The S&P 500 closed barely higher on ⁠Friday, ⁠supported by cooling inflation data, but the Nasdaq ⁠ended lower as heavyweight technology and communications services shares lost ground on nagging fears of disruption by artificial intelligence. The ​S&P 500, the Nasdaq and the Dow all declined for the week with technology stocks on a roller-coaster ride due to uncertainty about the extent to which profits ‌could be disrupted due to AI competition and ‌the hefty spending needed

A grocery shopper in Seattle on Dec. 29. 2025. Employers added 130,000 jobs in January, the Labor Department reported on Feb. 11, in a report delayed by a short government shutdown. The unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent, from 4.4 percent a month earlier. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times) By LYDIA DePILLIS The U.S. economy put in a strong showing at the start of 2026, following a year of disruptions that depressed both the demand for labor and its supply. Employers added 1

Wall Street’s main indexes reversed sharply on ⁠Thursday ⁠as investors intensified their selloff of technology shares and ⁠fled transport stocks amid worries about artificial intelligence disruption, while they digested the latest labor market data and awaited ​a key inflation report. After starting the day higher, equity indexes turned negative in morning trading and losses deepened as investors sought safer investments. At a time when investors have been ‌stressed out abou

A Ford F-150 Lightning charging cable connected to the truck owned by John and Rachelle Reigard, in Mt. Juliet, Tenn., July 10, 2023. Ford Motor reported a big loss for 2025 because of its troubled electric vehicle division, which it has significantly scaled back. (Brett Carlsen/The New York Times) By NEAL E. BOUDETTE A few years ago, Ford Motor jumped out ahead of other established automakers by quickly rolling out three electric vehicles that it hoped would help it sell mor

Neal Mohan, the CEO of YouTube in Alexandria, Va. on Sept. 16, 2024. YouTube argued on Feb. 10, 2026, that it was not social media and was not addictive, on the second day of opening statements in a landmark social media addiction trial. (Pete Marovich/The New York Times) By ELI TAN and CECILIA KANG YouTube argued earlier this week that it was not social media and was not addictive, on the second day of opening statements in a landmark social media addiction trial. YouTube, i

America’s consumer economy is pulling in opposite directions, a gulf increasingly apparent in C-suite commentary, with premium brands profiting from well-off customers while value-focused firms battle restraint from cash-strapped households. Companies ranging from Ralph Lauren, Tabby handbag maker ​Tapestry, and American Express, to airlines including United and Delta Air exceeded expectations in their results for the most recent quarter as their affluent consumer base spends

Outside Los Angeles County Superior Court in Los Angeles, Feb. 2, 2026. Opening statements began in a trial claiming social media companies design addictive products that cause personal injury. (Stella Kalinina/The New York Times) By ELI TAN and CECILIA KANG In a crowded Los Angeles courtroom earlier this week, Mark Lanier pulled three wooden children’s blocks from his bag and stacked them on top of each other. “This case is as easy as ABC,” said Lanier, a lawyer. “Addicting,

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq edged down ‌on ​Tuesday while the Dow notched a fresh record high ‌as investors digested disappointing retail sales figures and waited for a key labor market report. The S&P 500 communication services sector ​was weighed down by a 1.5% drop in Alphabet shares, creating the biggest drag for the S&P 500, after Google’s parent said it sold bonds worth $20 billion. The announcement came as investors have ‍been worrying about the amount of money technol

Jaylynn Dean at a hotel in Phoenix, on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. A federal jury in Phoenix on Thursday ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a passenger who said one of its drivers had raped her, setting the stage for thousands of similar cases around the country. (Caitlin O’Hara/The New York Times) By EMILY STEEL A federal jury in Phoenix has ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a passenger who said one of its drivers had raped her, setting the stage for thousands of similar cases

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq gained after ‌a ​shaky start on Monday, as technology stocks found their ‌footing following last week’s AI-sparked selloff, while investors waited for key economic data that could shed light on the ​Federal Reserve’s interest-rate path. The S&P 500 technology sector, up 1.8%, was looking to extend Friday’s gains after a steep selloff last week. Software companies were clawing back some losses, tracking for a ‍second straight day of gains after a b