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Tag Archives: Economy

Wall Street gets back to rising as gold keeps setting records

Wall Street gets back to rising as gold keeps setting records

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street got back to rising on Wednesday, while the price of gold pushed further past $4,000 per ounce.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% a day after snapping a seven-day winning streak and set its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 1 point, or less than 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 1.1% to its own record.

Trading has been relatively muted recently following the U.S. government’s latest shutdown. The closure has delayed the release of several major economic reports that usually move the market. Stocks have been drifting without them or other signals to change expectations for cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, one of the major reasons the stock market has surged since April.

Another force that’s pushed the market to records is the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology.

Advanced Micro Devices jumped another 11.4% to add to its rally from earlier in the week, when it announced an AI-related deal. AMD was the best performing stock in the S&P 500.

Right behind was Dell Technologies, which piled more gains onto its own rally from Tuesday, when it talked up its growth opportunities related to AI. Dell rose 9.1%.

Poet Technologies climbed 17% and likewise added to its surge from Tuesday, when it said it raised $75 million in investment to accelerate its growth. The company sells high-speed optical engines and other products used in the AI systems market.

AI-related stocks have broadly been on a tear. Nvidia has soared nearly 41% so far this year. Oracle is up 73.2% over the same time, while Palantir Technologies has more than doubled with a nearly 143% surge.

The performances have been so strong that criticism is rising about prices having gone too far, like they did during the 2000 dot-com mania. That bubble ultimately imploded, and the S&P 500 halved in value.

Proponents say AI stocks are backed by big growth in profits, something that many dot-com stocks didn’t have at the turn of the millennium. But the Bank of England nevertheless warned Wednesday of the rising risk that tech stock prices pumped up by the AI boom could face a “sudden correction.”

“On a number of measures, equity market valuations appear stretched, particularly for technology companies focused on Artificial Intelligence,” policymakers at the U.K. central bank said in a report. With Big Tech companies accounting for an increasingly outsized share of stock market indexes, stocks are “particularly exposed should expectations around the impact of AI become less optimistic.”

Elsewhere on Wall Street, AST SpaceMobile jumped 8.6% after Verizon Communications agreed to use its space-based network to offer service to cellular customers when needed, starting in 2026. Verizon slipped 0.2%.

On the losing end of Wall Street was Jefferies Financial Group, which fell 7.9%. The investment bank disclosed some details about its exposure to First Brands Group, a supplier of aftermarket auto parts that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 39.13 points to 6,753.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.20 to 46,601.78, and the Nasdaq composite rose 255.02 to 23,043.38.

Gold, meanwhile, continued its stellar year and rose further past $4,000 per ounce. Investors have traditionally seen gold as a way to protect against rising inflation, and its price has soared more than 50% this year.

Worries are high about big debt loads that the U.S. and other governments are building, which threaten to push inflation higher. Political instability around the world, uncertainty created by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and expectations for rate cuts by the Fed are also pushing up interest in gold.

The Fed cut its main interest rate for the first time this year last month, and it hinted that more reductions may be on the way. Minutes from that last meeting released on Wednesday showed growing concerns among Fed officials about the slowing job market.

Lower rates could help boost the job market and economy, but Fed officials say they’re also staying mindful of inflation, which remains above the Fed’s target of 2%. Lower rates can give inflation more fuel.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a weaker finish in Asia.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.12% from 4.14% late Tuesday.

___

AP Business Writers Matt Ott, Elaine Kurtenbach and Kelvin Chan contributed.

Wall Street ticks to more records, led by technology stocks

Wall Street ticks to more records, led by technology stocks

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged up to more records. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.4%. All three set all-time highs. Technology stocks helped lead the way after OpenAI announced partnerships with South Korean companies for its Stargate artificial-intelligence infrastructure project. Fair Isaac surged to its best day in nearly three years after unveiling a program where customers can potentially bypass big credit bureaus for FICO credit scores. Stock indexes also rose across much of Europe and Asia, while Treasury yields eased in the bond market.… Continue Reading

US hiring stalls with employers reluctant to expand in an economy grown increasingly erratic

US hiring stalls with employers reluctant to expand in an economy grown increasingly erratic

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American job market, a pillar of U.S. economic strength since the pandemic, is crumbling under the weight of President Donald Trump’s erratic economic policies. Uncertain about where things are headed, companies are reluctant to hire, leaving agonized jobseekers unable to find work and worrying the consumers (70% of U.S. economic activity) whose spending has driven impressive growth for the world’s biggest economy since the COVID-19 disruptions of 2020. The Labor Department reported Friday that U.S. employers — companies, government agencies and nonprofits — added just 22,000 jobs last month, down from a 79,000 in July and well below the 80,000 that economists had expected. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3% last month, the highest since 2021.… Continue Reading

US stocks rally to records on hopes for cuts to interest rates

US stocks rally to records on hopes for cuts to interest rates

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market rallied to records after data suggested inflation across the country was a touch better last month than economists expected. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% Tuesday and topped its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 483 points, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.4% to set its own record. Stocks got a lift from hopes that the better-than-expected inflation report will give the Federal Reserve leeway to cut interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can give the economy and investment prices a boost.… Continue Reading

US inflation held steady last month as tariff hit offset by cheaper gas, food

US inflation held steady last month as tariff hit offset by cheaper gas, food

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. inflation was unchanged in July as rising prices for some imported goods were balanced by falling gas and grocery prices, leaving overall prices modestly higher than a year ago. The figures suggest that slowing rent increases and cheaper gas are offsetting some impacts of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. Many businesses are also absorbing much of the cost of the duties. Tuesday’s figures likely include some impact from the 10% universal tariff Trump imposed in April, as well as higher duties on countries such as China and Canada.… Continue Reading

Walden: N.C. economy still strong despite national slowdown

Walden: N.C. economy still strong despite national slowdown

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — While the national economy shows signs of slowing, North Carolina remains in good shape, according to N.C. State University Economist Emeritus Dr. Mike Walden. Walden, the guest on this week’s Carolina Newsmakers, said tracking the effectiveness of tariffs is challenging and most economists did not expect the U.S. to be in its current position. He noted that President Donald Trump’s administration has taken a new approach to trade policy.… Continue Reading

Wall Street clocks another winning week

Wall Street clocks another winning week

Stocks rose on Wall Street, marking their third winning week in the last four. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% Friday, leaving the index just shy of the record it set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite added 1% to the record it set a day earlier. Expedia and Gilead Sciences rose sharply after reporting results that easily beat analysts’ forecasts. Both companies also raised their outlooks. Asian markets closed mostly lower except in Tokyo, where the Nikkei rose 1.9%. European markets were mixed. Treasury yields rose in the bond market.… Continue Reading

US stocks set more records as Verizon begins a big week for profit reports with a beat

US stocks set more records as Verizon begins a big week for profit reports with a beat

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rising toward more records ahead of a week full of profit updates from big U.S. companies. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% Monday and was above its all-time high set on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 217 points, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.7% to its own record. Verizon Communications helped lead the way following its better-than-expected profit report. Other market heavyweights slated to report their results for the spring this week include Alphabet, Coca-Cola and Tesla. Stock indexes were mixed in Europe but rose in much of Asia, while Treasury yields eased in the bond market.… Continue Reading

Americans increased spending tepidly last month as anxiety over the economy takes hold

Americans increased spending tepidly last month as anxiety over the economy takes hold

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. shoppers stepped up their spending just a bit in February after a sharp pullback the previous month, signaling that Americans are shopping more cautiously as concerns about the direction of the economy mount. Retail sales rose just 0.2% in February, a small rebound after a sharp drop of 1.2% in January, the Commerce Department said Monday. Sales rose at grocery stores, home and garden stores, and online retailers. Sales fell at auto dealers, restaurants, and electronics stores. The small increase suggests Americans may be growing more wary about spending as the stock market has plunged and President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and government spending cuts have led to widespread uncertainty among consumers and businesses.… Continue Reading

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