BREAKING: Iran warns that it will withdraw from the ceasefire agreement if Israel continues attacks on Lebanon.
Just minutes ago, the White House told Axios that the ceasefire agreement does not include Lebanon.
Cost pressures across US businesses are accelerating:
US manufacturers reported total operating costs jumped +8.5% in 2025, nearly double the +5.0% rise in the prior year.
At the same time, service firms saw costs rise +7.0%, also accelerating from +5.0% in 2024.
Employee health insurance was the biggest driver, surging +14.2% for manufacturers and +12.9% for service firms, with some companies reporting increases of up to +50%.
Utilities costs rose +8.5% for both sectors, with ~20% of firms reporting increases of +20% or more.
All while business insurance jumped +7.4% for manufacturers and +6.8% for service firms last year, with nearly 1 in 10 companies reporting spikes of at least +20%.
Inflationary pressures are building under the surface.