardon his administration staff if Democrats win a majority in Congress and seek prosecutions. When asked whether he would give pardons to everyone who has worked for him, Trump made reference to his pardoning of roughly 1,500 defendants from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, saying: “I’d do it. I did it for J6.” Last month, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said a Democratic majority should prosecute “signature cases” against “the people who enable” Trump, in a bid to encourage young conservatives to think twice about taking jobs with the administration.

 

New York Times

Canada's Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC) has been criticized for significant operational delays and ineffective oversight of anti-money laundering compliance, according to a report by Auditor General Karen Hogan. The agency takes an average of four months to provide financial intelligence to law enforcement, with approximately half of its disclosures arriving too late to assist investigations, partly due to outdated IT systems. The delays could hinder authorities’ ability to freeze assets, intercept suspicious transactions, and make arrests related to money laundering and terrorist financing. FINTRAC defended its performance, citing a recent Financial Action Task Force evaluation recognizing its intelligence contributions. The findings form part of nine federal audit reports highlighting broader government accountability concerns.

 

CTV News

A dismissed financial adviser has sued Bank ​of America for allegedly retreating from a commitment made in a 2013 racial bias settlement not to require workers to arbitrate discrimination claims. Katherine Mackey, in a complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, challenged a 2024 policy that is said to have mandated staff to accept ​arbitration through JAMS for many claims, including discrimination and harassment, and "forever ⁠waive" their right to sue in court or pursue class actions. “Congress and the ​Supreme Court have long encouraged the use of arbitration to resolve employment disputes," a spokesperson ‌for the second-largest ‌U.S. bank said. "Arbitration ⁠policies using JAMS as the forum for arbitration are routinely upheld in court, as has this one. We look forward to vigorously defending all aspects of this case.”

 

Reuters

The U.S. government has filed a lawsuit which accuses Google of not giving an employee, Mark Davisson, his old job back or finding him a similar role after he took military leave as a U.S. Army reservist. Reuters says it's a rare instance of the government suing a private employer for violating the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act ​of 1994 (USERRA), which protects the civilian employment of military personnel called to active duty. “We disagree with the claims in this complaint . . . Google takes ​compliance with employment laws, ⁠including USERRA, seriously and investigates allegations of workplace wrongdoing,” Google spokesperson Atle Erlingsson ​said. “Federal law ensures that our brave ⁠soldiers, who ​sacrifice so much to keep us safe, are not punished ​by employers when they return to the civilian workforce after completing their military service,” U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald in Manhattan said ​in a statement.

 

DOJ.gov

Reuters

Canadian firm Fairfax Financial Holdings' proposed $5.5bn acquisition of IDBI Bank is encountering significant opposition from employees and political parties in India. The United Forum of IDBI Officers and Employees has announced a two-day nationwide strike, expressing “grave concerns” about the sale's transparency and valuation process. The forum is calling on the government to “cancel the privatization process” and prioritize strengthening the lender. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition, supported the unions, stating: “Public banks are not assets to be sold off, they are tools to build the nation.” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman defended the sale, asserting that IDBI Bank is being revived through “professionalism, prudence” and substantial recapitalization. The government claims the sale will be the largest foreign direct investment in India's financial sector.

 

CNBC

Walt Disney plans to cut thousands of jobs and has asked some ​managers to target 20% in annual cost savings as chief executive Josh D'Amaro seeks to navigate challenges including the growing use ​of AI, weaker box office revenue, increasing competition from ​streaming rivals, and a slowdown in ⁠the entertainment company's theme park and cruise ship businesses. Last month, Disney President Dana Walden said that “there is a need to constantly evaluate how you’re structured and how big is the organization. Technology set their sights on our business and we must survive and thrive and grow, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

 

Bloomberg

The No Surprises Act has prevented approximately 50m unexpected medical bills since taking effect in 2022, but its arbitration system is creating significant financial pressures for health insurers and employers. More than 2m payment disputes were filed last year, far exceeding the federal government's original estimate of 17,000 annually. Healthcare providers win approximately 85% of arbitration cases, frequently securing payments substantially above standard in-network rates. Researchers estimate that arbitration has cost health plans $22.4bn over the law's first four years, raising concerns about higher insurance premiums and employer healthcare expenses. New York's state employee health plan has already cited the legislation as a major contributor to a 10% rate increase for 2027. Congress is considering reforms to address escalating costs, including legislation that would eliminate the arbitration system entirely. While the law continues to protect patients from certain unexpected medical charges, growing disputes and reimbursement costs could undermine its broader goal of improving healthcare affordability.

 

Fortune

The average U.S. household checking account balance stands at $15,472, according to research from The Motley Fool, more than double its level three decades ago but below the 2022 peak of $18,485. However, the median balance is considerably lower at $3,000, highlighting how wealthier households with larger deposits skew the national average. The findings reveal substantial differences across demographic groups. Households headed by men have a median checking balance of $4,420, compared with $1,000 for those headed by women, while married or cohabiting Americans hold a median of $5,500, compared with $1,200 for those without a partner. Age and education also influence balances. Americans aged 75 and older have the highest median balance at $5,000, compared with $1,900 for those under 35. Meanwhile, college graduates hold a median of $6,600, significantly exceeding the $300 reported among individuals without a high school diploma or GED. The figures underscore considerable disparities in cash holdings across U.S. households.

 

CPA Practice Advisor

A record 19 of the 38 OECD member countries now offer government bonds directly to individual investors, as governments seek to diversify their borrowing sources amid rising financing costs and growing public spending demands. Estonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic are among the latest countries to introduce retail-focused bond programs, while Italy and Portugal have expanded their existing offerings. According to the OECD, five countries introduced new retail bond products in the year through September 2026, following six in the previous reporting period. Higher interest rates have made government bonds more attractive to households, while governments increasingly view individual savers as an additional source of funding for healthcare, defense, and other spending priorities. However, retail participation remains relatively limited.

 

Bloomberg

Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York indicates that many in-office workers feel isolated, in contradiction to corporate claims about the benefits of in-person collaboration. The study found that nearly half of the surveyed college-educated workers reported that their office days were filled with Zoom calls and Slack messages rather than meaningful interactions. “Days in the office often lack human contact,” the researchers observed, highlighting that 48.8% of respondents had no in-person meetings on their last office day. The disconnect is attributed to remote colleagues, geographical team spread, and lax enforcement of in-office mandates. The authors of the research, Natalia Emanuel and Emma Harrington, conclude that “a staggering share of the workforce experiences this form of in-office remote work.” They do not conclude employers should give up on in-office mandates; rather, they stress the importance of enforcing in-office policies to foster the face-to-face interactions that workers desire.

 

CNBC