Wholesale inflation rose more quickly than expected last month on a big jump in fuel costs, a sign that stubbornly rising prices remain an economic challenge for consumers and a political problem for Republicans in the midterm elections

Nvidia has launched a security platform designed to keep AI agents from going rogue, and said more than 100 organizations are using it at launch, including Microsoft, Perplexity, Accenture and JPMorgan Chase. The company said the Open Agent Safety Platform includes open-source software that sets boundaries for agents and a chip-level layer that can monitor and intervene in real time. Separately, Nvidia said its board approved expanding its share repurchase program by $150 billion, lifting the total authorization to $235 billion.

Caesars Entertainment shareholders voted in Reno to approve a merger with Fertitta Gaming, with more than 133 million votes in favor and about 4 million against. The deal, first announced in May, calls for Fertitta to pay $5.7 billion and assume close to $12 billion of Caesars debt, valuing the transaction at about $17.6 billion. Under the terms, shareholders will receive $31 in cash for each share they own.

U.S. diesel prices remain near a record high at $6.43 per gallon, while regular gasoline averages $4.47. Energy prices have stayed elevated amid shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. A national energy-aid group said households using heating oil could see winter bills rise by more than 31% year over year, and overall winter heating costs are expected to increase by more than 8.7%. Oil prices have eased slightly but are still above $100 a barrel.

AstraZeneca said its drug tozorakimab reduced the risk of worsening COPD symptoms by about 30% in two Phase 3 trials. The therapy is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody that targets interleukin-33. The U.S. FDA has granted the drug Breakthrough Therapy designation, a step intended to speed its review. COPD remains a leading cause of death in the United States, and standard treatment is largely based on inhaled medicines.

U.S. diesel prices climbed to a record average of $5.85 a gallon on Friday, up 55% since the Iran war began in late February. Gasoline averaged $4.14 a gallon, the highest ever for this time of year. Global oil prices hovered near $94 a barrel, well above the $72.50 level seen before the war. U.S. annual inflation was 3.4% in July, still above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

U.S. Department of Energy data show the Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by more than 3 million barrels in the week ended Aug. 28, bringing inventories down to 286.6 million barrels, the lowest level in 44 years and about 40% of total capacity. A global energy shock tied to the Iran war has prompted large releases aimed at easing oil prices, but U.S. gasoline prices have remained above $4 a gallon, adding to inflation pressure and becoming a political issue ahead of November’s midterm elections. Global crude prices briefly rose above $92 a barrel after reports that an oil tanker was hit by three projectiles off the coast of Oman.

U.S. existing-home sales fell 1.7% in July from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday. The pace came in slightly above economists’ expectations of 4.05 million, according to FactSet. Sales were up 0.7% from a year earlier, while the median price rose 2% to $434,100. Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.69% last week, adding to affordability pressures for would-be buyers.

Toyota reported net profit of 1.48 trillion yen for fiscal 2024 first quarter (April–June), up 76% from a year earlier, on revenue of 13.5 trillion yen, up 10%. A weaker yen generated 345 billion yen in foreign-exchange gains, providing a significant boost to earnings. Global sales slipped slightly to 2.39 million vehicles, but the company raised its full-year sales outlook to 9.7 million vehicles. The results underscore how yen depreciation can benefit Japan’s export-heavy firms and is seen as a direct positive for Japan’s equity market and related stock indexes.