American media and telecom giant
Universal has announced the name for its first European theme park in the UK: Universal United Kingdom Resort. Enabling works are underway at Bedfordshire with full construction expected to start soon. The project is backed by up to £5.3 billion in public and private investment and is slated to open in 2031, creating up to 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent roles.
The 2026 World Cup has boosted betting activity across prediction markets and traditional sportsbooks. Analysts expect record wagers in the U.S. and rising interest in data providers and travel stocks as the tournament unfolds in North America.
Fox Corp. has agreed to acquire Roku for about $22 billion in a cash-and-stock deal valuing Roku at $160 per share. The boards of both companies have approved the transaction; the combined company will pair Fox's live news and sports and Tubi with Roku's OS, devices and The Roku Channel, and is expected to close in the first half of 2027.
Comcast has announced a tax-free spin-off that will separate NBCUniversal and Sky into a standalone, publicly traded media company while leaving Comcast focused on broadband, wireless and business services. The company has said the separation will complete in about a year, executives told investors, and Comcast will initially keep up to 19.9% of the new media group.
Comcast has announced a planned separation of NBCUniversal from its core technology and telecommunications business, forming NBCUniversal as an independent media and entertainment group while Comcast retains the broadband and wireless unit. The move aims to unlock greater growth for both operations, with Sky remaining part of the broader group and a future UK investment plan in motion.
Axel Springer has completed its £575m takeover of Telegraph Media Group, ending three years of ownership uncertainty. The deal will accelerate the Telegraph’s digital transformation and push for growth in the US, leveraging the group’s Politico and Business Insider assets. Editorial independence is described as sacrosanct, with focus on expanding UK and overseas reach.
Trump Accounts are launching with a $1,000 federal seed for babies born 2025–2028, with philanthropic and employer contributions expanding the program. Morningstar warns outcomes depend on ongoing contributions and owner behavior; leakage could erode gains. Companies pledge to match and push auto-enrollment to broaden reach.
SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell has donated a portion of SpaceX stock to the Trump Accounts for more than 2 million U.S. children, with emphasis on those in lower-income areas near central Texas. The move follows earlier pledges from Michael and Susan Dell and other tech giants, as the program seeds $1,000 per child and enables future retirement-style accounts. Officials say donations accelerate the accounts’ rollout.
Sky has announced it will acquire ITV’s broadcasting and ITVX operations for £1.6bn, creating a major UK challenger to global streaming platforms. ITV Studios remains independent, and a long-term content-supply deal will see ITV Studios provide content to the merged group. Regulators will review the deal, which includes potential contingent payments based on advertising performance.
Goldman Sachs has updated its personal trading policy to bar employees from trading on event-based contracts tied to the bank, elections, financial markets and geopolitics. The move aims to curb the risk of insider trading and conflicts of interest as platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi expand activity. Other banks are reviewing policies as regulators watch closely.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr plans to vote at the August meeting to repeal the 39% cap on TV station ownership, adopting a case-by-case review. The move, backed by Nexstar and opposed by Democrats, seeks to expand local broadcasters’ reach while critics warn of risks to localism and competition.
Oil prices have risen this week after U.S. officials narrowed a waiver to the Jones Act for energy shipments and data showed U.S. crude stocks have fallen to multi-decade lows. Traders are parsing mixed statements from Washington and Tehran about talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while reparations demands have emerged, keeping markets volatile on 11 Aug 2026.
Spain has beaten Argentina 1-0 in extra time in the New Jersey final and the match has drawn record U.S. audiences: Fox's English broadcast has averaged about 38.9 million viewers and Telemundo/Peacock has added roughly 23.9 million, a combined total that far exceeds the 22.3 million U.S. viewers for the 2022 final.
The latest reporting shows the United States and Israel sustaining pressure in a widening confrontation with Iran. Washington has paused strikes to allow for talks, while Tehran is signaling readiness to expand its operations in the region as talks with Oman progress on Hormuz security.
NBCUniversal and YouTube strike a multi-year deal to integrate Peacock Premium into YouTube Premium in the U.S. from early 2027. Peacock content will be accessible inside YouTube without extra charge for Premium subscribers, with live sports and NBCU shows featured. The move aims to broaden Peacock’s reach, boost ads, and strengthen YouTube Premium’s offering.
The White House has convened a meeting with AI leaders to review a proposed cybersecurity framework for advanced models, following OpenAI's recent agent hacks and calls for greater government access. Attendees include executives from Hugging Face, Anthropic, and others; Meta and Alphabet may participate. Markets show mixed responses as investors watch the policy discussion unfold.
A Connecticut store manager is accused of ordering the highest-performing employee to tie a lower-ranked colleague to a chair and smash a cream pie in their face to boost sales and customer scores. The plaintiff, David Figueroa, has filed a civil complaint alleging a hostile work environment and negligence. Comcast denies the claims and says it will respond in court.
Disney’s experiences division has posted near $10 billion in quarterly revenue, a 10% year-over-year rise, driven by strong domestic attendance and promotions across parks and a recently expanded cruise fleet. Executives say marketing and new rides are fueling demand amid macro uncertainty.
Disney has struck a first-of-its-kind pilot deal with TikTok to allow fan-made videos using Disney and Pixar IP in Disney+ Vert s, with a U.S. rollout followed by other markets. The initiative marks a shift toward creator-led content and expands Disney’s short-form strategy amid flatlining traditional box office for some titles.