Conover joins Catawba County update on Microsoft data-center development
A June 23 update says Microsoft’s planned Catawba County project has progressed and that questions about land use, utilities, taxes and infrastructure are growing.
Business & Economy
Jobs, labor, companies, prices, investment, markets, trade, agriculture, energy, and consumer economics.
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McKesson Selects Moore for New Distribution Center
The City of Moore identifies McKesson’s selection of the city for a new distribution center as an economic-development project. Separate council minutes describe an east-lot warehouse and distribution-center site planned for light-industrial use.
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Fontana commission to review proposed commercial center on Aug. 18
Fontana’s Planning Commission will review a proposed 69,617-square-foot commercial center at Sierra Avenue and Terra Vista Drive on Aug. 18.
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Bellevue Defense-Tech Campus Lands Anchor Tenant, $50 Million State Commitment
A planned Bellevue defense-technology campus has secured its first major tenant and is expected to receive $50 million in state support.
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ECB Holds Euro-Area Rates on July 23 as Middle East Energy Shock Threatens to Prolong Inflation
The European Central Bank kept all three key euro-area interest rates unchanged on July 23, 2026, while warning that volatile energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict could continue to fuel inflation.
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ECB Holds Rates Steady as Middle East Conflict Keeps Energy Risks Elevated
The European Central Bank left all three key interest rates unchanged on July 23, 2026, saying volatile energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict had made the inflation outlook more uncertain.
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Peoria clears way for Amkor’s $33 million expansion
Peoria approved a land sale tied to Amkor Technology’s planned semiconductor expansion north of Loop 303, a project that could shape growth for decades.
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USPTO Sets Oct. 1, 2026 Madrid e-Filing Deadline
The USPTO says Madrid e-Filing will become the required platform for new international trademark applications based on U.S. applications or registrations starting Oct. 1, 2026.
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USDA Opens Applications for $500 Million Fertilizer Program
The USDA is accepting applications for up to $500 million to expand independent domestic fertilizer production and improve supply options for U.S. farmers.
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U.S. Charitable Giving Reached a Record $617 Billion in 2025
Americans gave an estimated $617 billion to U.S. charities in 2025, a 3% increase after inflation, according to Giving USA.
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Huntsville Advances Tax District Plan Focused on Von Braun Center
Huntsville is pursuing a nearly 3,700-acre tax district that could direct about $220 million toward Von Braun Center and other downtown projects.
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Census releases 2025 data on U.S. household finances
The Census Bureau’s 2025 Survey of Income and Program Participation adds updated national data on family finances, caregiving, education, health insurance, child care and food security.
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U.S. Payrolls Fell by 23,000 in July as Job Growth Turned Negative
U.S. nonfarm payroll employment fell by 23,000 in July, while the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1% as labor-force participation declined.
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Judge Pauses Paramount-Warner Merger Through Aug. 17
A federal judge has paused Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery while 12 states pursue an antitrust challenge to the approximately $81 billion deal.
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U.S. Payrolls Fall by 23,000, Complicating Fed Rate Debate
U.S. nonfarm payroll employment fell by 23,000 in July, while a scheduled inflation report became more important to the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.
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White House Sets 50% Duty on Some Canadian Alcohol
A White House proclamation adds a 50% duty to specified Canadian alcoholic beverages entering the United States beginning Aug. 19, 2026.
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SBA seeks applications for $9 million small-business supply-chain grant program
The Small Business Administration opened a competition offering 20 grants of up to $500,000 to help small businesses address supply-chain constraints and expand production.
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Fed holds rates steady as officials split over persistent inflation
The Federal Reserve kept its federal funds target at 3.50% to 3.75% after its July meeting, while three officials favored higher rates and inflation remained above the Fed’s 2% target.
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Berkshire Hathaway reports $13 billion in second-quarter operating profit as Greg Abel deploys cash
Berkshire Hathaway posted stronger second-quarter operating results and invested about $10 billion in Alphabet as CEO Greg Abel began deploying cash.
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Federal Reserve: Credit-Card Borrowing Picked Up as Consumer Loan Costs Stayed High
Consumer-credit flows accelerated after a slower start to 2026, with the strongest increase in credit-card balances as auto-loan rates remained above 2019 levels.
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DOJ Trade Fraud Task Force Says Recoveries and Charged Losses Topped $1 Billion
The Justice Department said its Trade Fraud Task Force surpassed $1 billion in combined recoveries, penalties, forfeitures and publicly charged losses less than a year after its launch.
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Panel Built opens second McMinn County manufacturing facility in Etowah
Panel Built announced July 7, 2026, that it opened a second manufacturing facility in McMinn County, locating the operation in Etowah and expanding its steel-fabrication capacity.