Fortune

The workers who keep America’s buildings running are disappearing—and the U.S. isn’t replacing them fast enough to keep the lights on, the servers cool, or the labs sterile. By 2030, an estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs in the U.S. could go unfilled, with potential economic losses reaching $1 trillion annually, according to U.S. Department of Education estimates cited in a new report from JLL shared exclusively with Fortune. The commercial real estate giant calls the electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, pipe fitters, and maintenance workers who maintain the country’s built environment a “silent army”—a workforce that is aging out of the industry faster than it can be replaced. Fortune editor Sydney Lake explains how the shortage could impact the AI boom. 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/grd4_g6e

"We've had to fight for it." Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced Wednesday he will remain on the Fed’s Board of Governors after his term as chair ends May 15, citing what he called “unprecedented” legal attacks on the central bank’s independence by the Trump administration. Powell told reporters the Fed's ability to make monetary policy without political considerations is "at risk." 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/enXQFcbu

Emma Grede may be best known for being a founding partner for some of the Kardashian family’s biggest brands, including Skims and Good American, but she wants to make one thing clear: She’s more than a “celebrity CEO.” “Don’t call me a celebrity CEO,” Grede said on April 15 at Adweek’s Social Media Week in New York City. “I’m not a celebrity CEO. I’m a CEO that’s done so well that you know my name.” Grede, a serial entrepreneur and investor who is worth an estimated $405 million, according to Forbes, is no stranger to hard work. She got her first job at 12 and has, as she puts it, “done every single job all the way up,” from selling Fendi bags that “fell off the back of the truck” to packing boxes as an intern and eventually serving as a senior executive of her own marketing agency ITB Worldwide. That experience, she said, has shaped how she leads and how she thinks about the value of her team’s work. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eDNHeutY

The decision was shocking. But the announcement April 28 that the United Arab Emirates was leaving OPEC caps years of tension where the desert state chafed under the cartel’s quotas, and recently, encountered severe strain in its relationship with Saudi Arabia, the group’s most potent force by far. Though it had felt strains before, it was the war in Iran that pushed the UAE over the edge. “The war suddenly made job one for the UAE: ‘Take the money and run,’” says Steve Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University. “First, OPEC stood partially in the way. Now, the Iran war poses a much bigger danger for a long time to come.” 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eDKeurve

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday in what is very likely Jerome Powell’s final policy decision as chair, leaving the federal funds rate in the range of 3.5% to 3.75% for a third meeting in a row and defying President Trump’s persistent demands to sharply lower rates. But beneath the headline decision, four striking dissents reveal a committee pulling in opposite directions just weeks before Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee, is expected to take over as chair. Stephen Miran, the Trump-appointed governor who has been the FOMC’s most vocal dovish voice, dissented in favor of a quarter-point cut. That’s not a surprise—Miran, who Warsh would replace, has dissented a number of times. But other dissents were more unexpected: Beth Hammack, Neel Kashkari, and Lorie Logan voted for the hold but dissented against the inclusion of an “easing bias” in the statement, the line indicating the Committee will consider “the extent and timing of additional adjustments” to rates. Read more: https://bit.ly/4eiEhjE

I'm proud to once again work with an incredible group of colleagues to program and co-chair the legendary Fortune #BrainstormTech summit. This June’s event in Aspen marks the 25th year of the franchise, and I’m grateful to be co-hosting what’s shaping up to be a fantastic gathering with an outstanding lineup of speakers. You should join us! Among the innovators and Fortune 500 leaders I’m thrilled to interview or hear from on the main stage: 🛍️Whatnot CEO Grant LaFontaine 🎮 Twitch CEO Daniel Clancy 📦 UPS CEO Carol Tomé 🤖 Claude Code creator Boris Cherny 🚛 CH Robinson CEO David Bozeman 🏨 Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian 📺 Tubi CEO Anjali Sud More names in the release in comments and more to come… Let’s go Andrew Nusca, Allie Garfinkle, Jeremy Kahn, Charlotte Burney, Caitlin Farrell

25 years ago, the first Fortune Brainstorm Tech was held in Aspen, Colorado. To celebrate that legacy, Fortune is going back for #BrainstormTech in June, and I'm honored to be joining as a moderator! Check out this fabulous program by Charlotte Burney, Caitlin Farrell, Andrew Nusca, Allie Garfinkle and more of my fabulous Fortune colleagues: https://lnkd.in/eVe4uCkz

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol had a simple explanation Tuesday for why his coffee giant is winning back customers across every income bracket, even as rivals struggle to crack the same code: Make people feel special. “I believe what we see with folks is when you give them an experience that they feel is unique, differentiated, special—a little touch of luxury, it goes a long way,” Niccol told analysts on the company’s second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call. “And we’re seeing that play out with every income cohort.” Niccol’s comments came as Starbucks reported its first simultaneous top- and bottom-line growth in more than two years—revenue rose 9% from a year earlier to $9.5 billion, while net earnings surged 33% to $510.8 million. In premarket trading, shares climbed roughly 4.6%. Read more: https://lnkd.in/edGccW25

I sat down with AWS CEO Matt Garman on Tuesday after the company's What's Next event in SF. We talked about the OpenAI deal of course and Amazon's massive capex spending. What I found most interesting was AWS's move into offering its own productivity software for workers -- the very business at the center of the so-called Saas-pocalypse. Here's why Garman said Amazon is diving in to this new business at this time: #Fortune #AWS #Saas https://lnkd.in/gHnvXsCP

"May it stand as a testimony to our nation's shared history and shining future." King Charles III on Tuesday gifted President Donald Trump the original conning tower bell from the HMS Trump, a British submarine that served during World War II. Trump hosted a state dinner at the White House for the royal couple, with a guest list that included tech leaders such as outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ecR7AuKC