The highlights of the AP Business report. All times EDT. An up-to-the minute listing of all business stories planned is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom, http://newsroom.ap.org/coverageplan. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at 877-836-9477 or apcustomersupport@ap.org.
The AP Business News supervisor can be reached at (800)-845-8450, ext. 1680.
TOP STORIES:
HOLIDAY TRAVEL -- Holiday travelers are starting their final sprint. About 2.7 million people were expected to board flights on Wednesday, and Sunday is expected to set an all-time record of 2.9 million. By Dee-Ann Durbin. SENT.
FINANCIAL WELLNESS-BUY NOW PAY LATER-HOLIDAYS -- A popular form of payment by installment -- buy now, pay later -- is projected to have its biggest holiday season yet. But analysts caution more transparency is needed in the space to prevent consumers from over-extending themselves if they take on multiple loans. By Cora Lewis. SENT.
OPEN AI-ALTMAN -- The ousted leader of ChatGPT maker OpenAI is returning to the company that fired him just days ago, culminating a short but chaotic power struggle that shocked the tech industry and underscored the conflicts around how to safely build artificial intelligence. SENT.
BLACK-FRIDAY EXPLAINER -- Black Friday is right around the corner. While Black Friday may no longer look like the crowd-filled, in-person mayhem that it was just decades ago -- in large part due to the rising dependence on online shopping that was accelerated by the pandemic -- the holiday sales event is still slated to attract millions of consumers. By Wyatte Grantham-Phillips. SENT.
And:
BLACK FRIDAY-STORE HOURS. A number of stores that were closed on Thanksgiving, including Walmart and Target, reopen early Friday as the holiday shopping season begins in earnest. SENT.
MARKETS & ECONOMY:
FINANCIAL MARKETS -- Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street, led by big gains in travel-related companies as energy prices drop. By Stan Choe. SENT: 670 words, photos. UPCOMING: About 800 words by 4:30 p.m., photo.
MORTGAGE RATES -- Freddie Mac reports on this week's average U.S. mortgage rates. By Alex Veiga. UPCOMING: 250 words after noon release.
OFF THE CHARTS-JAPANESE STOCKS -- After decades of being home to some of the world's most disappointing stocks, Japan is suddenly lighting it up once again. By Stan Choe. SENT.
PHILANTHROPY:
PHILANTHROPY-Q&A-CHRISTIE HERRERA -- Christie Herrera says, as the new president and CEO of Philanthropy Roundtable, she plans to fight for the principles the advocacy organization has always prized. But Herrera recognizes that battle is getting tougher and more complicated than ever. Challenges to the Roundtable's values abound, however - even from fellow conservatives. By Glenn Gamboa. UPCOMING , By 11:00 a.m. EST, photo.
PERSONAL FINANCE:
ON THE MONEY-NERDWALLET-SOCIAL SECURITY SCAMS -- A recent uptick in scams targeting older adults has seniors wondering who's really calling them. As the most common type of reported Social Security scam, imposters fool beneficiaries into thinking they are providing information to the agency. By Whitney Vandiver of NerdWallet. SENT: 760 words, photo.
BEHIND-THE-WHEEL:-5-CARS-UNDER-$30 -- The automotive experts at Edmunds have selected five standout vehicles with starting prices less than $30,000. SENT.
INTERNATIONAL:
BRITAIN ECONOMY -- Britain's Conservative government will try to win favor with voters by cutting taxes but avoiding worsening inflation in a budget statement Wednesday, coming ahead of a likely national election next year that opinion polls suggest it will lose. By Pan Pylas. SENT.
CZECH ECONOMY -- Czech President Petr Pavel has signed Wednesday into law an economic package of dozens of measures introducing budget cuts and increased taxes designed to keep the ballooning budget deficit under control. SENT.
RUSSIA ECONOMY BUDGET -- Russia's parliament approved a federal budget Wednesday that increases spending by around 25% in 2024-2026 and devotes a record amount to defense. SENT.
------------------------------
