Real-time news and sustainability ratings for public companies.

In September 2008, as the US housing market collapsed and defaults surged, the US government announced a sweeping intervention to rescue Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from worsening pressure on the housing market and the financial system. On September 6, FHFA placed both firms into conservatorship, taking control of management, boards and shareholders. They remained under federal conservatorship in 2026, though Treasury and FHFA amended release agreements in January 2025.

Meta Platforms agreed to a roughly $17 billion settlement to resolve a class action brought by 47 states, framed by state attorneys general as the largest state consumer protection settlement outside big tobacco deals. The deal also reduces exposure tied to New Mexico, where courts previously ordered nearly $1 billion in outstanding fines.

Hyundai-Posco Louisiana Steel (HPLS), with Posco funding 20%, has started building a US$5.8 billion fully integrated electric-arc furnace plant in Louisiana’s RiverPlex MegaPark. The facility will employ 1,300 workers directly, supply low-carbon steel sheets for North American automakers, and is forecast to cut CO₂ emissions by about 70% versus conventional blast furnaces, with output due in Q1 2029.

Air pollution from Sasol’s Secunda operations is estimated to cause about 1,000 deaths each year and cost the economy roughly R19bn annually, based on a health impact assessment using Sasol’s reported emissions. The study attributes 260 new childhood asthma cases and about 23,800 years of life lost to additional Secunda pollution. It estimates 112,000 tonnes of SO2 from 2024, recurring sulphurous odours in Gauteng, and tighter H2S emission limits are being proposed.

Rosneft shipped the first crude oil cargo from the Vostok Oil project in Eastern Siberia, moving forward despite sanctions aimed at Russia’s energy sector and the departure of Western partners. At peak capacity it is expected to produce 50 to 100 million tons of crude annually, with fields in Krasnoyarsk Krai, thousands of wells drilled, and low-sulfur reserves.

Eli Lilly plans to more than double its U.S. manufacturing investments since 2020, surpassing $50 billion, building four new pharmaceutical sites across the country. Three will focus on API manufacturing and one will expand parenteral injectable production, including locations in North Carolina and Indiana. The expansion is expected to create 3,000+ high-skilled jobs and strengthen supply-chain resilience for FDA-approved medicines worldwide.

A settlement tied to Facebook’s harms would cost Meta shareholders about $17 billion over 10 years. Mark Zuckerberg’s dual-class structure gives him 10 votes per share, about 61% voting power despite owning 13%. As You Sow had filed resolutions since 2019 citing over 45 million child abuse and torture images linked to sex trafficking, but safeguards may still not take effect and the payout could drop to about $12 billion if other platforms don’t join.

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson says Chemours, blamed for years of toxic chemical dumping into the Cape Fear River, will pay nearly $590 million for drinking-water cleanup, with payments spread over 10 to 15 years. A separate $135 million reserve is set aside in case Chemours goes bankrupt, and New Hanover County will receive $22.8 million to address contamination, starting with well-water users.

BMO said it will commit up to $70 billion in new capital to support Canada’s economic security and resilience. The bank framed the plan as the latest in efforts by major lenders ahead of Ottawa’s Canada Investment Summit, pointing to more than 160 projects and sector selection based on available initiatives and client investment demand.

Tata Power Solaroof has completed 519,673 rooftop solar installations by July 31, 2026, passing 500,000 and holding about a 14% share of India’s rooftop solar market. It targets 3 million installations by 2029, supported by “Ghar Ghar Solar” across 11 states and Chandigarh. The initiative aligns with Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar and the firm has facilitated INR 8,500 crore in financing through 25+ partners.

Meta Platforms has signed a landmark $17.1 billion multistate settlement with 47 states, D.C., and U.S. territories, covering Instagram and Facebook. The states alleged Meta knowingly exposed children to serious mental harms and misled the public. Meta’s CEO agreed to implement broad safety features, including limits and controls meant to reduce harmful social comparisons.

By 30 September, the Dutch government will decide on billions in subsidies for Tata Steel. The Hague has pledged up to €2 billion for direct reduction and an electric arc furnace at IJmuiden, with phase one replacing Blast Furnace 7 and Coke Plant 2. Emission limits have been exceeded for years with penalties and expired deadlines, while ETS and CBAM push requirements to 2040.

A settlement reached by Meta in August with 47 states calls for major changes to protect young users’ health and wellbeing. Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion and implement age verification, parent-controlled time limits, nighttime-use restrictions, notification controls, and “productive pauses,” while allowing parental overrides. The change may be limited if teens shift to other apps.

South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has launched a fresh on-site investigation into Coupang at its Seoul headquarters, weeks after a prior inspection failed, escalating pressure on the Korean unit of the e-commerce giant. The move follows a separate record penalty, with the privacy watchdog imposing a 624.7 billion won ($409 million) fine over a personal data leak.

L3Harris Technologies received a $4.7 billion undefinitized contract over seven years from Lockheed Martin to develop propulsion systems for the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptor. The award supports large-scale production of the advanced two-pulse solid rocket motor, including Lethality Enhancer and Attitude Control Motors, expanding PAC-3 propulsion capacity. New Camden facilities are set to operate in 2027.

Google said it will invest at least 13 billion in Finland’s digital infrastructure across 2027 and 2028, covering data centers in Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala. It projects an average annual 3.6 billion contribution to Finnish GDP during construction and supports more than 37,000 jobs, plus 7,000 once operational. Google signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with Fortum to extend the Loviisa nuclear plant’s life, which supplies 10% of Finland’s electricity, and it also plans 629MW of wind and a 94MW battery near Kajaani.

Explosions on Iran’s Kharg Island, alongside worsening Saudi Arabia-Houthi clashes, are raising fears of oil supply disruptions across the Strait of Hormuz and toward the Bab el-Mandeb. Houthis launched drone and missile attacks on southern Saudi regions, targeting Aramco refineries and power facilities. Saudi authorities reported 73 civilians injured and brief operational shutdowns after fires.

On April 4, 2016, a federal court in New Orleans approved bp’s $18.7 billion settlement ending federal and five Gulf state litigation tied to the Deepwater Horizon spill. bp had provisioned over $69 billion, including $14 billion for response and cleanup, $1 billion for early natural resource restoration, and $1.3 billion for the NRDA process. The deal includes $7.1 billion payable by BPXP over 15 years, plus $4.9 billion over 18 years to the states and up to $1 billion for local government claims, with ongoing progress resolving remaining

Skyworks Solutions’ CEO said the company is in the final stages of closing its merger with Qorvo, supported by favorable financing. The $22 billion deal is expected to complete within the current fiscal year after U.S. regulatory reviews, including FTC and HSR waiting periods. Skyworks shares rose about 10% alongside Qorvo amid optimism, while some shareholders urged action over alleged fiduciary duty breaches by company officers.

New research says 43% of respondents use a Roku device as their most-used streaming player, and 17% report their smart TV runs on Roku OS. Parks Associates says Roku connects consumers to content and ads, including via Tubi and The Roku Channel, and Fox’s $22 billion planned acquisition could expand data, advertising and distribution opportunities.