*By Carlo Versano*
Markets were higher across the board Monday after President Trump announced his framework for a trade deal with Mexico that he hopes will replace NAFTA. The Nasdaq marked its first-ever close above 8,000, and the Dow rose more than a percent, crossing the 26,000 mark for the first time since Feb. 2.
The announcement from Trump in the Oval Office ー with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on the phone ー could ease concerns among American manufacturers that the administration's tough stance on trade could scuttle the chance for a reworked NAFTA deal.
Trump said Monday that he wanted the new agreement to be called the "United States-Mexico Trade Agreement."
"NAFTA has a lot of bad connotations for us, because it was a rip off," he said.
Canada has stayed conspicuously absent from this round of negotiations. No foundation with the Canadians was established for an expanded North American deal.
President Peña Nieto [tweeted](https://twitter.com/EPN/status/1034089218220249088) that he was angling to get the Canadians back to the table. Trump said "we'll see" if Canada can be part of an expanded deal.
A spokesman for Canada's foreign minister replied: "We will only sign a new NAFTA that is good for Canada and good for the middle class. Canada’s signature is required."
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
