The S&P 500 is heading for a third straight year of double-digit gains. For a fourth in 2026, analysts say everything needs to go right—strong corporate profits, a dovish Fed, and AI investments that finally show returns. The historical odds are mixed.
Apple launched a free coding academy in Detroit as part of its racial equity push, investing nearly $30 million. But for many graduates, the path to a tech job wasn’t so clear. The program reveals the complexities of corporate-led education initiatives.
In a massive cybersecurity deal, ServiceNow has agreed to acquire Armis for $7.8 billion. The all-cash transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026 and aims to combine Armis’s asset intelligence with ServiceNow’s workflow automation.
A tech journalist reports that people are increasingly attributing personality and emotion to their AI assistants. This emotional connection, while not based in reality, is shaping how users interact with and depend on the technology.
Fairphone, known for its long-term software support, has had to pull an update for its Fairphone 4 model after users reported it completely bricked their phones. The update, version FP4.QREL.15.15.2, was pushed on December 23rd and caused devices to become unresponsive.
France’s national postal service, La Poste, has been hit by a massive cyber incident described as a “major network incident.” The attack, suspected to be a DDoS, has taken key online and mobile services offline, impacting parcel deliveries and banking right before Christmas.
A 75-year-old Russian defense contractor set himself on fire on Red Square after his company buckled under the strain of military orders. His case exposes a system where failure can mean prison, as the Kremlin pushes manufacturers to the breaking point.
The FCC has officially banned new drones and critical components made in foreign countries, citing unacceptable national security risks. This follows a Congressional defense bill deadline from December 23.
Aflac has confirmed the massive scale of a June data breach, notifying nearly 22.65 million people. The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, and health information. The hackers are believed to be part of a known criminal group targeting the insurance industry.
Google is working to bring a feature similar to the Pixel 10’s Magic Cue to more Android phones. Called “Contextual Suggestions,” it’s now in testing in Google Play Services version 25.49.32 beta. The feature uses your activity and location to offer helpful app actions.
