US Car Payments Hit a Record $777 a Month as Down Payments Drop

Jul 1, 2026 | Markets

The automotive affordability crisis is deepening as average monthly car payments reached a record $777 in the second quarter, with nearly a quarter of US car buyers taking out loans of seven years or more. The average amount financed on a new car also reached an...

Pimco Warns Private Credit ‘Confidence Gap’ to Reveal Weak Funds

Jul 1, 2026 | Markets, Private Credit

Private credit investors have become increasingly discerning about dispersion in investment marks, creating a “confidence gap” between asset managers, according to Pacific Investment Management Co. Managers with stronger loan quality are being rewarded as net asset...

Nike Sees Weakness Persisting as Investors Grow Impatient

Jul 1, 2026 | Markets

Nike Inc. executives gave a cautious outlook and warned about elevated consumer anxiety, adding to investor concerns about the sportswear company’s painfully slow turnaround. “We are not expecting the environment to improve meaningfully over the next six months,” Matt...

Microsoft’s $613 Billion Rout Sets Up Its Worst Month Since 2000

Jun 29, 2026 | Markets

Microsoft Corp. shares are heading for their worst month in years as investors continue to fret about how the software giant will fare in a world marked by artificial intelligence. The stock has dropped 18.4% in June, which would represent its worst monthly...

Morgan Stanley Private Credit Fund Sells $350 Million Bond

Jun 29, 2026 | Markets, Private Credit

A Morgan Stanley private credit fund sold investment-grade bonds to refinance debt, its first offering in just over a year. Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund raised $350 million from a five-year note, matching its target size, according to a person with direct...