Scott Horsley

Investors are fairly confident the central bank will lower its benchmark interest rate by a

They'll also be watching what Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues have to say about prospects for additional rate cuts in the new year.

There's considerable uncertainty as the central bank's trying to keep a lid on both inflation and unemployment.

Pepsi is planning to cut jobs and narrow its product lineup by 20 percent as it works to cut costs and lower prices.

The soft drink and snack maker's been under pressure from an activist investor.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

China's exports to the United States have dropped sharply in the face of President Trump's tariffs.

But China is still finding plenty of customers elsewhere around the world.

The country's overall exports in November were up nearly 6 percent from a year ago.

And China's trade surplus for the year topped a trillion dollars for the first time.

Paramount is challenging Netflix over its planned purchase of Warner Brothers Discovery.

Paramount's going to shareholders with a counteroffer.

President Trump said the Netflix acquisition, quote, could be a problem because the combined company's outsized market share.

And one of Berkshire Hathaway's top stock pickers is leaving for a job with JPMorgan Chase.

Todd Combs also ran Berkshire's Geico insurance business.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

The Fed lowered interest rates at each of its last two meetings, but policymakers were divided on whether a third straight cut would be warranted this coming week, inflation still well above the Fed's 2 percent target, which would ordinarily suggest keeping rates higher.

But the central bank's also concerned about a softening job market, which could be cushioned with lower interest rates.

Investors think those job market worries will take priority at this week's meeting, and the rate-setting committee will opt for another quarter-point cut.

But the decision is not likely to be unanimous.