News

Phnom Penh – September 29, 2026 -- Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand are shipping raw critical minerals abroad while processing and value capture happen elsewhere, according to a new report from Fair Finance Asia (FFA) and research partner Profundo.

Local-benefit clauses are consistently absent from mining agreements

The report, titled Extraction to Equity, examined critical minerals trade agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) across the four ASEAN states using public data through December 2025. It found that local-benefits clauses, sustainability standards, and equitable value-sharing provisions were consistently missing, leaving source countries without leverage to demand better terms.

Seoul – September 29, 2026 -- South Korean automotive electronics firm AP MOBILITY has shipped approximately 1,100 units of its S KEY LITE smart key system to Taiwanese distributors between the second half of 2025 and August 2026, forming the foundation for a broader push into the global automotive aftermarket.

The company is now expanding its overseas product lineup beyond smart keys to include MAX PRO, an AI-based 360-degree around-view solution, and AB LIGHT, a pedal misapplication prevention system.

Bridgeport, W. Va. – September 29, 2026 -- Pressley Ridge convened more than 50 community partners, advocates, and child welfare experts at the Bridgeport Conference Center from September 15 to 18 for the B~Hope Conference and Summit, focused on advancing kinship care and family-centered support across West Virginia.

Conference spotlights two family-support frameworks

Sessions centered on the Family Centered Treatment Foundation® (FCT) model alongside the newly introduced Pressley Ridge B~Hope Embracing Kinship Caregivers curriculum, both aimed at equipping caregivers and families with practical resources to sustain kinship placements.

Newport News, Virginia – September 29, 2026 -- An affiliate of Phoenix Investors has acquired a 378,331-square-foot industrial property at 615 Bland Boulevard in Newport News, Virginia, sitting on approximately 27.4 acres adjacent to Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.

Vitesco-linked plant sits in a land-constrained industrial market

The facility was formerly operated by Continental's Vitesco Technologies division and is located roughly one mile from I-64 at the Jefferson Avenue interchange. Phoenix describes Newport News as one of the most land-constrained industrial markets in the country, with limited large-block availability.

Linden, N.J. – – September 29, 2026 -- Members of Teamsters Local 877 at the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery voted by a 92 percent margin to authorize a strike, putting the largest oil refinery on the East Coast at risk of a labor disruption as its current contract expires Oct. 1.

385 process and mechanical workers reject proposed safety and probation changes

The bargaining unit covers 385 process and mechanical workers who are pushing for higher wages, stronger benefits and reliable paid time off. Phillips 66 has proposed shortening the current 30-month training period and reducing qualification requirements, according to the union. Management also proposed extending probationary status tied to qualification milestones that could take up to six years to complete, replacing the existing 10-month probationary period.

Akron, Ohio – September 29, 2026 -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) declared a quarterly dividend of 46.5 cents per share of outstanding common stock, payable December 1, 2026.

Board sets record date for shareholder payout

Shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 6, 2026, will be eligible to receive the payment. The declaration was approved by FirstEnergy's Board of Directors.

Utility serves more than 6 million customers across six states

FirstEnergy's electric distribution companies form one of the largest investor-owned electric systems in the United States, serving over 6 million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines linking the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Pine Bluff, Ark. – September 29, 2026 -- Simmons First National Corporation (NASDAQ: SFNC) will release third quarter 2026 earnings after market close on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Management Sets October 16 Conference Call for Investors

The bank holding company's executives will host a live conference call at 7:30 a.m. Central Time on Friday, October 16, to review quarterly results with analysts and shareholders. Interested parties can join by dialing toll-free 1-844-481-2779 within North America and referencing conference ID 10212015.

The call will also stream live via the Investor Relations section of simmonsbank.com, with a recorded version accessible for at least 60 days following the session.

Pittsburgh – September 29, 2026 -- Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) has secured the #24 spot on Fortune Magazine's AIQ 75, a ranking of the top 75 Fortune 500 companies for their readiness and ability to deploy AI at scale.

Fortune ranks Wesco among top 75 companies for enterprise AI maturity

The AIQ 75 ranking combines measures of enterprise AI maturity with real-world evidence of AI investment and application. Evaluations were conducted by Fortune in partnership with Enterprise Technology Research (ETR), leveraging ServiceNow's Enterprise AI Maturity Index to assess AI investments, outcomes and industry reputation.

Governance and agent control determine competitive positioning on the list

Fortune stated that companies on the AIQ 75 list place governance and visibility at the center of their AI strategy, using context and control of their AI agents to deliver measurable results.

Cincinnati – September 29, 2026 -- Beth and Phillip Dow, franchisees of Home Helpers Home Care in Newnan, Georgia, have been named 2026 Franchisee of the Year by the International Franchise Association, an honor they also received in 2015.

Newnan franchise projects $4.5 million in revenue for 2026

The Dows' operation, now in its 19th year, employs 150 caregivers and 14 operations staff serving 112 clients. The award was presented during the IFA26 Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., held Sept. 14-16, with a formal luncheon on Sept. 15.

Franchisees expand into Canton, Georgia market

Last month the Dows opened Home Helpers Home Care of Canton, Georgia, extending their footprint beyond the original Newnan territory ahead of their 20th anniversary with the brand next year.

Washington – – September 29, 2026 -- Fannie Mae has completed the sale of its twenty-eighth Community Impact Pool (CIP) of non-performing loans, with VRMTG ACQ, LLC emerging as the winning bidder for a package of 24 loans carrying $6,200,360 in unpaid principal balance.

Dallas-Fort Worth pool draws cover bid at 94.07% of unpaid balance

The single pool, geographically concentrated in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, was originally announced on August 19, 2026, and is scheduled to close on November 19, 2026. The average loan size in the pool stood at $258,348, with a weighted average note rate of 4.26% and a weighted average broker's price opinion loan-to-value ratio of 59%. The cover bid -- the second-highest offer received -- came in at 94.0740% of UPB, equivalent to 55.22% of BPO value.