Finland’s Valmet Automotive Oyj, which produces several models for Mercedes-Benz Group AG, plans to shed almost a third of its employees in the latest sign of pervasive weakness among European carmakers.
The contract manufacturer will cut jobs, lay off employees temporarily, and reassign them to new roles at its Uusikaupunki factory, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. The reductions are equivalent to the annual working hours of a maximum of 1,075 staff, or around 30% of employees.
Valmet Automotive has manufactured the Mercedes-Benz A-Class model since 2013, and also makes the GLC sport utility vehicle as well as the Mercedes-AMG four-door GT Coupé, according to a spokesperson. Earlier this month, it took a strategic decision to enter the defense industry, also as a contract manufacturer, and to separate its battery-pack making business into another company.
European carmakers are contending with excess capacity as Chinese manufacturers take a larger share of the market, with the electric vehicles segment in particular suffering from weak demand.
Earlier on Tuesday, Stellantis NV said it would temporarily halt production at plants in Italy and France, citing lagging demand. Last week, both Porsche AG and its parent Volkswagen AG cut their outlook for the year.
Tom Brady spent 23 seasons dodging sacks, swearing off tomatoes, and stretching the definition of pliability. Now, the NFL’s most famous longevity experiment is handing his recovery playbook to a new set of teammates: robots.
On Tuesday, Brady was named the chief innovation officer of Aescape, a New York-based startup that builds AI-powered massage tables. The company has secured exclusive rights to his training and recovery protocols — the same TB12 routines Brady says helped him last in the league getting hit by 300-pound linemen until age 45 — and will weave them into the company’s customizable, sensor-driven platform. The press release’s tagline? “Built by Brady, backed by science.”
“I want to try to make [the care I received] available for everybody,” Brady told CNBC, crediting daily and weekly bodywork for keeping him in one piece long enough to win seven Super Bowls. “There’s no way I could have accomplished what I did professionally without all the massage work and recovery protocols.”
As CIO, Brady will translate the TB12 routines into machine-delivered, co-developed protocols aimed at improving mobility, boosting performance, and reducing injury risk. Neither Brady nor Aescape disclosed the terms of the deal.
Aescape’s pitch is that it can scale elite recovery in ways humans can’t. Its robotic tables use sensors to create a 3D map of the body, apply consistent pressure, and adjust settings for each session — theoretically: no tired hands, no small talk. (And no risk of winding up in an NFL disciplinary report.) The company has already raised more than $130 million from investors, including an $83 million round led by Valor Equity Partners earlier this year; installed its tables in more than 100 locations across Equinox gyms and select Four Seasons, Marriott, and Ritz-Carlton hotels; and delivered over 25,000 massages. Prices for a massage start around $30.
Robotic massage has been around in different guises for years, usually closer to a novelty than a necessity. But wellness has been steadily rebranded as infrastructure, and Aescape is pitching something more ambitious: data tracking and the science of self-care.
Brady’s longtime business partner, Alex Spiro, is also joining Aescape as a strategic advisor, helping steer capital markets strategy as the company looks to expand into corporate wellness programs, professional sports facilities, and (eventually) homes. For a company chasing scale, imprinting Brady’s protocols is a shortcut to credibility — and potentially to contracts in locker rooms that still treat massage tables like offensive linemen: as essential infrastructure.
This isn’t Brady’s first post-football venture. He has a clothing line, a media company, a color commentary gig, and slices of team ownership (the Las Vegas Raiders and the Las Vegas Aces). But this move feels particularly on-brand. Unlike tequila labels or celebrity sneakers, a recovery-robot partnership lines up neatly with Brady’s image as football’s most disciplined body experiment.
He outlasted most of his peers and more than a few iPhone models, Buc’ing quarterback mortality. He deflated defenses and endured Deflategate — and now he’s aiming to deflate stress. For two decades, the only robot in Brady’s life was Bill Belichick. Now, Brady is teaming up with one that actually admits it’s a machine.
$450 Billion Question: Can OpenAI Pay Back Its Compute Bill?
OpenAI’s compute spend is jaw-dropping: $450 billion through 2030 on rented servers.
Let’s sanity check what it takes to pay that back.
👉 Assume 500M PAYING users worldwide - that I think is a stretch in itself, given that we have other AIs like Perplexity, Anthropic (Claude), X, and every other country's own AI bots in the play.
👉 Each pays $50/year (that’s ~Netflix level ARPU).
👉 That’s $25B revenue per year.
At that pace, it would take ~18 years just to break even on compute costs, NOT profits!
And that’s before salaries, R&D, sales, or margin leakage.
So either:
- ARPU has to go way up,
- The user base has to grow well past 500M,
- Or OpenAI needs entirely new revenue streams (enterprise, agents, platform fees).
The math shows why AI companies talk about “monetizable compute” and why the business model innovation is as critical as the model innovation.
Question: If you were running OpenAI, would you bet on higher ARPU, more users, or new monetization models to pay back $450B?
The global economy is still on course for a substantial blow from Donald Trump’s trade measures despite showing greater resilience than expected in recent months, the OECD said.
In new forecasts published on Tuesday, the Paris-based organization raised its 2025 outlook for world growth and most individual economies, citing the impact of front-loading in anticipation of higher tariffs. The US also saw strong investment in artificial intelligence, while China benefited from fiscal support.
OECD Growth Projections
Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
But the OECD made little change to its 2026 predictions, when it expects global growth to drop to 2.9% from 3.2% this year and expansion in the US to slow to 1.5% from 1.8% amid higher import duties and elevated uncertainty.
The full impact from an overall effective tariff rate imposed by the White House of 19.5% — the highest since 1933 — has yet to be felt, officials said.
“It’s a significant hit for the US economy, and because the US economy is such an important economy for the rest of the world, this is having implications for many countries,” OECD Chief Economist Alvaro Santos Pereira said in an interview.
The fallout from Trump’s attempt to rewrite the rules of global trade has been hard to gauge for economists due to both the scale of policy changes and the unpredictability of implementation.
US Average Tariff Rates
Proportion of total goods import value
Source: US-ITC, US Customs, US Census Bureau, Bloomberg Economics
Note: Estimates of average tariffs use 2024 import composition, as of Aug.27.
While the effects of advancing goods imports are fading and any dent on real activity remains to be seen, the OECD said consequences are already visible in some consumer prices and spending choices. It also cited a softening of labor markets with rising unemployment and declining job openings, and said recent business surveys show signs of moderation.
“It is important that countries continue to talk and can get agreements to reduce trade barriers because we know that more trade is good for growth,” Pereira said.
The OECD said inflation is expected to decline in most major economies with slower growth and weaker employment pressures. But it said central banks should remain “vigilant.”
For the Federal Reserve, the OECD expects a gradual easing of rates over the coming year as labor markets ease, so long as tariffs don’t trigger broader inflation.
Overall, the organization said there are “significant risks” to its interim outlook, including the possibility of further trade levies or a resurgence of price increases.
Filing for bankruptcy is often seen as a way to get a fresh start, but it's not a complete reset. While it can discharge or restructure overwhelming debt, it comes with its own set of restrictions and consequences.
Understanding these restrictions is crucial for anyone considering bankruptcy or navigating life afterward. Here are some of the most common things you can't do after filing for bankruptcy.
You Can't File for Bankruptcy Again Right Away
Bankruptcy isn't a tool you can use repeatedly without consequence. The law sets specific waiting periods before you can file again
After a Chapter 7 discharge, you must wait 8 years to file another Chapter 7 case or 4 years to file for Chapter 13.
After a Chapter 13 discharge, you must wait 2 years to file another Chapter 13 case or 6 years to file for Chapter 7.
These waiting periods are in place to prevent misuse of the bankruptcy system.
You Can't Ignore the Court or Trustee
Your obligations don't end the moment you file. The bankruptcy court and the court-appointed trustee oversee your case, and you are legally required to cooperate.
Failing to comply—by missing a meeting, providing inaccurate paperwork, or ignoring a trustee's request—can cause your case to be dismissed.
You Can't Get New Credit Easily (At First)
A bankruptcy filing leaves a significant mark on your credit report.
However, rebuilding your credit is possible. Many people start with a secured credit card, which requires a cash deposit as collateral. By making small purchases and paying them off on time, you can begin to show lenders that you're a responsible borrower again
You Can't Keep All of Your Property
In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, some of your property may be liquidated to pay off creditors.
With a Chapter 13 filing, you can usually keep all of your property as long as you adhere to the repayment plan.
You Can't Discharge All Debts
A common misconception is that bankruptcy erases all financial obligations.
Most student loans
Child support and alimony
Recent tax debts
Debts obtained through fraud or criminal activity
These obligations will remain your responsibility even after your bankruptcy is complete. Knowing which debts will and won't be cleared helps you plan realistically for your financial future.
You Can't Immediately Cosign for Others
After bankruptcy, lenders view you as a high-risk borrower.
You Can't Forget to Rebuild Credit and Budgeting Skills
Bankruptcy provides a fresh start, but it's not a permanent fix. Without a solid plan for managing your finances, you could easily end up in debt again. It's essential to create a budget and stick to it, learn to live within your means, and use tools like secured credit cards to rebuild your credit history.
You Can't Lie on Future Applications
Honesty is crucial after bankruptcy. Lenders and employers often ask if you've ever filed for bankruptcy. Lying on these forms can be considered fraud and may result in a denial of credit or even legal action.
Other Potential Limitations
Beyond the legal restrictions, a bankruptcy filing can create other challenges:
Employment: Some finance-related jobs may hesitate to hire candidates with a recent bankruptcy, especially if the role involves handling money
20 Renting: Landlords often run credit checks, and a bankruptcy may make it more difficult to secure a rental.
21 You might be required to pay a larger security deposit or find a cosigner.Insurance: In some cases, car insurance premiums may be higher because insurers view financial instability as a potential risk factor.
22
While these challenges can be frustrating, they aren't permanent. As you rebuild your credit and establish a history of good financial habits, these obstacles will eventually ease.
If you have more questions about the specific limitations of bankruptcy or how to rebuild your finances, I'm here to help.
Filing for bankruptcy is often seen as a way to get a fresh start, but it's not a complete reset. While it can discharge or restructure overwhelming debt, it comes with its own set of restrictions and consequences.
Understanding these restrictions is crucial for anyone considering bankruptcy or navigating life afterward. Here are some of the most common things you can't do after filing for bankruptcy.
You Can't File for Bankruptcy Again Right Away
Bankruptcy isn't a tool you can use repeatedly without consequence. The law sets specific waiting periods before you can file again
After a Chapter 7 discharge, you must wait 8 years to file another Chapter 7 case or 4 years to file for Chapter 13.
After a Chapter 13 discharge, you must wait 2 years to file another Chapter 13 case or 6 years to file for Chapter 7.
These waiting periods are in place to prevent misuse of the bankruptcy system.
You Can't Ignore the Court or Trustee
Your obligations don't end the moment you file. The bankruptcy court and the court-appointed trustee oversee your case, and you are legally required to cooperate.
Failing to comply—by missing a meeting, providing inaccurate paperwork, or ignoring a trustee's request—can cause your case to be dismissed.
You Can't Get New Credit Easily (At First)
A bankruptcy filing leaves a significant mark on your credit report.
However, rebuilding your credit is possible. Many people start with a secured credit card, which requires a cash deposit as collateral. By making small purchases and paying them off on time, you can begin to show lenders that you're a responsible borrower again
You Can't Keep All of Your Property
In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, some of your property may be liquidated to pay off creditors.
With a Chapter 13 filing, you can usually keep all of your property as long as you adhere to the repayment plan.
You Can't Discharge All Debts
A common misconception is that bankruptcy erases all financial obligations.
Most student loans
Child support and alimony
Recent tax debts
Debts obtained through fraud or criminal activity
These obligations will remain your responsibility even after your bankruptcy is complete. Knowing which debts will and won't be cleared helps you plan realistically for your financial future.
You Can't Immediately Cosign for Others
After bankruptcy, lenders view you as a high-risk borrower.
You Can't Forget to Rebuild Credit and Budgeting Skills
Bankruptcy provides a fresh start, but it's not a permanent fix. Without a solid plan for managing your finances, you could easily end up in debt again. It's essential to create a budget and stick to it, learn to live within your means, and use tools like secured credit cards to rebuild your credit history.
You Can't Lie on Future Applications
Honesty is crucial after bankruptcy. Lenders and employers often ask if you've ever filed for bankruptcy. Lying on these forms can be considered fraud and may result in a denial of credit or even legal action.
Other Potential Limitations
Beyond the legal restrictions, a bankruptcy filing can create other challenges:
Employment: Some finance-related jobs may hesitate to hire candidates with a recent bankruptcy, especially if the role involves handling money
20 Renting: Landlords often run credit checks, and a bankruptcy may make it more difficult to secure a rental.
21 You might be required to pay a larger security deposit or find a cosigner.Insurance: In some cases, car insurance premiums may be higher because insurers view financial instability as a potential risk factor.
22
While these challenges can be frustrating, they aren't permanent. As you rebuild your credit and establish a history of good financial habits, these obstacles will eventually ease.
If you have more questions about the specific limitations of bankruptcy or how to rebuild your finances, I'm here to help.
Shares of Tylenol maker Kenvue bounced back sharply at the opening bell Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump promoted unproven and in some cases discredited ties between Tylenol, vaccines, and autism.
“Don’t take Tylenol,” Trump instructed pregnant women around a dozen times during the White House news conference Monday, also urging mothers not to give their infants the drug, known by the generic name acetaminophen in the U.S. or paracetamol in most other countries.
Shares of the New Jersey consumer brands company tumbled 7.5% Monday. At the opening of trading, shares bounced back by more than 6%.
The announcement, which appeared to rely on existing studies rather than significant new research, arrives as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, advances the Make America Healthy Again movement that has focused on what it sees as potential causes of autism.
Kenvue disputed any link between the drug and autism this week and warned that if pregnant mothers don’t use Tylenol when in need, they could face a dangerous choice between suffering fevers or using riskier alternatives.
Kenvue was spun off from Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical and medical device divisions in 2023 because it was thought that the companies could function more efficiently if they were independent from each other. Aside from Tylenol, the consumer health company makes Band-Aids, Listerine, and other household brand names.
Citi Investment Research analyst Filippo Falorni wrote that he sees a limited risk of new lawsuits after Trump’s announcement, but thinks “there could be risk to Tylenol consumption given the negative headlines.”
Falorni anticipates a positive reaction for Kenvue’s stock at the opening bell on Tuesday, given the lack of new scientific evidence.
The company has fought hundreds of lawsuits related to the product and its alleged ties to autism, but most have been dismissed.
Tylenol made headlines in the 1980s when seven people in the Chicago area were killed after taking the over-the-counter painkiller laced with cyanide. The incident triggered a nationwide panic and led to an overhaul in the safety of over-the-counter medication packaging. No one was ever charged in the deaths.
FIRMS WILL CUT H-1B WORKERS
BAD FOR STARTUPS
INNOVATION AT RISK
Young Graduates Face a Tougher Climb: The Shrinking Entry-Level Job Market
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently highlighted a growing concern for young people entering the workforce. During last week’s announcement of the central bank’s first rate cut of 2025, he pointed to a sluggish labor market, noting that “kids coming out of college and younger people ... are having a harder time finding jobs.” He emphasized that the “job-finding rate is very, very low,” a sobering statement from the nation’s top economic official about the challenges new graduates face in securing entry-level work.
Recent data paints a grim picture. According to Revelio Labs, entry-level job postings have plummeted 35% since 2023. Similarly, Cengage Group’s 2025 Employability Report reveals that only 30% of this year’s graduates have secured full-time jobs related to their degrees, with nearly half feeling unprepared to even apply for entry-level roles. Employers are also scaling back, with 75% planning to hire the same or fewer entry-level candidates compared to last year. At the same time, credential demands are rising: 71% of employers now require a two- or four-year degree for entry-level positions, up from 55% in 2024, yet fewer than half see a degree as a reliable indicator of job readiness.
Michael Hansen, CEO of Cengage Group, described this as a growing disconnect between education and employment. With unemployment among recent graduates at 5.8%, Hansen noted that employers struggle to find candidates with the technical and digital skills they need, while colleges often prioritize softer skills. “Career readiness must be a shared responsibility,” he said. “The challenge isn’t just fewer jobs — it’s a systemic gap.”
For Gregory J. Morris, CEO of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition, the issue extends beyond Gen Z. He rejects the term “hustle culture” as a trendy label for a deeper problem: the labor market no longer provides the stable starting point it once did. Many young workers are piecing together part-time roles in retail, food service, or the gig economy to survive, sacrificing critical years of career development, retirement savings, and professional growth. “When early-career workers are trapped in this cycle, it hurts everyone,” Morris said. “It reduces spending power and weakens the pipeline of skilled talent we’ll need in the future.”
The rise of AI is making things worse, eroding traditional entry-level roles. At a College Guidance Network event in August, Harvard Business School professor Joe Fuller noted that AI is eliminating routine, rules-based jobs like paralegal or tax preparation work. LinkedIn’s Aneesh Raman added that “entry-level” now means arriving with AI proficiency and a portfolio of tangible work, leaving new graduates at a disadvantage.
The struggle isn’t limited to the U.S. Jen O., a 28-year-old in Surrey, British Columbia, works 40 hours a week as an HR and administrative manager at a cannabis company and another 25 hours as an executive assistant and project manager for a marketing agency. The extra $3,000 a month helps her tackle student loans and afford a semblance of financial stability in a city with a soaring cost of living. “I enjoy my work, but it’s exhausting,” she told Quartz. Jen sees her peers in similar situations, juggling side gigs to make ends meet. She’s particularly frustrated by the shifting definition of “entry-level,” with even junior roles often requiring two to three years of experience — a barrier for recent graduates. “Employers don’t want to train anymore,” she said.
Parents are also anxious. A College Guidance Network survey found that 53% fear AI will eliminate entry-level jobs before their children graduate, and over 60% question the value of a college degree. At a CGN forum, 1,500 parents expressed a mix of despair, frustration, and cautious hope.
Online, young job seekers vent their struggles. On Reddit’s Gen Z forum, one user described applying to over 15 big-box retail and restaurant jobs — Target, Costco, Home Depot, TJ Maxx — only to face automated rejections or silence. Even cashier or dishwasher roles demanded prior experience or certifications. The user, scraping by with babysitting and dogsitting, is considering the military as a last resort. Others echoed similar frustrations, citing “entry-level” receptionist jobs requiring associate’s degrees and years of experience, or degrees that feel like costly dead ends.
The broader economic implications are clear. While Powell and the Federal Reserve may ease pressures with lower interest rates, monetary policy alone can’t fix the broken on-ramps to the workforce. Morris argues that the solution isn’t to push young people to work harder — they already are. Instead, the system must put forth its effort with better opportunities. “We need a labor market that works as hard for young people as they do for it,” he said.
Young Graduates Face a Tougher Climb: The Shrinking Entry-Level Job Market
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently highlighted a growing concern for young people entering the workforce. During last week’s announcement of the central bank’s first rate cut of 2025, he pointed to a sluggish labor market, noting that “kids coming out of college and younger people ... are having a harder time finding jobs.” He emphasized that the “job-finding rate is very, very low,” a sobering statement from the nation’s top economic official about the challenges new graduates face in securing entry-level work.
Recent data paints a grim picture. According to Revelio Labs, entry-level job postings have plummeted 35% since 2023. Similarly, Cengage Group’s 2025 Employability Report reveals that only 30% of this year’s graduates have secured full-time jobs related to their degrees, with nearly half feeling unprepared to even apply for entry-level roles. Employers are also scaling back, with 75% planning to hire the same or fewer entry-level candidates compared to last year. At the same time, credential demands are rising: 71% of employers now require a two- or four-year degree for entry-level positions, up from 55% in 2024, yet fewer than half see a degree as a reliable indicator of job readiness.
Michael Hansen, CEO of Cengage Group, described this as a growing disconnect between education and employment. With unemployment among recent graduates at 5.8%, Hansen noted that employers struggle to find candidates with the technical and digital skills they need, while colleges often prioritize softer skills. “Career readiness must be a shared responsibility,” he said. “The challenge isn’t just fewer jobs — it’s a systemic gap.”
For Gregory J. Morris, CEO of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition, the issue extends beyond Gen Z. He rejects the term “hustle culture” as a trendy label for a deeper problem: the labor market no longer provides the stable starting point it once did. Many young workers are piecing together part-time roles in retail, food service, or the gig economy to survive, sacrificing critical years of career development, retirement savings, and professional growth. “When early-career workers are trapped in this cycle, it hurts everyone,” Morris said. “It reduces spending power and weakens the pipeline of skilled talent we’ll need in the future.”
The rise of AI is making things worse, eroding traditional entry-level roles. At a College Guidance Network event in August, Harvard Business School professor Joe Fuller noted that AI is eliminating routine, rules-based jobs like paralegal or tax preparation work. LinkedIn’s Aneesh Raman added that “entry-level” now means arriving with AI proficiency and a portfolio of tangible work, leaving new graduates at a disadvantage.
The struggle isn’t limited to the U.S. Jen O., a 28-year-old in Surrey, British Columbia, works 40 hours a week as an HR and administrative manager at a cannabis company and another 25 hours as an executive assistant and project manager for a marketing agency. The extra $3,000 a month helps her tackle student loans and afford a semblance of financial stability in a city with a soaring cost of living. “I enjoy my work, but it’s exhausting,” she told Quartz. Jen sees her peers in similar situations, juggling side gigs to make ends meet. She’s particularly frustrated by the shifting definition of “entry-level,” with even junior roles often requiring two to three years of experience — a barrier for recent graduates. “Employers don’t want to train anymore,” she said.
Parents are also anxious. A College Guidance Network survey found that 53% fear AI will eliminate entry-level jobs before their children graduate, and over 60% question the value of a college degree. At a CGN forum, 1,500 parents expressed a mix of despair, frustration, and cautious hope.
Online, young job seekers vent their struggles. On Reddit’s Gen Z forum, one user described applying to over 15 big-box retail and restaurant jobs — Target, Costco, Home Depot, TJ Maxx — only to face automated rejections or silence. Even cashier or dishwasher roles demanded prior experience or certifications. The user, scraping by with babysitting and dogsitting, is considering the military as a last resort. Others echoed similar frustrations, citing “entry-level” receptionist jobs requiring associate’s degrees and years of experience, or degrees that feel like costly dead ends.
The broader economic implications are clear. While Powell and the Federal Reserve may ease pressures with lower interest rates, monetary policy alone can’t fix the broken on-ramps to the workforce. Morris argues that the solution isn’t to push young people to work harder — they already are. Instead, the system must meet its effort with better opportunities. “We need a labor market that works as hard for young people as they do for it,” he said.