Human Times
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North American Edition
11th February 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

Labor cost growth slowed to four-year low in late 2025

Growth in U.S. labor costs cooled unexpectedly in the fourth quarter, posting the smallest annual increase in four and a half years as easing demand for workers restrained wage gains. The Labor Department's Employment Cost Index rose 0.7% in the final three months of the year, down from 0.8% in the previous quarter and below economists’ expectations. On an annual basis, labor costs increased 3.4% through December, the weakest pace since mid-2021. Wages and salaries, which make up the bulk of labor costs, showed a similar slowdown, while a softer labor market was reflected in fewer job openings per unemployed worker. Despite the easing in wage pressures, higher import tariffs have continued to lift goods prices, keeping inflation elevated.
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LEGAL

Increased incentives for companies that cooperate during criminal probes

Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has said federal prosecutors plan to increase incentives for companies that cooperate during criminal investigations, including promises not to prosecute them. "Our approach is going to be: let's get [a non-prosecution agreement] signed as quickly as possible that calls for continued cooperation," Clayton said at the Securities Enforcement Forum in New York.
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REMOTE WORK

JPMorgan employees rebel against office mandate

JPMorgan Chase employees are pushing back against CEO Jamie Dimon's five-day return-to-office mandate, with around 2,000 of the bank's 300,000-plus global employees signing a petition for its reversal. Many workers fear repercussions for opposing the policy, with one saying that signing the petition could be "career suicide." Employees have expressed confusion over the insistence on in-office work, especially given the bank's global operations. A London banker noted that senior management seems to undervalue remote work despite the bank's record profits during the pandemic.
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STRATEGY

Dorsey’s Block cutting up to 10% of staff

Jack Dorsey's fintech Block is weighing cutting up to 10% of its workforce during annual performance reviews. The company missed Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit amid persistent economic uncertainty and intensifying competition in the payments sector, Reuters notes.
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TECHNOLOGY

Goldman Sachs taps Anthropic

Goldman Sachs is partnering with technology startup Anthropic to develop AI-powered agents aimed at automating a variety of internal functions. The Wall Street bank has spent the past six months collaborating with Anthropic engineers embedded within its teams to build autonomous agents for tasks including trade and transaction accounting as well as client due diligence and onboarding, Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti told CNBC.
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CORPORATE

Saks to close nine stores in first phase of bankruptcy restructuring

Saks Global, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, plans to close nine department stores and 14 stand-alone Fifth Avenue Club locations as part of an initial review under its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The closures include eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores across the U.S. and one Neiman Marcus location in Boston, with stores expected to remain open until the end of April. Following the changes, Saks will operate about 25 stores, including its New York flagship, while Neiman Marcus will have 35 locations. The company is also shutting its Horchow home goods e-commerce site, redirecting customers to Neiman Marcus’s online platform. 
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LEADERSHIP

CFO-to-CEO promotions hit a decade high as finance chiefs gain influence

Promotions from chief financial officer to chief executive reached a 10-year high in 2025, with just over one in 10 CEOs at Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies coming directly from the CFO role, according to research by executive search firm Crist Kolder Associates. The share rose to 10.26% from 7.1% in 2024, with all such promotions made internally, underscoring the growing prominence of finance leaders in succession planning. The report shows CFOs increasingly taking on broader strategic and operational responsibilities, strengthening their candidacy for the top job, even as COO and president roles remain the most common stepping stones to CEO.

 
CFO
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INTERNATIONAL

Italian sports journalists to strike over Olympic opening farce

Journalists from Italy's RaiSport television channel are to stage a three-day strike to protest an error-strewn opening ceremony broadcast by RaiSport director Paolo Petrecca. The journalists said Petrecca’s "disastrous coverage" was "embarrassing." Petrecca welcomed viewers to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico instead of Milan’s San Siro, where Friday’s ceremony was held, before mistaking Kirsty Coventry, president of the International Olympic Committee, for Laura Mattarella, daughter of the Italian president. RaiSport's internal union body representing journalists at the public broadcaster said all journalists would withhold bylines during the Games and then strike for three days once the event is completed. "We have all been embarrassed, no one excluded, and through no fault of our own," it said.

Malaysia plans new insurance scheme for Singapore cross-border workers

The Malaysian government is introducing an insurance scheme for workers commuting to Singapore, as it seeks to address safety concerns for these workers during their cross-border daily journeys. Information technology engineer K. Prabakaran said: “This is very beneficial as most of us travel by bike and the road conditions and surroundings make the journey risky . . . The situation on the road is getting worse nowadays so I strongly agree that this scheme should be implemented.” Prabakaran has been working in Singapore for more than five years and commutes across the border daily.

Milei clashes with Argentina’s powerful unions over labor reform

President Javier Milei is pushing to overhaul Argentina’s rigid labor market, precipitating a clash with trade unions and wading into the country’s most divisive issue, the Financial Times reports.
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OTHER

Delivery robots clash with pedestrians in Chicago

The rise of autonomous food delivery robots in Chicago has sparked controversy among residents. While companies like Coco and Serve Robotics tout their safety, incidents involving collisions and sidewalk congestion have raised concerns. Janice Hughes, a local resident, reported being rear-ended by a Coco robot while gardening. Josh Robertson, who is leading a petition against the robots, noted that many residents feel the sidewalks are becoming less safe. Despite the backlash, the city continues to assess the pilot program, which is set to run until May 2027. "Sidewalks are for people, not for robots," said Kyle Lucas of Better Streets Chicago.
 
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