Coming to Louisiana?: Louisiana, Tennessee, Utah, Idaho and Oklahoma have agreed to explore hosting Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses that would manage atomic waste while supporting uranium enrichment, fuel reprocessing, advanced reactors and other nuclear infrastructure in exchange for federal support. The initiative aims to address the growing stockpile of nearly 100,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel, revive the U.S. nuclear energy sector and attract up to $50 billion in private investment while creating jobs and boosting tax revenue. The plan aligns with President Trump’s goal of expanding nuclear power, offering an alternative path as the long-delayed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository remains stalled. Bloomberg has the full story.
July decline: Americans’ confidence in the economy declined in July, with the Conference Board’s consumer confidence index dropping to 90.8 from 92.2 in June. Consumers became more concerned about current business and labor conditions, while their expectations for the near future remained mostly unchanged. Rising gas prices, driven by escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and disruptions to global oil supplies, contributed to renewed inflation concerns and reduced purchasing power. The Associated Press has the full story.
AI-driven cuts: Visa is cutting 2,600 jobs, or about 7% of its workforce, with most layoffs affecting technology and product teams as the company adapts to major changes in the payments industry. CEO Ryan McInerney says artificial intelligence is reshaping how work is done at Visa and is driving the company’s efforts to evolve its operations. Visa joins companies such as Intuit, Cisco and Meta that have recently announced job cuts while increasing their focus on AI and efficiency. The Wall Street Journal has the full story. A subscription may be required.
