If you spent the week doomscrolling #RaptureTok and wondering whether to leave your houseplants a goodbye note, good news: the end times did not arrive on Tuesday. What did show up, however, were a bunch of very earthly headlines.

One very famous network host is back (though not on every station—because why make anything simple in 2025?). Housing kept playing hot-and-cold depending on your ZIP code, retail nostalgia made a crafty comeback, and beverage brands learned that promising better guts requires better evidence.

Michaels brings back Joann with new shop-in-shop rollout

Months after acquiring Joann’s intellectual property, Michaels is reviving the beloved crafts brand via two in-store experiences. “The Knit & Sew Shop” is rolling out across U.S. and Canadian locations, bringing back favorites like Big Twist yarn plus fabric-cutting tables and new sewing machines. A second concept, “The Party Shop,” expands into party goods—balloon bars included—as Michaels positions itself as a one-stop destination for creativity and celebrations. Not everyone’s cheering; some Joann loyalists see it as Michaels trying to become Joann (and maybe Party City) in all but name.

TikTok goes apocalyptic with #RaptureTok

Just in case your week wasn’t already stressful, TikTok briefly convinced millions that the Rapture was scheduled for Tuesday. The viral “RaptureTok” trend started after a South African pastor predicted Jesus’s return for September 23 or 24. Some former Evangelicals chimed in with stories of lingering “Rapture trauma,” while creators like @sonj779 leaned into parody with “Rapture Trip Tips.” In the end, doomsday didn’t arrive—but the algorithm still delivered plenty of end-times content

Zillow maps the hottest and coldest housing markets

Zillow’s Market Heat Index pegs the national market at a neutral 52, but the map is anything but uniform. Sellers hold the upper hand in several Northeast and Midwest metros (think Rochester, Buffalo, Hartford), while buyers have leverage in parts of the Gulf and Southwest Florida, plus pockets of Texas and the Midwest. Inventory build-ups and days-on-market trends are driving these splits. The takeaway: pricing power is hyperlocal—your negotiating stance changes fast once you cross county lines.

Jimmy Kimmel returns to late night after Disney suspension

After nearly a week off the air following controversy over on-air remarks, Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to ABC this week. Most affiliates aired the show, but station groups Nexstar and Sinclair say they’ll keep preempting it for now. Viewers who can’t catch it locally still have streaming and clip options.

Amazon settles Prime case; $1.5B set aside for user refunds

Amazon reached a $2.5 billion settlement with the FTC this week over allegations it used deceptive tactics to enroll customers in Prime and then made it too hard to cancel. The deal includes a record $1 billion civil penalty and a $1.5 billion fund for affected users, plus UI changes to simplify canceling.

Poppi agrees to $8.9 million settlement over ‘gut healthy’ claims

Prebiotic soda Poppi will pay $8.9 million to settle a class action alleging its “gut healthy” marketing outpaced the science. Shoppers who bought between January 23, 2020, and July 18, 2025, can file claims (without receipts up to $16 per household; more with proof). Final approval is slated for November, with payments after court sign-off. It’s a reminder that functional-health branding draws both customers and lawyers—bring receipts, and preferably peer-reviewed ones.

Trump promotes unproven Tylenol-autism and vaccine links

At a White House presser, the president suggested ties between acetaminophen, vaccine timing, and autism. The claims are widely rejected by medical experts. Major medical organizations reiterated Tylenol’s appropriateness during pregnancy and emphasized decades of evidence against a vaccine-autism link. The administration framed new efforts as a broader push to study autism’s causes. Health pros warn that mixed messages risk real-world harms if patients avoid needed care.

Senate report flags DOGE cloud risks to Social Security data

A Senate report this week alleges that Elon Musk’s DOGE moved sensitive Social Security and employment data to an inadequately secured cloud environment. Whistleblowers and internal risk assessments cited a high likelihood of a catastrophic breach. Lawmakers are calling for an immediate halt and tighter oversight.

Costco ahi tuna poke recalled over potential listeria

An FDA-announced recall covers more than 3,300 pounds of Kirkland Signature Ahi Tuna Wasabi Poke tied to contaminated green onions. Sold in 33 states with pack date 9/18/25 and sell-by 9/22/25, the product should be discarded or returned; no illnesses have been reported. Listeria can be serious for vulnerable groups and during pregnancy. It’s the latest in a string of quality-control headaches for big-box private labels—check your fridge before your next sushi-night shortcut.

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From Wall Street to Main Street, this week was packed with major business moves. There were big market debuts, tough earnings reports, and updates that show how quickly some industries are shifting.

New companies made a strong entrance, established players faced some hard numbers, and key sectors—everything from housing to transportation—saw important changes. Taken together, this week’s news offered a picture of how businesses are adapting to a quickly changing economy and what that looks like right now on the ground.

Here are the week’s biggest stories.

Figma IPO Surges Past Expectations

The collaborative design software company priced its IPO at $33 per share, well above expectations, and surged to $109 in its first hours of trading. Its $44 billion market cap makes it one of the year’s biggest tech debuts.

Figma’s IPO didn’t just light up the stock market—it also minted a new class of billionaires. Cofounder and CEO Dylan Field now has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion from his holdings, with the potential for another $1.3 billion in stock if FIG hits $130 per share.

Zillow’s housing market report reveals hot and cold spots

Zillow economists see a cooling housing market ahead. In its latest 12-month forecast released this week, the company projects U.S. home prices will fall 1% between June 2025 and June 2026, with a steeper 2% drop expected for the full calendar year.

Rochester, New York, ranks as the nation’s hottest seller’s market, while Jackson, Tennessee, tops the list of buyer-friendly areas. The U.S. market overall sits in neutral, with a national score of 52.

Nissan reports $782 million loss

Japanese automaker Nissan sank into a $782 million loss for April through June, but promised Wednesday it would return to profitability later this year. The automaker’s sales slipped 10% over the last quarter. CEO Ivan Espinosa outlined aggressive cost-cutting measures, including closing a flagship plant and slashing 20,000 jobs.

SNAP cuts threaten thousands of grocery stores

Reductions to SNAP benefits in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could devastate small grocers in low-income areas, where up to 70% of sales depend on the program.

According to the National Grocers Association (NGA), which represents independent community grocers across the United States, as well as their wholesalers, roughly 12% of grocery store payments currently come from SNAP.

Citi Strata Elite Targets High-End Cardholders

Citi reentered the premium card space this week with a $595-a-year offering featuring travel credits, lounge passes, and up to 12 times the rewards on bookings.

The new card is designed to directly compete with Chase’s Sapphire Reserve card and the Platinum Card from American Express—both of which have recently announced new features, fees, and revamps.

Spain rescues Thirty Meter telescope

Spain pledged $470 million and a new site in La Palma to revive the stalled Thirty Meter Telescope project after U.S. budget cuts pulled support.

“Faced with the risk of this major international scientific project being halted, the Government of Spain has decided to act with renewed commitment to science and major scientific infrastructures for the benefit of global knowledge,” Diana Morant, Spain’s minister of science, innovation, and universities said about the potential acquisition. 

Union Pacific Pursues $85 Billion Merger

A proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific would create a coast-to-coast freight rail network for the first time, connecting 43 states and 100 ports. The Surface Transportation Board (STB) will review the agreement after the companies file their application to merge—something they say they plan to do within the next six months.

Cinemark expands panoramic ScreenX theaters

Cinemark is trying to lure audiences back into movie theaters. The company is rolling out 18 new ScreenX venues by 2026, featuring a 270-degree panoramic viewing experience.

The deal expands Cinemark’s existing partnership with South Korea-based CJ 4DPlex to a total of 26 Cinemark theaters.

Rite Aid to close most pharmacies by mid-August

As part of its bankruptcy process, Rite Aid will shut down nearly all remaining pharmacies by the end of next month, transferring prescriptions to other local providers.

MLB prepares for record-breaking game

The Braves and Reds will face off this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in front of more than 85,000 fans, the largest crowd in Major League Baseball history.

The event, dubbed the MLB Speedway Classic, will mark the first MLB game ever played in the state.

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