Shoppers on 34th Street in Manhattan, Nov. 5, 2025. Economic growth rose at a 4.3% annual rate in the third quarter, the Commerce Department reported on Dec. 23, an acceleration from the previous quarter. (Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times) By TALMON JOSEPH SMITH The U.S. economy grew at a vigorous pace through the end of September, despite the uncertainty created by tariffs and widespread concerns about affordability among households. Economic growth rose at a 4.3% annual ra

The S&P 500 index ‌hit ​an intraday record ‌high on Wednesday, its first in over a ​month, as investors returned to AI stocks and bet the Federal ‍Reserve will cut rates ​again next year. The index was last up 0.2% at ​6920.88 ⁠points, surpassing its previous intraday peak of 6,920.34, set on October 29, when AI bellwether Nvidia had helped push the benchmark above a $5 trillion market valuation for the first time. U.S. stocks ‌have bounced back from their November lows as in

Data centers owned and operated by Amazon Web Services in Ashburn, Va., March 10, 2024. Three Democratic senators said on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, that they are investigating whether and how the operations of technology companies are driving up residential electricity bills. (Nathan Howard/The New York Times) By IVAN PENN and KAREN WEISE Three Democratic senators said last week that they are investigating whether and how the operations of technology companies are driving up re

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday and the ‌S&P ​500 was on track for a closing record ‌after a flurry of economic data that included a reading of economic growth pushed bond yields higher and ​boosted growth names. The Commerce Department said gross domestic product increased at a 4.3% annualized rate in the third quarter, the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2023 ‍and well above the 3.3% estimate of economists ​polled by Reuters, fueled by robust consumer spending. While th

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Trump announced deals with nine pharmaceutical companies to reduce some drug prices, the latest step in his bid to try to align U.S. costs with the lower drug prices in European countries. (Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times) By REBECCA ROBBINS and MARGOT SANGER-KATZ President Donald Trump late last week announced deals with nine pharmaceutical companies to reduce so

U.S. stocks climbed to kick off the ‌holiday-shortened ​week, buoyed partly by a continued rebound in ‌technology stocks in a broad advance that lifted almost all of the 11 S&P 500 sectors. The rally started ​late last week and was driven by Micron Technology’s blowout forecasts and a cooler-than-expected inflation report, which has left the S&P 500 and Dow less than 1% ‍from their record closing levels set on December ​11. Nvidia shares rose 1.2% as the biggest lift to the

By KIM BHASIN Nike’s efforts to reinvigorate its business are showing some results despite continued challenges in China and with its ailing Converse brand. Sales rose 1% in Nike’s most recent quarter, which ended Nov. 30, propped up by strong performance in North America, the company said Thursday. Still, income fell 32%, weighed down by woes in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, where revenue fell 17%. Broadly, Nike is trying to recover after a series of missteps led to

Aguada Mayor Christian Cortés Feliciano and entrepreneurs Victor and Hannah Sine at last week’s ribbon-cutting. The Sines have invested $3.3 million to restore El Oasis Hotel, formerly known as La Villa de la Aguada, as a vibrant cultural and community hub. By THE STAR STAFF Aguada Mayor Christian Cortés Feliciano attended last Thursday’s grand opening gala for El Oasis Hotel, a new hospitality venture in western Puerto Rico that breathes new life into a property with more th