S&P 500 nears record as Russell 2000 slips; RTX wins $6.3B deal

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S&P 500 nears record as Russell 2000 slips; RTX wins $6.3B deal

New York – October 12, 2026 -- Raytheon, an RTX business, secured a contract worth up to $6.3 billion for Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors, as large-cap indexes closed last week near record levels while the Russell 2000 fell 0.91% to 2,806.98.

S&P 500 closes 0.3% below its 52-week high as Nasdaq adds 0.64%

The S&P 500 gained 1.15% on the week to 7,811.54, just short of its 52-week high of 7,844.52, which it reached as its weekly high. Support sits near 7,793.68. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.64% to 27,366.17 after hitting a 52-week high of 27,722.75 during the week, with support at 27,288.79.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.93% to 51,654.95, trading between 50,862.85 and 51,765.11. It now sits just above the early June 2026 high of 51,660.40, which acts as near-term resistance.

Robles BioCeutics Adds Attorney Mark Skeels to Advisory Board

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Robles BioCeutics Adds Attorney Mark Skeels to Advisory Board

San Diego – October 12, 2026 -- Robles BioCeutics, a regenerative dermatology company built on stem cell and senolytic technologies, has appointed trial attorney Mark Skeels to its Advisory Board, adding more than 25 years of litigation, government and business-negotiation experience as it targets international expansion.

Skeels brings prosecutorial and city-government leadership experience to the board

Skeels is the founder of Skeels Law Group, APC. He previously served as a Deputy District Attorney in the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. He later held senior leadership roles in the San Diego City Attorney's Office, including Senior Chief Deputy City Attorney. He studied at Harvard University, Stanford University and the University of San Diego School of Law, where he also served as adjunct faculty.

Flex Launches AI Modules to Cut AI Factory Build Time by 50%

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Flex Launches AI Modules to Cut AI Factory Build Time by 50%

San Jose – October 12, 2026 -- Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) has introduced prefabricated AI Modules that integrate power, compute and liquid cooling, and it says they cut AI factory deployment timelines by up to 50% compared with traditional construction.

The modules are part of Flex's Cloud and Power Infrastructure (CPI) segment. Flex plans to separate that segment into Axiom Solutions International, Inc. (Axiom), an independent publicly traded company, in the first quarter of calendar 2027.

Axiom AI Modules combine three factory-built systems

The pre-engineered modules include an 800 VDC power rack for power conversion and distribution, advanced cooling distribution units (CDUs) for liquid cooling, and high-density IT racks. The IT racks integrate AI servers, networking and high-speed interconnects.

American Packaging Launches FlexCube Cuboid Pouch to Cut Headspace

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American Packaging Launches FlexCube Cuboid Pouch to Cut Headspace

Columbus, Wisconsin – October 12, 2026 -- American Packaging Corporation (APC) has introduced APC FlexCube, a preformed cuboid-shaped pouch built to improve the product-to-package ratio and reduce excess headspace in large-format products.

The geometric format is designed to make more efficient use of packaging, shipping and shelf space while giving brands a distinctive, high-impact shelf presentation.

FlexCube Is Available in Recycled-Content and Recyclability-Designed Structures

APC can produce FlexCube in a broad range of material structures, including options from its RE® Sustainable Packaging portfolio. These include structures with post-consumer recycled (PCR) content and design-for-recyclability options. Brands can match barrier performance, appearance and material selection to application requirements and sustainability priorities.

Fedstack Joins OpenAI Partner Network as Select Partner

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Fedstack Joins OpenAI Partner Network as Select Partner

McLean, Va. – October 12, 2026 -- Fedstack, a Smoothstack company that develops software engineering talent for government technology, has been named an OpenAI Select Partner within the OpenAI Partner Network.

OpenAI network gives Fedstack a channel to build and deploy AI solutions

The OpenAI Partner Network is a global program that lets partners build, sell and deliver AI solutions with OpenAI. It combines partners' industry expertise, delivery capabilities and customer relationships with resources, enablement and support aimed at helping enterprises adopt OpenAI frontier models and products.

As a Select Partner, Fedstack will keep working with OpenAI to help organizations build, deploy and scale AI solutions responsibly. That work centers on putting GPT-6 Astra to work across more of a business, using deeper reasoning and computer use to complete complex workflows and deliver finished work.

Envalior Targets 800V DC Data Centers With Engineering Plastics

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Envalior Targets 800V DC Data Centers With Engineering Plastics

Dusseldorf – October 12, 2026 -- Envalior will present a materials toolkit for 800V DC data center infrastructure at Fakuma 2026 in Friedrichshafen, including a Stanyl® CR310 PA46 grade for switchgear arc chambers with a heat deflection temperature [HDT(A)] of 290°C, well above standard PA66. The show runs October 12 to 16, and the company's experts are at Hall B4, stand 4302.

Shift to 800V DC raises demands on arc quenching and connectors

Envalior argues that AI workloads are increasing power density and operating temperatures. Components in power paths and cooling systems must therefore handle higher voltages and thermal loads while protecting costly computing equipment. Martin Burg, Advanced Development Expert at Envalior, said the move to 800V DC requires materials with greater tracking resistance, heat resistance and dimensional stability at high temperatures.

Hormel Foods Rehires Holly LaVallie as VP of Marketing Excellence

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Hormel Foods Rehires Holly LaVallie as VP of Marketing Excellence

Austin, Minn. – October 12, 2026 -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) has rehired Holly LaVallie as vice president of marketing excellence, giving her responsibility for enterprise marketing capabilities across its Retail, Foodservice and International businesses.

LaVallie takes charge of six marketing functions at Hormel Foods

LaVallie will lead the development and execution of capabilities meant to support brand growth across the three business segments. Her remit covers brand strategy and experience, design and content, media and agency management, marketing technology, marketing training and marketing effectiveness.

PayJoy Acquires Finia AI Assets to Expand AI Underwriting

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PayJoy Acquires Finia AI Assets to Expand AI Underwriting

San Francisco – October 12, 2026 -- PayJoy, which serves more than 20 million customers across nine countries, has acquired select strategic assets of Finia AI, Inc., a venture-backed fintech that built AI underwriting for micro-businesses in Mexico. The announcement did not state a price.

PayJoy to apply Finia's underwriting technology across its global platform

The deal lets PayJoy use Finia's technology and expertise to strengthen its underwriting and widen its product range for customers with limited access to formal credit. PayJoy operates in Latin America, Africa and Asia, offering digitally secured smartphone financing, credit lines and the PayJoy Card. It has financed more than $3.5 billion of loans and employs more than 1,000 people.

Raytheon Completes Three Tests of Coyote Block 2C+RM Upgrades

Tucson – – October 12, 2026 -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, completed three developmental tests of its Coyote Block 2C+RM interceptor upgrades, taking the program from concept to testing in 15 months. The company funded the test events itself.

Raytheon funds upgrades for an urgent joint U.S. military counter-drone mission

The tests support a joint U.S. military mission to counter evolving drone threats. The Block 2C+RM upgrade builds on current Coyote variants, which have intercepted hundreds of drones in combat.

Upgrade adds rocket motor, new seeker and new warhead

Block 2C+RM integrates a rocket motor for faster launch and flight. It also adds a new seeker and warhead designed to defeat all classes of current and emerging drone threats.

Mistlabs Launches Ambi After $26M Pre-A Round Led by Luminous, Huaqin

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Mistlabs Launches Ambi After $26M Pre-A Round Led by Luminous, Huaqin

San Francisco – October 12, 2026 -- Mistlabs, a U.S. developer of cross-platform ambient intelligence, has launched its Ambi system out of beta on Apple devices, backed by US$26 million in Pre-A funding led by Luminous Ventures and Huaqin. The capital will fund development of the company's standalone AI wearable, which is due later this year.

Ambi is available on Apple devices running iOS 18 and on Macs, including iPhone, Apple Watch, MacBook and Mac. Mistlabs says agent-to-agent communication between AI-enabled devices will follow in the coming months.