Newsletter Sep 29, 2021

The clock is ticking on Congress to pass a continuing resolution, but the process of raising the debt ceiling by has become a political hot potato.

3 things you must know

Consumer confidence lags to new low as debt ceiling looms
The only thing Americans have to fear is fear itself -- except for running out of money. Those two hard economic realities hit close to home Tuesday, when consumer confidence hit a new seven-month low and the country moved within three weeks of going broke.
That timeline was set by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who said the federal government will run out of funds to meet its financial obligations by Oct. 18 if Congress doesn't act quickly to pass a continuing resolution. But the pressing fiscal issue has turned into a high-stakes game of chicken between Democrats and Republicans, who are at war over President Biden's two-tiered infrastructure bills.
FIND OUT WHY BIDEN CANCELED A TRIP TO INTERVENE

Stocks, oil prices react negatively to a possible U.S. default
Consumer confidence isn't the only thing being shaken as Uncle Sam threatens to bump his head on the debt ceiling. So are the stock markets, which sustained major losses Tuesday, joined by a spike in oil prices. They're all tied to fears of a U.S. debt default.
At play is more than stock and oil prices. If the U.S. maxes out its debt limit and fails to make committed payments, the country runs the risk of the S&P Global Ratings downgrading its sovereign debt from its coveted AAA rating, which created a crisis in 2011. Both sides say they hope to avoid a shutdown but investors aren't sold
SEE THE DEBT CEILING'S IMPACT HAD ON STOCKS AND OIL

Home prices soar to record high in July as inventory wanes
Rising prices are a new pandemic reality across the board, but in no sector is that more true than the U.S. housing market. Home prices surged to a new high in July, breaking the previous record that was set last month, as low inventory continues to fuel price increases.
The housing market is suffering from a nationwide housing shortage that began before the pandemic but the pandemic brought higher building material costs, supply chain issues and a labor shortage. But a near-20% jump in house prices is making it harder for prospective home-buyers to find an affordable place to call home.
SEE HOW THE HOUSING MARKET HAS PRICED OUT BUYERS

Markets

DJIA	34,299.99	-1.63%
S&P 500	4,352.63	-2.04%
Nasdaq Composite	14,546.68	-2.83%
Japan: Nikkei 225	29,536.74	-2.14%
UK: FTSE 100	7,028.10	-0.50%
Crude Oil Futures	74.47	-1.09%
Gold Futures	1,735.60	-0.11%
Yen	111.66	0.14%
Euro	1.17	0.00%
* As of market close

Booster shot rollout a hit among vaccinated

Over 400,000 people joined the booster club over the weekend, receiving their third dose of the recently approved Pfizer COVID vaccine as an extra layer of protection from the virus. Millions more have already scheduled their booster shots as Moderna and Johnson & Johnson await approval.

Emergency use authorization of booster shots is welcome news to those who were vaccinated months ago and worry their immunity might wane, but it's just more ammo for anti-vaxxers, who point to the boosters as proof the vaccine doesn't work. Vaccinated individuals dare to differ -- and so does the data. The numbers show that the unvaccinated are 5 times more likely to contract the virus and 10 times more likely to die from it.

SEE WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT THE NEW BOOSTER SHOTS

Generals contradict Biden's Afghan policy

The U.S. military's top brass answered the call on Capitol Hill to answer questions about America's humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan in August. In responding to inquiries from the Senate Armed Services Committee, they contradicted President Biden's account of the action.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and commander of US Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said they had personally recommended that a force of 2,500 troops remain on the ground in Afghanistan during the pullout. However, Biden has claimed that he didn't recall that option being presented to him during strategy meetings. And speaking of strategy, Milley called the 20-year war a "strategic failure."

FIND OUT HOW OPPONENTS REACTED TO THE CONTRADICTION

Amazon unveils home security robot Astro

If you feel like you've read this story before, it was probably in a science fiction book. That's because Astro, the new home security robot from Amazon, looks like something straight out of Star Wars. Yet despite all the high-tech device's features, some wonder if Astro is from the dark side.

The 2-foot-tall, 20-pound robot can inspect your home remotely via voice command. It's not designed to fight off intruders by hand but it might scare them off to avoid being recorded are arrested. However, critics say the device could be used to spy on users by hackers, or worse, the police.

FIND OUT THE FEATURES AND FAULTS OF THE SECURITY ROBOT

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Atomic dog

Amazon's new home security robot Astro was named in honor if the first fictional robot guard dog. Name the show and who voiced the cartoon K-9.

Tuesday's answer: Zach King, a 31-year-old internet personality, holds the record for TikTok's most watched video. His Harry Potter illusion post that shows him appearing to fly on a broomstick has over 2.2 million views.

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