AP Business Digest

Here are the AP's top business stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit AP Newsroom's Coverage Plan.

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UPCOMING

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US STARBUCKS-3D PRINTED STORE

DESCRIPTION: The next twist at Starbucks? A 3D printed store. The giant coffee chain -- which has more than 17,000 stores in the U.S. -- is preparing to open its first location built using the technology in the Texas border city of Brownsville.

UPCOMING: By 04/29/2025 12:00 p.m. EDT, Text, Photo

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STARBUCKS-RESULTS

DESCRIPTION: Starbucks is scheduled to release its fiscal second quarter financial results on Tuesday.

UPCOMING: By 04/29/2025 4:15 p.m. EDT, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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EU--POWER OUTAGE

Spain and Portugal focus on the cause of the huge blackout after power is almost fully restored

SUMMARY: Power is almost fully restored in Spain and Portugal a day after a major blackout. But many questions remained about what caused one of Europe's most severe blackouts. Spanish electricity operator Red Eléctrica said that more than 99% of energy demand had been restored by 7 a.m. on Tuesday. Portuguese grid operator REN said all 89 power substations were back online and power had been restored to all 6.4 million customers. Travelers delayed by Monday's outages crowded train stations on Tuesday trying to go home though schools and offices reopened and traffic eased along main roads.

WORDS: 669 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 10:20 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:533832bb4ceae92eaa68c23dc0b5db18&mediaType=text

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US--JOB OPENINGS

US job openings fall to 7.2 million in March, the lowest level since September

SUMMARY: Job openings in the United States fell in March as President Donald Trump's trade wars clouded the economic outlook. U.S. employers posted 7.2 million vacancies in March, down from 7.5 million in February and 8.1 million in March 2024. It was the fewest number of openings since September and below the 7.5 million that economists had forecast. Still, openings remain high by historical standards but have fallen steadily since peaking at 12.1 million in March 2022 when the economy was still bouncing back from COVID-19 lockdowns.

WORDS: 160 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 10:13 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7aa41022f5d4c9261a986727c224ca8d&mediaType=text

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US--CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

US consumer confidence plunges to lowest in 5 years on tariff worries

SUMMARY: Americans' confidence in the economy slumped for the fifth straight month to the lowest level since the onset of COIVD-19 as worries about the impact of tariffs take a heavy toll on consumer expectations for future growth. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 7.9 points in April to 86, its lowest reading since May 2020. The figures reflect a rapidly souring mood among consumers, most of whom expect prices to rise because of the widespread tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

WORDS: 211 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 10:12 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f3cb9058971c008127f8dc22c8933296&mediaType=text

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US--TRUMP-TARIFFS-SMALL BUSINESS-CHINA

'Nowhere to turn': Small businesses dependent on imports from China are feeling more desperate

SUMMARY: The Trump administration raised tariffs on goods from China to 145% in early April. Since then, small business owners who depend on imports from China to survive have become increasingly desperate as they eye dwindling inventory and skyrocketing invoices. President Donald Trump seemed to back down somewhat last week when he said he expected the tariffs to come down "substantially." But for small businesses that operate on razor-thin margins, the back and forth is causing massive upheaval. Some say they're just months from going out of business.

WORDS: 1073 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 10:08 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7bc7a0d07ddac551b3b24a5e477ccb0c&mediaType=text

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US--TRUMP-TARIFFS=AUTOS

Trump to offer automakers some relief on his 25% tariffs, after worries they could hurt US factories

SUMMARY: The White House says President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Tuesday to relax some of his 25% tariffs on autos and auto parts. It's a significant reversal as the import taxes threatened to hurt domestic manufacturers. Automakers and independent analyses have indicated that the tariffs could raise prices, reduce sales and make U.S. production less competitive worldwide. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined in a briefing with reporters to provide details of the relief. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who joined Leavitt at the briefing, says the goal is to enable automakers to create more domestic manufacturing jobs.

WORDS: 354 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 10:07 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:25a400c98e02c01c8c54502384e267e1&mediaType=text

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US--TRUMP-MICHIGAN

Trump marks his first 100 days in office with a rally in Michigan, a state rocked by his tariffs

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Michigan to mark the first 100 days of his second term. The Republican president on Tuesday will be staging his largest public event since returning to the White House in a state that's been rocked by his steep trade tariffs and combative attitude toward Canada. Trump is making an afternoon visit to Selfridge Air National Guard Base for an announcement alongside Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Trump later will speak at a rally north of Detroit. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump will sign an executive order relaxing some of his tariffs on cars and auto parts.

WORDS: 1083 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 10:03 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2e30695aa185a785cc1037ab74c19a55&mediaType=text

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US--GENERAL MOTORS-RESULTS

GM posts strong Q1 results, but will reassess expectations for 2025 due to auto tariffs

SUMMARY: General Motors posted strong financial results for its first quarter on Tuesday, but says it will reassess its full-year financial outlook due to auto tariffs. The automaker is pushing back its conference call to discuss its guidance and quarterly results until Thursday, so that it can assess potential tariff changes.

WORDS: 448 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 9:56 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2da02d355dc2c4284c9480e4532e8eb2&mediaType=text

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FINANCIAL MARKETS

Wall Street drifts as corporate profits pile higher along with uncertainty about Trump's trade war

SUMMARY: U.S. stocks are drifting in mixed trading as stronger-than-expected profits keep piling higher for companies, while CEOs also say they're unsure how long that can last due to uncertainty around President Donald Trump's trade war. The S&P 500 fell 0.3% Tuesday, coming off a five-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 88 points, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5%. UPS rose and General Motors fell even though both reported stronger profits for the start of 2025 than analysts expected. Uncertainty is high about how their profits will fare the rest of the year amid Trump's on-again-off-again tariffs.

WORDS: 552 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 9:49 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:70666758ebf94375eea39039e4cd621b&mediaType=text

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AS--PHILIPPINES-JAPAN-ISHIBA

Japan and Philippines to start talks on 2 defense pacts in the face of China's growing aggression

SUMMARY: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba says his country and the Philippines will start talks on two proposed defense pacts to further boost their security alliance and would continue to fight aggression in disputed Asian waters in an obvious rebuke of China. Ishiba said Tuesday that he and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also discussed in Manila the impact of the barrage of tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and China's countermeasures on the global economy and free trade system. Ishiba flew to the Philippines after a visit to Vietnam which also has had increasingly hostile confrontations with China's coast guard, naval and suspected militia forces in recent years.

WORDS: 743 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 9:48 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3c2d3dda146c8b98b2a993d1dd9c59be&mediaType=text

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ENT--SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW

This summer at the movies, superheroes, from 'Superman' to 'Fantastic Four,' return

SUMMARY: Superheroes are back in a big way this summer at the movies, with big offerings from both DC and Marvel. The antiheroes of "Thunderbolts(asterisk)" kick off the season, which begins on May 2, paving the way for the new "Superman" and "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic brought movie business to a halt, and two years after the strikes, the industry has yet to fully recover. But with big movies like "Jurassic World Rebirth," "F1," and live action versions of "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Lilo & Stitch," this summer has the potential to cross $4 billion.

WORDS: 1660 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 9:37 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:391fe8d40dc8680c18b2164cd1a5c7e4&mediaType=text

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US--EPA-FOREVER CHEMICALS-DRINKING WATER

Decision looming for Trump administration on first PFAS drinking water limits

SUMMARY: The Trump administration is expected to soon say whether it intends to stand by strict drinking water standards for forever chemicals set last year. The Environmental Protection Agency has said PFAS increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight. But reducing PFAS could be costly for thousands of water utilities. The Biden administration said those costs were worth it, but it's unclear if current EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin will agree. He's expressed concern about places with marginal amounts of PFAS that could incur high costs to reduce it. There are billions of dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and lawsuits to help communities afford new treatments systems.

WORDS: 1301 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 9:01 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:799de7700233543863e076582af88449&mediaType=text

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EU--POWER-OUTAGE-PREPAREDNESS

Power outages across Spain and Portugal affected millions. How to prepare for a major blackout

SUMMARY: A widespread blackout across Spain and Portugal upended the lives of millions of people across the Iberian Peninsula. The blackout was a stark reminder of modern society's reliance on electricity and how quickly life can descend into chaos when the grid goes down. But taking key safety measures during an outage and preparing ahead of time can make a major difference in staying safe and managing the disruption if the lights go out. Power was nearly completely restored across the region on Tuesday. But the cause of Monday's blackout remains unclear. The experience will likely leave a lasting impression for those affected and raise questions on how to respond if another crisis emerges.

WORDS: 887 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 8:24 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:792f7ce86ba8e90392240704abb3f103&mediaType=text

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COCA-COLA-RESULTS

Coca-Cola reports better-than-expected quarterly profit, says it can manage through tariffs

SUMMARY: Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the first quarter and said the impact of tariffs on its business are likely to be "manageable." The beverage giant said Tuesday that its revenue fell 2% to $11.1 billion in the January-March period. That was in line with Wall Street's expectations, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Atlanta-based Coke said its net income rose 5% to $3.3 billion for the quarter. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned 73 cents per share. That beat analysts' expectations of 72 cents.

WORDS: 272 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 7:49 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2fc769ce037319481ff365caf6933b77&mediaType=text

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US--CONGRESS-DOGE

Trump's team has disrupted some $430 billion in federal funds, top Democrats say

SUMMARY: The Trump administration has frozen, stalled or otherwise disrupted some $430 billion in federal funds since the president took office -- from federal disease research to Head Start for children to disaster aid. That's according to top Democrats in Congress who say it's an "unprecedented and dangerous" assault on programs used by countless Americans. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut on Tuesday released an online tracker compiling the ways President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency are interrupting the flow of federal funds, often going up against the law. Trump and his Republican allies say they're rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in government.

WORDS: 490 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 7:44 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2e486ba901abee6736e76e956e3794c4&mediaType=text

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US--TRUMP-100 DAYS-BY THE NUMBERS

Numbers that matter from the first 100 days of Trump's second term

SUMMARY: For President Donald Trump's administration, the numbers on executive orders, deportations, reductions in the federal workforce and tariffs in his first 100 days back in the White House point toward a renewed America. To the Republican president's critics, he's wielding his authority in ways that challenge the Constitution's separation of powers and risk triggering a recession. In just 100 days, Trump's roughly 140 executive orders nearly match the number Democrat Joe Biden signed during the previous four years. Trump has placed a 145% tariff on China, prompting China to fight back with a 125% tax on U.S. goods. The Trump administration says it has deported 139,000 people who were in the U.S. illegally.

WORDS: 1274 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 7:25 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:97fef4cd2f3718e971eec830c07cdea9&mediaType=text

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US-MONEY MATTERS-SAVINGS GOALS

How to save for short-term goals while keeping long-term ones in mind

SUMMARY: You shouldn't have to cross your fingers and hope for a strong stock market to coincide with your short-term goals. And right now, you probably wouldn't want to. Striking the right balance between short and long-term goals can depend on the goal and your risk capacity.

WORDS: 677 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 6:01 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8bc9bfa73dd7c83361965cc090fe53fd&mediaType=text

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SCI--AMAZON SATELLITES-LAUNCH

Amazon launches its first internet satellites to compete against SpaceX's Starlinks

SUMMARY: Amazon's first internet satellites are in orbit. United Launch Alliance's Atlas rocket blasted off Monday from Florida, carrying 27 of Amazon's Project Kuiper satellites. It's the latest entry in the mega constellation market currently dominated by SpaceX's Starlinks. Amazon launched two test satellites in 2023. These upgraded new ones are coated with mirror film to scatter reflecting sunlight in an attempt to accommodate astronomers. Stargazers oppose these fast-growing satellite constellations, saying it spoils their observations. Amazon aims to put more than 3,200 of these satellites into orbit to provide fast, affordable broadband service around the globe.

WORDS: 365 - MOVED: 04/29/2025 5:52 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1a1c53a6a44f3f9bd9426bb1f56405c9&mediaType=text

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