Business · Important news for 17 August 2026
Thirty US States Sue Meta to Force Platform Overhaul for Young Users
Microsoft stock jumps as Azure annual revenue tops $100 billion
Wall Street Strategists See Payoff From Big Tech AI Spending
UK Asking Prices Fall While England Loosens Planning Rules for Housing
Asking prices for newly listed homes in Britain's richest borough dropped significantly, while Housing Secretary Angela Rayner announced a 'default yes' planning approach for new homes near transport hubs.
- Average newly listed asking prices in Britain's richest borough fell by nearly £100,000 in a month.
- Rightmove reported a national 2% drop in newly listed asking prices, the largest August drop in eight years.
- Housing secretary Angela Rayner announced a 'default yes' planning approach for developments near transport hubs, including green belt sites.
US 20-year bond sale to test market demand amid yield curve steepening
Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft Allocate Nearly $600 Billion in Capital Expenditures
Oil majors reap $93 billion windfall from Iran war
Geoffrey Hinton warns of mass unemployment from AI replacement
British House Prices Suffer Biggest August Drop Since 2018 as AstraZeneca Halts Trial
US Probe on Mark Walter Focuses on Four Intermediaries
Google Launches Latest AI Model Amid Strategic Balancing Act
2026 401(k) rule mandates Roth treatment for catch-up contributions above $150k
Nutella Maker Ferrero Expands in US Snack Market with Multi-Billion Dollar Deals
Campaigners urge Andy Burnham to crack down on gig economy firms
Analysis attributes flat oil prices to falling global demand
Guardian investigation finds discrepancy in Microsoft's reported AI chip capacity
Home Depot CEO Takes Medical Leave Ahead of Earnings
Visa Data Shows Over 30% of Americans 80 and Older Carry Mortgage Debt
Water Companies in England and Wales Consider Surge Pricing During Drought
That's all the important news for now
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