Boudin, anyone?: Explore Louisiana announced 2025 as the Year of Food, celebrating all the unique cuisine, culture and traditions that make the state a food lover’s paradise. Following 2024’s Year of Music, the 2025 Year of Food will feature specialized advertising targeting food-inspired travelers with messaging about Louisiana’s culinary scene. Read the full announcement.  Growing: New orders for key U.S.-manufactured capital goods increased more than expected in September, but business spending on equipment likely slowed in the third quarter. Nondefense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, jumped 0.5% last month after an unrevised 0.3% gain in August, the Commerce Department said Friday. Read more from Reuters.  Rising optimism: Sentiment among U.S. consumers increased in October to a six-month high as households grew more upbeat about buying conditions, partly because of cheaper financing costs. The final October sentiment index rose to 70.5 from 70.1 a month earlier, according to the University of Michigan. The preliminary reading was 68.9. Read more from Bloomberg. A subscription may be required.