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1. US manufacturing activity at four-year high
In July, the U.S. manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 55.6 from 53.3 in June, the highest since May 2022. While the uptick indicates strong order growth, which should boost employment in factories, the Middle East conflict is affecting supply chains and driving up input costs, Reuters reports.
"Responses in the Institute for Supply Management survey published on Monday were, however, overwhelmingly negative, with the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran dominating comments. Price volatility was also a common theme among respondents, leaving some economists confident that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates as soon as next month," reads the article.
Manufacturing accounts for just under 10% of the U.S. economy, and the PMI has reportedly held over 50 this year so far, indicating growth.
2. Trump to close consulates in several countries
The U.S. State Department has sent a notice to Congress that five foreign consulates will close. Reuters, reporting on the information from anonymous sources familiar with the notice, revealed that the mission closures include posts in St. George's, Grenada; Nagoya, Japan; Medan, Indonesia; Douala, Cameroon; and Winnipeg, Canada.
"The expected closures, which have not been previously reported, represent a rare example of the U.S. closing multiple foreign missions in a downsizing that is not tied to a particular geopolitical event," according to the article.
Last year, the Trump administration began work to close close around a dozen foreign missions. As of Sunday, the State Department did not confirm the closures.
3. California sees uptick in hotel deals
Hotel transactions in California have trended up in the first half of the year, reports CoStar News' Bryan Wroten. However, according to the 2026 midyear edition of Atlas Hospitality Group’s California Sales Survey, distressed deals accounted for a significant part of the state's total dollar volume of transactions.
During the first two quarters of 2026, California had 128 individual hotel deals, a 13.3% year-over-year increase, representing 9,474 rooms, a nearly 4% increase. The total dollar volume grew by 17.2% to $1.63 billion.
4. New programs attempt to ease airport lines
Airports around the country are serving as testing grounds for handful of initiatives that exist to better optimize security. The New York Times rounded up a few that have the potential to make airport lines shorter as airport leaders and government entities attempt to innovate within the process.
“What we’ve had for a long time is very traditional and labor intensive,” said Laura Albert, an engineering professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the article. “We are overdue for some innovation and experimentation.”
The programs include remote security screening, dedicated biometric lines, early baggage drop and more.
5. NYC extends contract to use hotels for homeless
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani renewed the city's $1.86 billion contract with the Hotel Association of New York City Foundation to utilize hotels across the city for emergency space for the homeless. The new contract runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029, according to the New York Post.
According to the Department of Homeless Services, there are 82,929 homeless individuals in the city as of July 31.
“By exercising the renewal option of the agency’s master contract with HANYC, DHS will be able to retain critical hotel capacity, as needed, while we work to bring more traditional capacity online, reduce reliance on hotels, and rightsize our shelter footprint over the coming years,” a spokesperson said.