Business Financial Distress Nears COVID Levels As Sole Trader Numbers Rise

Amazon Prime Day Sales Rise 9% Year Over Year, Topping $26 Billion Americans spent a record $26.4 billion during Amazon's four-day Prime Day sales event, a 9.3% increase from a year earlier, per Adobe Analytics and according to Reuters.  The gains were fueled by heavy promotions across categories including electronics, appliances, clothing, toys, personal care products, and household necessities, as consumers looked to maximize savings amid ongoing cost pressures. Industry analysts said several factors contributed to the stronger spending, including larger tax refunds and early back-to-school purchases, which gave many households extra...

China's Power Demand Hits Records As Heatwave Grips Key Regions By Irina Slav of OilPrice.com Electricity demand in much of China hit a record this week due to scorching summer temperatures, driving grid loads to all-time highs, the State Grid Corporation of China said today, as cited by Reuters. On Monday and Tuesday, the company said, electricity loads reached a record in the country’s northern, northeastern, and eastern regions. No blackouts have been reported, however, as the grid operator moves in time to direct more baseload electricity where it is needed for...

Mainstream Media Claims Roger Stone Persuaded Trump Not To Fire Tulsi Gabbard Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, President Trump was reportedly on the verge of firing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard — until longtime adviser Roger Stone stepped in at the last minute. According to an Axios report citing ‘advisors’, Trump had grown frustrated with Gabbard’s congressional testimony on threats to the U.S., in which she stopped short of a full-throated endorsement of the ongoing Iran conflict. The sources described the president polling other advisers on her performance and whether she should be replaced. The drama unfolded...