Zen Brief

Economic pressures dominate the day: a hotter inflation report, concern over China's AI progress, and voter anger over data centers all shape the run-up to the midterms. Elsewhere, an NFL upset and the vaccine injury fund draw scrutiny.

1. 1 Cardinals' upset win exposes NFL betting model flawsArizona's win over Los Angeles has oddsmakers reexamining how they price NFL upsets in a volatile season.
2. 2 IMF Flags China AI Risk to US Tech ValuationsAt the IMF meeting in Bangkok, finance leaders voiced concern that China's AI progress threatens the valuations behind Wall Street's tech rally.
3. 3 Data center backlash reshapes midterm politicsVoter anger over AI-driven data center expansion is reshaping campaign platforms and straining both parties' economic messaging before November.
4. 4 HHS Overhauls Vaccine Injury Compensation ProgramA push to overhaul the U.S. vaccine injury compensation system tests HHS as it balances public trust against a mounting claims backlog.
5. 5 Inflation spike complicates White House midterm pitchA sharper-than-expected inflation report strains the administration's economic message as both parties court voters ahead of the midterms.