Friday, 30 October 2026
Today · In brief
AI's bill shakes markets and strains power grids, as Ebola and a flesh-eating fly cross borders
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In a few lines
Alphabet, Google's owner, lost about $500 billion in its worst day since 2004, as Google's search sales slowed.
AEP, a big US power company, raised its five-year building plan to $100 billion, much of it for data centres.
Only 3 of 31 African countries checked were judged ready for Ebola.
New World screwworm, a fly whose maggots eat living flesh, reached Arizona, a third US state.
Binance, the biggest crypto exchange, says a hacked laptop let an attacker take about $6.3 billion.
AI firms buying up chips, parts and power
Day 3 of this signal
Seen in 4 of the 12 beats
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Tech
Intel's cheapest new laptop chips are sold out, as it moves some capacity to data-centre chips. Some circuit-board orders now take 30 months, because AI buyers pay more.
The Tech stories →Climate
AEP raised its five-year building plan to $100 billion, with $20 billion for gas plants. Its big signed-up power customers rose 22% in three months, to 84 gigawatts.
The Climate stories →Space
SpaceX is keeping its rockets for Starlink and its AI satellites, and told the makers of NASA's Moon cargo landers it will not launch them. Anthropic, an AI company, paid 34.5% of SpaceX's quarterly revenue, Bloomberg reported.
The Space stories →Finance
Amazon spent $42.4 billion more cash than it took in over a year, and Microsoft is borrowing $25 billion for data centres. Alphabet lost about $500 billion in one day, its worst since 2004.
The Finance stories →What is going on
AI companies pay more for chips, circuit boards, power and rockets, so the firms that make them serve AI first.
What is going on
Laptop buyers wait longer, NASA has to find other rockets, and the AI firms' own investors now ask when all that spending turns into profit.
Where it is heading
The next test is Nvidia, the biggest AI chip maker, which reports its results in mid-November.
Fuel and gas kept dear by the Iran war
Day 10 of this signal
Seen in 4 of the 12 beats
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World
Iran said four tankers caught fire after hitting mines near the Strait of Hormuz, which usually carries about a fifth of the world's oil and gas. Iran has a letter from US Vice-President JD Vance offering talks, but has not replied.
The World stories →Climate
An Iranian strike knocked out about 17% of Qatar's gas export capacity. Qatar told buyers in Italy, Pakistan and Bangladesh it cannot deliver until the end of the year.
The Climate stories →Money
France will sell 10 million barrels of diesel at cost, to cut pump prices by 12 to 18 cents a litre. Pakistan's diesel passed 400 rupees a litre, against 281 before the war began on 28 February.
The Money stories →Food
US Halloween candy sales fell 6.7% in the month to 17 October. Hershey, which makes Reese's, warned that dearer fuel may make shoppers buy less.
The Food stories →What is going on
Mines and strikes in the Gulf cut how much oil and gas can get out, so fuel stays dear and countries like Pakistan go short of gas.
What is going on
Governments spend money to bring pump prices down, and households still pay through their bills and their shopping.
Where it is heading
The next sign is whether Iran answers the US vice president's letter offering talks to end the war.
Diseases and pests crossing borders
Seen in 2 of the 12 beats
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Biotech
Ebola has reached Kenya and Nigeria from an outbreak that began in Congo, and only 3 of 31 African countries checked were judged ready. More than $2 billion of the $3 billion governments pledged has not been paid.
The Biotech stories →Food
New World screwworm reached Arizona, a third US state, in a dog near the Mexican border. October had 19 US cases by the 28th, against 3 in all of September.
The Food stories →What is going on
Ebola and the screwworm fly are both spreading across borders faster than the checks meant to stop them.
What is going on
Families in the outbreak areas pay first, and ranchers on both sides of the US-Mexico border lose trade while cattle crossings stay shut.
Where it is heading
The next test is whether Nogales, Arizona, reopens to Mexican cattle on 30 November, as planned.
Central banks leaning towards rises
Day 2 of this signal
Seen in 2 of the 12 beats
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Finance
The European Central Bank held its rate at 2.5%, with prices in the euro countries rising 3.8%, nearly double its goal. Traders put the chance of a US rate rise in December at 83.6%.
The Finance stories →Money
The average 30-year US home-loan rate was 7.24%, up from 6.17% a year earlier. US home prices fell 0.1%, their first yearly fall in over three years, as the typical monthly payment reached $2,786.
The Money stories →What is going on
Prices are rising faster than central banks want, so they keep rates high and talk about raising them.
What is going on
Home buyers pay first: a monthly loan payment near a record keeps many away, and sellers now face falling prices.
Where it is heading
The next test is the US central bank's meeting on 8 and 9 December.
That's what moved across the day.
4 signals, seen across 8 beats. Now the stories, beat by beat.
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