Researchers say suspected China-linked hackers used autonomous AI agents to target Taiwan government systems, compromising at least 85 accounts and stealing 2,500+ personnel records. The attack shows how AI agents can scan, adapt and change tactics when blocked.

Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized Google co-founder Sergey Brin for spending heavily to oppose California’s proposed billionaire wealth tax. Sanders argued that Brin could afford the one-time levy while still retaining an enormous fortune. Sanders said Brin has gained about $140 billion in wealth since Donald Trump was elected. Under the proposed one-time 5% tax, Sanders estimated Brin could owe roughly $14 billion. Brin has emerged as one of the most prominent opponents of the measure. He has reportedly contributed about $102 million to Building a Better California, a political advocacy group fighting the proposal and supporting pro-business policies. Brin has compared the wealth tax to socialist policies he experienced while growing up in the Soviet Union. He has argued that aggressive taxation could push California toward a more hostile environment for entrepreneurs and wealthy residents. The proposal, known as Proposition 40, is expected to appear on California’s November ballot. It would impose a one-time 5% tax on roughly 200 billionaires, with much of the revenue intended to support the state’s health care system. The debate comes as some wealthy residents and businesses have moved assets or entities out of California. Critics warn that the tax could accelerate that trend and ultimately reduce the state’s tax base. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also opposes the state-level wealth tax. However, he has supported the idea of a federal minimum tax on Americans with more than $100 million in assets, arguing that a national policy would be harder to avoid through relocation.

Boston Fed President Susan Collins says lower- and middle-income Americans are struggling as energy costs keep inflation pressure high. She says she could back a September rate hike if the data warrants it, with inflation still above the Fed’s target.

Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) was community noted after saying President Trump made the country “more affordable.” The note pointed out CPI rose 5.1% from January 2025 to June 2026, showing lower inflation does not mean prices went back down.

Elon Musk could receive a payout worth as much as $824 billion under a provision in Tesla’s ($TSLA) compensation package if the company is acquired or merged with another business such as SpaceX ($SPCX). Investor Ross Gerber reacted to the possibility by calling it “fantastical abundance.” The compensation plan was originally described as potentially worth around $1 trillion. However, the maximum value has reportedly fallen to about $824 billion because Tesla’s outstanding share count has increased since shareholders approved the package. Musk’s award is normally tied to performance milestones involving vehicle deliveries, Full Self-Driving subscriptions, Robotaxis, Optimus and other operating targets. A merger or acquisition could change how those requirements are treated. According to the report, half of the operating milestones could effectively be considered achieved in a takeover scenario. That would leave Tesla’s market-value targets as the main factor determining how much of the award Musk ultimately receives. The package also reportedly uses either Tesla’s acquisition price or its market value immediately before a deal, whichever is higher. A transaction valuing Tesla at roughly $8.5 trillion could potentially allow Musk to receive the full 424 million shares tied to the plan. Gerber’s comments come as investors continue debating Tesla’s long-term growth story. Future Fund’s Gary Black has questioned whether Tesla can successfully scale unsupervised autonomous driving and said investor confidence in the technology may be weakening. At the same time, Musk continues linking Tesla’s future with SpaceX technology. He recently argued that Starlink could eventually provide high-bandwidth connectivity to billions of vehicles worldwide.

Madison Square Garden Entertainment ($MSGE) rose after beating Q4 estimates and topping $1B in annual revenue. Concerts drove the quarter, while the Christmas Spectacular sold 1.2M+ tickets and generated record revenue.

Veteran market strategist Ed Yardeni raised his year-end 2026 S&P 500 target from 8,250 to 8,400, making him one of Wall Street’s most bullish forecasters. The upgrade reflects stronger corporate earnings and growing confidence that the current market expansion can continue. Yardeni now sees an 80% probability that the “Roaring 2020s” scenario will remain intact. That is up from 60% previously as recent earnings growth has exceeded expectations. S&P 500 earnings rose 19% year over year in the first quarter and 46.7% in the second quarter. Yardeni raised its 2026 earnings-per-share forecast to $375 from $330 and increased its 2027 estimate to $415. The firm says earnings expectations are rising at an unusually fast pace. That supports the idea that the market’s gains are increasingly being driven by stronger profits rather than just higher valuations. Profit margins are also expected to remain elevated, with Yardeni forecasting 16.7% this year and 16.9% next year. AI-related semiconductor and hardware demand is helping lift profitability across parts of the index. Yardeni’s 8,400 target now sits above Morgan Stanley’s 8,300 forecast and well above the average Wall Street target of 7,845. The S&P 500 was recently trading around 7,728, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF ($SPY) was up 12.6% year to date. Longer term, Yardeni still sees the S&P 500 reaching 10,000 by the end of 2029. The firm views major pullbacks as potential buying opportunities unless a severe recession triggers a lasting bear market.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin (@JulieMenin) is investigating Coinbase ($COIN), Polymarket, Kalshi and Gemini Titan over prediction-market marketing. At the same time, the CFTC is pushing back on New York’s attempt to rein in Kalshi.