Good afternoon and welcome to Markets Desk.
Meta is walking back the suspension of the No Kings coalition's Instagram account, calling it an error triggered by an automated system. The suspension hit mid-event, during the group's nationwide day of action tied to early voting, drawing immediate scrutiny over whether the platform's moderation tools carry political consequences regardless of intent.
Shifting to retail, Ralph Lauren is holding its ground while much of the sector softens, and it has its wealthiest customers to thank for that. Ocean freight rates are up roughly eight percent, squeezing margins across the industry, but Ralph Lauren's affluent consumer base has proven more insulated from spending pressure than the broader market, giving the brand a meaningful cushion others simply don't have.
And in Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a sharp closing argument to Alberta voters weighing an independence referendum, warning that foreign adversaries are actively working to fracture the country. With Donald Trump pressing a trade war and openly floating annexation, Carney framed the referendum not as domestic politics but as a national security question at the worst possible moment.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
