U.S. stocks closed slightly ⁠lower ⁠on Monday, with each of the three major ⁠indexes coming off a third straight week of gains, as renewed U.S.-Iran tensions put the durability of a ​two-week ceasefire in question. Iran is considering attending peace talks with the U.S. in Pakistan, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, following moves by Islamabad to end a U.S. ‌blockade of Iran’s ports. However, a separate source said ‌Vice President JD Vance was still in the U.S., denyin

Investors will look to a heavy week of U.S. corporate results to further fuel a stunning rebound in the U.S. stock market, which has shaken off war-related concerns to reach record peaks. Hopes for a ​cooling of U.S.-Iran tensions have led to a sharp rally this month, culminating with major U.S. stock indexes minting fresh records in recent days. The benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX), on Wednesday posted its first record-high close since Jan 27, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), on

Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, in Washington, Oct. 24, 2025. Powell’s term as chair of the Federal Reserve ends on May 15, 2026, but it appears increasingly likely that he will stay on in some capacity at the central bank after that. (Caroline Gutman/The New York Times) By COLBY SMITH After years of criticizing the Federal Reserve’s leadership and trying to browbeat policymakers to slash interest rates, President Donald Trump is running out of time to install his p

Major U.S. banks delivered a split picture this ⁠week, ⁠as Middle East-linked market volatility lifted trading ⁠in the first quarter but clouded dealmaking prospects. Bank earnings are tracked beyond Wall Street, as they ​offer a real-time read on how households and businesses are navigating still-higher borrowing costs, spending pressures and an uncertain economy. Below are key trends from ‌the first-quarter results at top U.S. banks, ‌which often set the tone for the broade

Shipping containers at Port Manatee in Palmetto, Fla., April 1, 2025. War in the Middle East has upended the world economy, the International Monetary Fund said, warning in an April 14, 2026 report that disruptions to oil markets could slow growth, fuel inflation and raise the possibility of a global recession. (Scott McIntyre/The New York Times) By ALAN RAPPEPORT War in the Middle East has upended the world economy, the International Monetary Fund said earlier this week, war

The S&P 500 touched an intraday ⁠record ⁠high on Wednesday, its first ⁠since the U.S.-Iran conflict began, as hopes of a de-escalation ​in the war and robust earnings expectations drew investors back into risk assets. Reaching a fresh record ‌during an active geopolitical crisis ‌marked a shift in market positioning, with traders appearing more willing to price in ⁠less severe ⁠escalation risks, at least in the near term. U.S. President Donald Trump ​has said talks with Iran

By ROB COPELAND Each quarter, when publicly traded companies report their earnings, they tend to energetically emphasize what’s going well and to glaze over any stumbling blocks. That will be considerably harder to do this quarter, if the results from Goldman Sachs on Monday are an indication. Goldman kicked off Wall Street’s parade of first-quarter earnings reports with stern warnings about the impact of the war in Iran. The bank said that in comparison to a few months ago,

Copies of The Wall Street Journal for sale in Manhattan, April 9, 2025. A federal judge on Monday, April 13, 2026, dismissed President Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the publisher of The Wall Street Journal over its report of his lewd birthday greeting to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (Juan Arredondo/The New York Times) By KATIE ROBERTSON A federal judge earlier this week dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the publish

Wall Street executives said they were stress‑testing or monitoring ⁠private ⁠credit portfolios as the asset class comes under scrutiny, but said ⁠they were comfortable with their exposure. The comments came after three of the six biggest U.S. lenders disclosed about $108 billion financing exposure to private credit or ​related loans during their quarterly earnings. Private credit has been in the spotlight after AI risks, fund outflows and fears of credit stress hammer alterna

A phone is plugged into a mobile battery charger in Miami, Dec. 5, 2017. Southwest Airlines said last week that it would soon limit the number of portable chargers and power banks passengers can have on flights as airlines contend with a recent rise in lithium battery fires on planes. (Scott McIntyre/The New York Times) By HANNAH ZIEGLER Southwest Airlines said last week that it would soon limit the number of portable chargers and power banks passengers can have on flights as