Category: 3. Business

• US Dollar Index flat lines around 97.85 in Monday’s early Asian session.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskiy faces US pressure to reach a peace deal with Russia that involves ceding territory.
• US Retail Sales came in line with expectations in July. 

The US Dollar Index (DXY), an index of the value of the US Dollar (USD) measured against a basket of six world currencies, trades on a flat note near 97.85 during the Asian trading hours on Monday. Traders prefer to wait on the sidelines ahead of a crucial meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy later on Monday. The Federal Reserve’s (Fed) Jackson Hole symposium will take center stage later on Friday. 

US President Donald Trump said after his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday that he will urge Zelenskiy to make a quick deal and sounded receptive to Putin’s demand that Ukraine give up large swathes of land, per Bloomberg. Ukrainian leader facing US pressure to reach a peace deal with Russia that involves ceding territory. Traders will closely watch the developments surrounding Trump-Zelenskiy talks. Any signs of escalating tensions could boost the safe-haven flows, supporting the US Dollar against its rivals. 

Data released by the US Census Bureau on Friday revealed that the US Retail Sales increased by 0.5%  MoM in July, versus a rise of 0.9% recorded in June (revised from 0.6%). This reading came in line with the market consensus. On an annual basis, Retail Sales rose 3.9% in July, compared to 4.4%, matching the expectations.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Expectations Index eased to 57.2 in August from 57.7 in July, highlighting some change of view regarding the months ahead. The one-year inflation expectations ticked up to 4.9% from 4.5%, and the five-year forecast increased to 3.9% from 3.4%.

These US economic reports have kept the case for a September Fed interest rate cut intact, which might weigh on the DXY in the near term. Money markets are now pricing in nearly a 93% possibility of a 25 basis points (bps) Fed rate cut in September, according to the CME FedWatch tool. However, there are some misgivings about what happens from there, with a 55% chance of another reduction in October and just a 43% probability of a third move in December.

– ‘Match Chat’ AI assistant answers questions in real-time, during and after all 254 singles matches

– Enhanced IBM SlamTracker to offer live Likelihood to Win projections, while ‘Key Points’ instantly summarizes articles on USOpen.org and the US Open app

– New global IBM survey confirms demand for AI-powered fan experiences on the rise

Aug 18, 2025

ARMONK, N.Y., Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced a new lineup of AI-powered digital experiences coming to USOpen.org and the US Open app for this year’s tournament. Co-created by IBM and the USTA, the features are designed to deliver millions of tennis fans worldwide more of the customized, nonstop coverage they crave throughout the two-week Grand Slam.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here:  https://www.multivu.com/ibm/92400510-en-ibm-usta-ai-fan-experiences-2025-us-open

Serving first is Match Chat, an interactive AI assistant available during and after all 254 singles matches. Fans can engage the tool by selecting a pre-written prompt or typing their own question on topics such as player stats, head-to-head records, match insights and even player name pronunciations (e.g., ‘who has converted more break points in the match?’).

Built with IBM watsonx Orchestrate technologies – including AI agents and large language models (LLMs) such as IBM Granite – Match Chat is trained on the US Open editorial style and leverages real-time data to provide users with responses.

An enhanced version of IBM SlamTracker is back, now offering fans live Likelihood to Win probabilities for every singles match. The tool will update in near real-time with projected win percentages that can change throughout each match, based on AI-powered analysis of player statistics, expert opinion and match momentum. For post-match insights, AI Commentary will once again offer AI-generated audio and subtitles in English for highlight videos of men’s and women’s singles matches.

Rounding out this year’s lineup is Key Points built with watsonx which creates three-bullet summaries of articles, tournament data and match analysis on the US Open app and website. By simply clicking a button at the top of the article page, fans will receive a “TL:DR” (Too Long; Didn’t Read) recap of all the action they are looking to follow.

The new and enhanced capabilities come at a time when audience demand for more dynamic digital content is accelerating. According to a new global survey also out today from Morning Consult and commissioned by IBM, 86% of tennis fans surveyed worldwide see value in AI-powered features, with real-time insights and personalized highlights central to how they engage with sports.

“As fan engagement and content consumption habits evolve, IBM and the USTA are at the cutting edge – leveraging data and AI to create unique digital experiences that bring the excitement of the US Open to life for audiences around the world,” said Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, IBM. “We’re applying the same powerful technologies that we use with client partners across all industries to meet the demands of tennis fans, deepening the connection to the players and game we all love.”

“Working with IBM, we developed a long-term technology roadmap that has transformed how we operate and connect with fans,” said Brian Ryerson, Sr. Director of Digital Strategy at the USTA. “IBM took the time to understand our vision for the US Open, and together we identified the hybrid cloud and AI capabilities needed to bring it to life. Today, those efforts are paying off — delivering real-time insights that enrich the fan experience, while significantly improving the reliability, scalability, and efficiency of our digital platforms and behind-the scenes-operations.” 

The full findings of IBM and Morning Consult’s new survey can be found here.

The 2025 US Open runs from August 18 – September 7. Explore these IBM technologies and more by visiting USOpen.org and/or the US Open app available in the Apple and Android app stores on all mobile devices.

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

About the USTA

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level — from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, one of the highest-attended annual sporting events in the world, along with approximately 100 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S., and selects the teams for Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships in addition to supporting tennis and education programs nationwide to benefit under-resourced youth through the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. For more information about the USTA, go to USTA.com or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) and TikTok.

Media contact:

IBM

Sarah Benchaita

sarah.benchaita@ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

– Most fans surveyed agree that AI-powered features will have a significant impact on how they consume sports

– More than half surveyed want AI-driven sports commentary and insights for past, current and future events

– Mobile sports apps are becoming essential to the fan experience, particularly among fans attending events in-person

Aug 18, 2025

ARMONK, N.Y., August 18, 2025 – New global research commissioned by IBM (NYSE: IBM) reveals sports fans are turning to more dynamic digital content experiences, with AI, personalization and real-time features central to how they engage with sports.

The study* of more than 20,000 sports fans across 12 countries shows they increasingly view technology – particularly AI — as a positive force in sports. Total AI usage among fans has grown since 2024 across nearly all re-tested markets, ** with 85% of respondents seeing value in integrating the technology into their sports experience and 63% expressing trust in AI-generated sports content. Surveyed fans identify real-time game/match updates (35%) and personalized content (30%) as their top priorities for AI-enhanced sports engagement.

Beyond live events, many respondents are turning to video highlights (51%), post-event recaps (37%) and player interviews (32%) to stay connected to their favorite sports. Dedicated mobile sports apps are also widely adopted — 73% of surveyed fans confirm using them to stay updated. Social media is the leading platform for accessing additional content, and social media influencers play a prominent role, with 59% of surveyed followers engaging with them for analysis and predictions.

Only 27% of surveyed fans expect their sports consumption habits to stay the same over the next two years. Eighty percent (80%) believe technology – specifically AI — will have the greatest influence on how they follow sports by 2027. More than half (56%) of surveyed fans want AI-powered insights and commentary for past, current and future sporting events. Additionally, 33% of respondents believe real-time translation technology will have the most significant impact on their international sports experience in the next 2-3 years — particularly in markets where English is not the dominant language.

“The sports media landscape is more complex than ever, and fans are comfortable consuming digital content around the clock,” said Kameryn Stanhouse, Vice President, Sports and Entertainment Partnerships, IBM. “With fans signaling their readiness to embrace AI, we will continue working with our tournament, league, and media partners to meet fans where they are, whether they’re watching the action in person or enhancing their second-screen experience.”

Other key findings include:

Sports engagement expands beyond the game with fast, non-stop content across screens

• Most (90%) fans surveyed consume sports content beyond watching events, with younger fans leading the trend.
• 40% of surveyed mobile sports app users rely on apps for centralized information and 35% for real-time updates when unable to watch games live.

  • About 1 in 5 F1, golf, and tennis fans use apps tailored to their favorite sports.

• Mobile sports app usage jumps among in-person event attendees, with 82% of surveyed fans using apps during events. Of those, 91% engage with apps during live events, mostly for real-time commentary (44%), stats or analytics (41%) and enhanced in-stadium experiences (35%).
• Among fans surveyed in both 2024 and 2025, multi-device usage to follow sporting events increased from 27% to 29%, indicating a significant upward trend in second-screen behavior.
• 74% of respondents following sports influencers say storytelling is important to how they experience or connect with sports, especially among fans ages 18-44.

Fans seek more connected, community-driven sports experiences

• 35% surveyed plan to watch more live content over the next two years, and 29% expect to attend more events in person.
• Fans surveyed agree that enhancements like faster recaps (67%), personalization capabilities (65%) and greater access to players and teams (65%) will improve their digital sports experience.
• Interest in community-driven experiences is rising: More fans rank community engagement as their first or second priority when consuming sports content, with the share of respondents ranking it as their top priority (1^st) rising from 9% in 2024 to 11% in 2025.**
• More respondents now identify community-building and fan interaction as important areas for AI-driven improvements in sports engagement (21% in 2025 vs. 20% in 2024).**

To view the full study, visit: https://newsroom.ibm.com/image/IBM_Sport_Survey_Report_2025.pdf

*Study Methodology

This survey was conducted in June 2025 among a total sample of 20,864 sports fans 18+ in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Brazil. The interviews for each country were conducted online, and the data is unweighted, with ~2,000 responses per market in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and India and ~1,000 responses per market in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Brazil.

To qualify for this survey respondents must be at least an average sports fan and follow one or more of the following sports: soccer, cricket, tennis, basketball, baseball, rugby, golf, American football, F1 racing, track and field, swimming, and the Olympics.

**Longitudinal insights provide a global overview of how sports fans’ behaviors and attitudes changed between 2024 and 2025. To ensure accurate year-over-year-comparisons, Mexico and Brazil are excluded from these analyses, as they were not included in the 2024 data.

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Marisa Conway

IBM Corporate Communications

conwaym@us.ibm.com

In the Pakistani tech ecosystem marked by growing investor caution and lack of enthusiasm, one startup is literally keeping the wheels going. Karachi-based B2B logistics and fintech company Trukkr has raised close to $10 million in a mix of equity and debt, signaling both investor confidence and the startup’s endurance in digitising freight logistics in Pakistan.

The funding round included participation from Yango Group, the global logistics and mobility player operating in over 30 countries. Yango invested through its $20 million venture capital arm Yango Ventures. The rest of the round includes contributions from private investors, including Swiss backers. The company has chosen to keep the identity of investors in the round confidential. 

The company didn’t want to announce their fundraise. In fact, it took quite a lot of convincing to get them to agree. For a startup that prefers steering clear of headlines, Trukkr’s story is one of deliberate growth, strategic prudence, and business fundamentals over buzzwords. While much of the local startup ecosystem has been driven by a blitz of marketing, Trukkr’s approach has been to build quietly and scale steadily.

In an exclusive conversation, the founder emphasized their focus on operating a real business rather than chasing valuations or vanity metrics. “We’ve always been about building a sustainable company. We aren’t here for a two-year run. Logistics is a long game especially in Pakistan,” he said.

With Pakistan’s trucking freight logistics sector historically deeply fragmented, Trukkr launched with a  Transport Management System (TMS) which enables shippers to seamlessly find trucks, and truckers to find loads conveniently and digitally. On top of it, they embedded financial services which provide working capital loans and payments support for truckers.

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Share markets edged higher in Asia on Monday ahead of what is likely to be an eventful week for U.S. interest rate policy, while oil prices slipped as risks to Russian supplies seemed to fade a little.

A general risk-on mood saw indices in Japan and Taiwan make record peaks, while Chinese blue chips reached their highest in 10 months.

U.S. President Donald Trump now seemed more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal with Ukraine instead of a ceasefire first, after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders later on Monday to discuss the next steps, though actual proposals are vague as yet.

The major economic event of the week will be the Kansas City Federal Reserve’s August 21-23 Jackson Hole symposium, where Chair Jerome Powell is due to speak on the economic outlook and the central bank’s policy framework.

“Chair Powell will likely signal that risks to the employment and inflation mandates are coming into balance, setting up the Fed to resume returning policy rate to neutral,” said Andrew Hollenhorst, chief economist at Citi Research.

“But Powell will stop short of explicitly signalling a September rate cut, awaiting the August jobs and inflation reports,” he added. “This would be fairly neutral for markets already fully pricing a September cut.”

Markets imply around an 85% chance of a quarter-point rate cut at the Fed’s meeting on September 17, and are priced for a further easing by December.

The prospect of lower borrowing costs globally has underpinned stock markets and Japan’s Nikkei (.N225) firmed 0.9% to a fresh record high.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was a fraction lower, having hit a four-year top last week. Chinese blue chips (.CSI300) added 1.0%, bringing gains so far this quarter to almost 8%.

EUROSTOXX 50 futures and FTSE futures rose 0.2%, while DAX futures firmed 0.1%.

SOLID EARNINGS

S&P 500 futures nudged up 0.2%, while Nasdaq futures added 0.3% with both near all-time highs.

Valuations have been underpinned by a solid earnings season as S&P 500 EPS grew 11% on the year and 58% of companies raised their full-year guidance.

“Earnings results have continued to be exceptional for the mega-cap tech companies,” noted analysts at Goldman Sachs. “While Nvidia has yet to report, the Magnificent 7 apparently grew EPS by 26% year/year in 2Q, a 12% beat relative to consensus expectation coming into earnings season.”

This week’s results will provide some colour on the health of consumer spending with Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s and Walmart all reporting.

In bond markets, the chance of Fed easing is keeping down short-term Treasury yields while the longer end is pressured by the risk of stagflation and giant budget deficits, leading to the steepest yield curve since 2021.

European bonds also have been pressured by the prospect of increased borrowing to fund defence spending, pushing German long-term yields to 14-year highs.

Wagers on more Fed easing have weighed on the dollar, which dropped 0.4% against a basket of currencies last week to last stand at 97.851 .

The dollar was a fraction firmer on the yen at 147.46 , while the euro held at $1.1701 after adding 0.5% last week.

The dollar has fared better against its New Zealand counterpart as the country’s central bank is widely expected to cut rates to 3.0% on Wednesday.

In commodity markets, gold was stuck at $3,343 an ounce after losing 1.9% last week.

Oil prices struggled as Trump backed away from threats to place more restrictions on Russian oil exports.

Brent dropped 0.2% to $65.74 a barrel, while U.S. crude eased 0.1% to $62.76 per barrel.

Nvidia and UnitedHealth drive shifts in US market dynamics

The US Tech 100 (Nasdaq 100) and the US 500 (S&P 500) finished lower on Friday, while the blue-chip Dow Jones reached a record high – about eight weeks after the Nasdaq and S&P 500 achieved their own milestones. The rally in the Dow was supported by gains in UnitedHealth Group, following Berkshire Hathaway’s disclosure of a major stake. For the week, the Dow gained 770 points, or 1.74%. The S&P 500 rose 0.94% to 6,449, while the Nasdaq 100 added just 0.43%.

Investors are rotating out of the technology sector, prompted by high valuations, softer earnings for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and recent government export taxes on Nvidia and AMD. The Dow and the Russell 2000 are seen as better positioned to benefit from a robust economy, reduced trade uncertainty, and the outlook for easier monetary policy, explaining their outperformance last week.

Retail sales and consumer sentiment

Economic data released on Friday was generally positive. July retail sales data was strong, with the retail control group, which contributes to gross domestic product (GDP), rising 0.5% month-on-month (MoM) versus the 0.4% expected. June’s data was also revised upwards from 0.5% to 0.8%.

However, this was offset by a softer-than-expected University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, which fell to 58.6 in August from 61.7 prior, well below the expected 62. Concerns around stagflation arose as one-year-ahead inflation expectations surged to 4.9% from 4.5%, and long-term expectations increased to 3.9% from 3.4%. The pricing of a September Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cut fell to around 84%, down from 105% after last Tuesday’s inline consumer price index (CPI) print.

Zooming out, large and unprecedented shifts in US trade and immigration policy are expected to weigh on US GDP. Despite this, a healthy underlying cyclical backdrop, combined with additional fiscal and monetary easing, is expected to support growth.

Looking ahead 

Chair Powell’s comments at this week’s Jackson Hole Symposium will be closely scrutinised. While we think the Fed will deliver an insurance-style 25 basis point (bp) rate cut in September, Fed Chair Powell will likely remain non-committal and data-dependent, especially with one more payroll and CPI report due before the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Wednesday, 17 September.

• Earnings season highlights

The second quarter (Q2) of 2025 earnings season continues this week, with reports scheduled from major retailers Home Depot, Target, and Walmart, before Nvidia’s earnings report on 28 August, which will conclude this earnings season.

Soho House Members’ Club Nearing a Deal to Go Private

The company helped spark a wave of private clubs in New York and boasts more than 200,000 members worldwide.

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Air Canada Flight Attendants to Defy Back-to-Work Order

The airline is facing a crisis after its flight attendants walked off the job over the weekend and rejected a government order to return to work.

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Your Wait for a Tesla Robo-Taxi Ride Is Almost Over, Musk Says

Tesla’s robo-taxi offering in Austin, Texas, should expand in September.

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Welcome to the Fast-Food Industry’s Crispy Chicken Summer

The crispy chicken sandwich wars are heating up, with fast-food heavyweights quickly expanding their offerings while upstart chains plot to capture more territory.

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Disney’s Marvel Abandons Georgia, Taking Livelihoods With It

Tax incentives lured studios to help build the ‘Hollywood of the South,’ but now Marvel and others are going overseas for cheaper labor costs.

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Getting to the Moon or Mars? Musk and Bezos Tackle Space Travel’s Refueling Problem

Spacecraft that could fuel up in orbit would be less weighted down at liftoff and fly deeper into space; making those refills happen is a big challenge for SpaceX and Blue Origin.

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Walmart and rivals report earnings, for the clearest look yet at tariffs’ impact on consumers. Will CEOs talk about the elephant in the room?

The nation’s biggest retailer reports results on Thursday as signs emerge that U.S. tariffs could be nudging prices higher.

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A2 Milk Targets Margin Growth, Buys Manufacturing Facility

A2 Milk raised hopes of an expansion in profit margins as it doubled down on Chinese demand for infant formula by buying a manufacturing plant in New Zealand’s North Island.

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NAB Flags Higher Costs as Credit Impairments Hit Profit

National Australia Bank flagged higher annual operating costs due to continued payroll problems, while a steep rise in credit impairment charges sparked a 13% fall in third-quarter profit.

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Shein and Temu Face Tougher Times in the U.S. That’s Good News for Amazon.

Both companies saw a drop in U.S. web traffic and sales after a change in tax and trade policy in the spring. Amazon, Gap, and others are benefiting.

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Big Tech Is Eating Itself in Talent War

The scramble by tech companies for top AI talent is using unorthodox methods that imperil Silicon Valley’s startup culture.

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Six Flags Is Having a Seriously Scary Summer

The theme-park chain is grappling with declining attendance, bad weather, broken rides and construction delays. Plus its hot new ride is going viral for all the wrong reasons.

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The Palantir Mafia Behind Silicon Valley’s Hottest Startups

The network connects founders and venture capitalists with ‘Palantir Pals’ and a Russian River camping trip

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U.S. Steel Plant Explosion May Have Occurred While Flushing Gas Valve

The company said pressure likely built up inside the valve, causing it to fail and leading to coke oven gas filling the area, which then exploded after being ignited.

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Winklevoss Twins’ Crypto Platform Gemini Submits Public IPO Filing

The cryptocurrency exchange plans to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol GEMI, according to a filing with the SEC.

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UnitedHealth Stock Is Having Its Best Day in Years. It Still Needs More to Cure Its Problems.

Even though Warren Buffett seems to think the value of UnitedHealth stock is about right, that doesn’t mean investors should ignore the long list of unresolved issues facing the company.

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Intel’s Move Toward Nationalization Won’t Work-at Least for the Long Haul

Federal support could get the troubled chip maker over some hurdles, but risks great harm to the U.S. tech sector.

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires

  August 17, 2025 23:15 ET (03:15 GMT)
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