A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump cannot dismiss Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook before the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, allowing her to participate in the two-day event. Trump attempted to fire Cook over alleged mortgage fraud, which she denies, but the court upheld a lower ruling preventing her removal while her lawsuit against Trump proceeds.

President Donald Trump has suggested that US public companies switch from quarterly to semiannual earnings reporting. The change, which would require Securities and Exchange Commission approval, is aimed at reducing costs and easing short-term pressures. Supporters say it could encourage longer-term planning, while critics warn it would reduce transparency and limit timely information for investors.

US stocks climbed again Monday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting fresh highs on optimism around US-China trade talks and a surge in AI-linked shares. Alphabet rose 4.5%, topping a $3 trillion valuation, while Tesla jumped 3.6% after Elon Musk's $1 billion stock purchase. Seagate led the S&P with a 7.7% gain, fueled by expectations for data center expansion.

US Treasurys have outperformed other major sovereign bond markets this year, driven by expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Treasurys have returned 5.8% in 2025, the highest among the 15 largest debt markets, as the yield advantage over global peers fell to a three-year low.

Active fund managers are facing a new challenge from private-market investments, particularly as these investments seek to enter the target-date fund market popular among 401(k) savers. While active managers have traditionally competed with passive funds on fees, private funds often have even higher fees, posing a potential issue for plan sponsors focused on cost.

Factory activity in New York contracted sharply in September amid a decline in orders and shipments, as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's general business conditions index dropped to -8.7, below estimates. The manufacturing sector has faced challenges from President Donald Trump's trade policies and immigration measures, leading to job losses in the manufacturing sector for four consecutive months.

New York Fashion Week 2025 delivered a week of high-profile runway shows and glamorous parties, drawing attention to the city as designers presented their spring/summer 2026 collections. Major brands such as Christian Cowan, Christian Siriano, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors unveiled new looks, while innovative presentations like Brandon Maxwell's newspaper-inspired show created industry buzz.

Clarity is the hallmark of effective leadership, not charisma or eloquence, says Rob Andrews, CEO of Allen Austin, who urges leaders to focus on clear communication -- through empathy, active listening and straightforward messaging. Any communication should pass through three filters, Andrews says, including whether your team believes you know what you're doing and if there's a benefit for them.