McDonald’s Shares Fall as Chain Warns of Weak Demand

Trump Backs Looser Fuel Rules in Fight Over Electric Cars

Court Upholds Pentagon’s Anthropic Risk Designation

Zelensky Says U.S. Approves Ukraine Patriot Production Amid Stockpile Rebuild

Oil Rises Despite Oman Corridor and Saudi Export Rebound

McDonald’s Shares Fall as Chain Warns of Weak Demand

McDonald’s shares fell more than 5% in midday trading Sept. 23 after the company warned that customer visits would remain weak. CEO Chris Kempczinski said high inflation was putting lasting pressure on restaurant spending. The chain plans to provide $8.5 billion over the next decade to help restaurant owners pay rent and improve their stores. Fast-food chains also face changing eating habits as more people use GLP-1 drugs, which curb appetite and are prescribed for diabetes and weight loss. Cornell researchers found that households spent less at fast-food restaurants and coffee shops after starting the medications. McDonald’s is exploring grilled chicken, bowls and egg bites to appeal to those customers.

CNBC / McDonald’s / Cornell

Trump Backs Looser Fuel Rules in Fight Over Electric Cars

President Donald Trump said Sept. 26 that he had approved lower fuel-economy requirements, advancing Republicans’ effort to reverse Biden-era rules they call an “electric vehicle mandate.” The rules set average fuel-economy targets for automakers’ new cars and trucks. Selling more electric vehicles can help automakers meet those averages and offset less-efficient gasoline models, giving tighter standards an indirect role in encouraging EV sales. The federal fuel-economy rules set no fixed EV sales quota and also allowed automakers to comply through hybrids and improvements to gasoline engines. Republicans say relaxing the rules will lower new-car prices and protect consumer choice, while the Biden administration argued that tougher standards would reduce fuel bills, oil use and pollution. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy scheduled the new standards’ announcement for Sept. 28, with final details unavailable when the original reports were compiled.

AP / DOT / NHTSA / Rep. Troy Balderson

Court Upholds Pentagon’s Anthropic Risk Designation

A divided federal appeals court on Sept. 25 upheld the Pentagon’s designation of Anthropic as a national-security supply-chain risk, barring its technology from defense contracts. Judges Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao formed the majority on the D.C. Circuit panel, while Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson dissented. The dispute followed the February breakdown of talks over a $200 million contract signed in July 2025. The Pentagon sought access to Anthropic’s AI models for all lawful purposes, while the company sought assurances against their use for fully autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance. The ruling conflicts with an August decision by a federal judge in San Francisco who found a parallel designation unlawful. Anthropic said it was considering further review, as the cases test the government’s authority to exclude AI suppliers over restrictions on how their technology is used.

CNBC / ABC News / The Next Web

Zelensky Says U.S. Approves Ukraine Patriot Production Amid Stockpile Rebuild

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sept. 25 that President Donald Trump had agreed to let Ukraine build Patriot interceptor missiles, a step that could help rebuild depleted American stockpiles. The reports included no White House statement confirming the licensing terms. Aid to Ukraine and missile defenses during the Iran war have strained American supplies, and rebuilding them could take years under current delivery projections, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. A Council on Foreign Relations study group has warned that depleted U.S. weapons stocks also weaken Washington’s ability to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Any relief would depend on Ukraine adding manufacturing capacity, reducing Kyiv’s dependence on imported interceptors and leaving more American-made missiles available to replenish U.S. stocks and supply allies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cautioned that building factories and supply chains would take years, limiting the plan’s ability to relieve immediate shortages.

Euronews / Kyiv Post / CSIS / CFR

Oil Rises Despite Oman Corridor and Saudi Export Rebound

A U.S.-secured shipping corridor along Oman’s coast is helping more oil move through the Strait of Hormuz, with American forces escorting convoys, according to an AFP analysis. Saudi crude exports were on track to more than double from August to about 5.4 million barrels a day in September, according to preliminary Kpler data reported by Reuters. Oil prices nevertheless rose early Sept. 28, with Brent crude futures up 3.3% to $107.75 a barrel and U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate up 2.3% to $94.55 at 1:40 a.m. EDT. Reuters linked the gains to President Donald Trump’s rejection of an Iranian peace proposal, which reduced hopes of a quick breakthrough in ending the conflict and restoring normal shipping. Analyst Sugandha Sachdeva told Reuters that improved shipping or progress in talks could bring prices down.

AFP / Reuters

September 28, 1918: Philadelphia Parade Exposes Thousands to Spanish Flu

A massive Liberty Loan parade in Philadelphia brought large crowds together just as a deadly new wave of influenza was emerging. The gathering accelerated the spread of the Spanish flu through the city, overwhelming hospitals and leading to thousands of deaths.

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Sources

1. CNBC / McDonald’s Investor Day Release / McDonald’s Investor Day Transcript / Cornell
2. AP via ABC News / DOT: Biden-Era Fuel-Economy Standards / NHTSA: Trump Administration’s CAFE Position / Rep. Troy Balderson
3. CNBC / ABC News / The Next Web
4. Euronews / Kyiv Post: Licensing Claim / CSIS: Rebuilding U.S. Missile Inventory / CFR: Out of Ammo / Kyiv Post: Production Constraints
5. AFP: U.S. Corridor Along Oman / Reuters: September Export Recovery / Reuters: Sept. 28 Oil Prices