Roundup: BP settlement / Fed’s next move / DOJ vs. Anthropic

$350M upfront payment: Louisiana has agreed to accept $350 million from BP upfront rather than collect $373 million over seven years, while also resolving the company’s remaining coastal damage lawsuits brought by state parishes. Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill called the deal a win for Louisiana’s business climate, arguing that ending long-standing litigation could encourage energy industry investment. In 2015, BP agreed to pay up to $18.7 billion to resolve federal, state and local government claims arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. That included $4.9 billion in payments to five Gulf Coast states over 18 years.The Center Square has the full story.

Rates on hold: The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady at its October meeting despite rising inflation, which reached 3.7% annually in September, and higher energy costs linked to the U.S. war with Iran. The Fed raised its benchmark rate to 3.75%-4% in September, and markets expect borrowing costs to remain elevated as policymakers balance inflation concerns with economic pressures ahead of the midterm elections. High rates continue to weigh on consumers through credit card debt, mortgage costs and auto loans, while savers benefit from relatively attractive returns on savings accounts. CNBC has the full story.

Ruling appealed: The Trump administration has appealed a federal judge’s ruling that overturned its ban on federal agencies using Anthropic’s artificial intelligence technology, escalating a legal battle over national security and government control of AI. The dispute began after Anthropic sought assurances that its technology would not be used for mass surveillance of Americans or autonomous weapons, prompting the Pentagon to designate the company a supply chain risk after negotiations collapsed. The outcome could shape how the government regulates private AI developers and establishes safety restrictions. Bloomberg has the full story.