AP Business SummaryBrief at 7:29 p.m. EDT

Americans increased spending tepidly last month as anxiety over the economy takes hold

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. shoppers stepped up their spending just a bit in February after a sharp pullback the previous month, signaling that Americans are shopping more cautiously as concerns about the direction of the economy mount. Retail sales rose just 0.2% in February, a small rebound after a sharp drop of 1.2% in January, the Commerce Department said Monday. Sales rose at grocery stores, home and garden stores, and online retailers. Sales fell at auto dealers, restaurants, and electronics stores. The small increase suggests Americans may be growing more wary about spending as the stock market has plunged and President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and government spending cuts have led to widespread uncertainty among consumers and businesses.

Tariffs on lumber and appliances set stage for higher costs on new homes and remodeling projects

Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate your kitchen or install a new deck? You’ll be paying more to do so. The Trump administration’s tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China — some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks — are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects. The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home by $7,500 to $10,000, by some estimates. The timing of the tariffs couldn’t be worse for homebuilders and the home remodeling industry, as this is typically the busiest time of year for home sales.

'Stagflation' risk puts Federal Reserve in tricky spot as it meets this week

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, are potentially headed to a tough spot as it prepares to meet Tuesday and Wednesday. Inflation improved last month but is still high and tariffs could push it higher. At the same time, ongoing tariff threats as well as sharp cuts to government spending and jobs have tanked consumer and business confidence, which could weigh on the economy and even push up unemployment. The toxic combination of still-high inflation and a weak or stagnant economy is often referred to as “stagflation,” a term that haunts central bankers. It is what bedeviled the United States in the 1970s, when even deep recessions didn’t kill inflation.

Judge declines to force FEMA to release funds to upgrade US emergency alert system

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has refused to order the Trump administration to immediately reimburse dozens of public broadcasting stations for upgrades to the nation’s emergency alert system. The nonprofit Corporation for Public Broadcasting sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency last Thursday. The CPB claims FEMA has unlawfully held up nearly $2 million in grant money for modernizing the alert system. However, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled Monday that the CPB failed to show how it has been irreparably harmed. The judge said the CPB hasn’t demonstrated that the alert system will stop working if the grant funding doesn’t start flowing right away.

Forever No More. Operator of mall staple Forever 21 files for bankruptcy protection

Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time and plans to close down its U.S. business as traffic in U.S. shopping malls fades and competition from online retailers like Amazon, Temu and Shein intensifies. F21 OpCo, which runs Forever 21 stores, said late Sunday that it will wind down the business in the U.S. under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while determining if it can continue as a business with a partner, or if it will sell some or all of its assets.

Stock market today: Wall Street rises again

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed again as Wall Street's wild roller-coaster ride veers back upward. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% Monday for a second straight gain after falling 10% below its recent record last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. More big swings could be ahead, with a decision by the Federal Reserve on interest rates coming later in the week and worries continuing about President Donald Trump’s trade war. A report on U.S. retail sales was weaker than expected but may not have been as bad as it seemed on the surface.

TikTok becomes a tool of choice in cat-and-mouse game between migrant smugglers and authorities

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Social media apps like TikTok have become an essential tool for smugglers and migrants alike. The videos posted by smugglers offer a rare look inside a long elusive industry and the narratives used by trafficking networks to fuel migration north. As President Donald Trump begins to ramp up a crackdown at the border and migration levels to the U.S. dip, smugglers say new technologies allow networks to be more agile in the face of challenges, and expand their reach to new customers, It's a far cry from the old days when each village had its trusted smuggler.

PepsiCo buys prebiotic soda brand Poppi to gain a foothold in functional drinks

PepsiCo said Monday it’s acquiring the prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion. The acquisition gives PepsiCo a fast-growing brand in the popular functional beverage category. PepsiCo said the transaction includes $300 million of anticipated cash benefits, bringing the net purchase price to $1.65 billion. Poppi was developed in 2015 by Allison Ellsworth, who loved soda but was tired of how it made her feel. Ellsworth mixed fruit juice with apple cider vinegar, prebiotics and sparkling water and sold it at farmer's markets. The brand took off in 2018 after an appearance on “Shark Tank.”

Pipeline company’s lawsuit against Greenpeace goes to a North Dakota jury

MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota jury has begun deliberating on whether Greenpeace defamed a pipeline company and disrupted its controversial Dakota Access Pipeline project. The environmental advocacy group says the case, which resumed on Monday, could have consequences for free speech and protest rights and threaten the organization's future. Dallas-based Energy Transfer and its subsidiary Dakota Access alleged defamation, trespass, nuisance and other offenses by Netherlands-based Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA and funding arm Greenpeace Fund Inc. The pipeline company is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars. Greenpeace has denied the allegations and says there is no evidence to support them.

Trump names Bowman as top Federal Reserve bank regulator

President Donald Trump on Monday nominated Michelle Bowman to oversee the Federal Reserve’s financial regulatory efforts, a move that could lead to looser rules for large banks. Bowman was appointed by Trump in 2018 to serve on the Fed’s governing board. She replaces Michael Barr as the Fed’s Vice Chair for Supervision, after Barr stepped down last month. Barr, however, stayed on the seven-member Fed board, forcing Trump to pick from one of the existing governors.