Why the Penny Died, Trump vs. The Fed & The AI Boom | The Washington Post

Why is the stock market up 17% while the physical economy is in chaos? In this Deep Dive, we unpack the contradictory end to 2025. We analyze why the US government finally killed the penny (saving 3.7 cents per coin) and the immediate regulatory chaos hitting retailers.We also investigate the "impossible mandate" facing the Federal Reserve as rate cuts collide with persistent inflation and political threats of a lawsuit from President Trump. Finally, we follow the "smart money" moving into AI infrastructure, breaking down SoftBank’s massive $4 billion acquisition of Digital Bridge to secure the physical assets needed for the next wave of tech.The Market Disconnect: S&P 500 gains vs. consumer sentiment.Fed in Crisis: The friction between lowering rates and political pressure.The End of the Penny: Efficiency vs. the "rounding" confusion for local businesses.AI Real Estate: Why big capital is buying data centers and fiber optics.