How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers

NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big...

Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week

Stocks shook off a choppy start to finish higher Monday, as Wall Street kicked off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 ended 0.7% higher after having been down 0.5% in the early going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also recovered from an early slide to eke out a 0.2% gain....

What changes should small businesses be aware of for 2025?

For small businesses, the biggest change in the new year will be the arrival of a presumably more business-friendly administration in Washington. But there are other shifts owners should keep on their radar. Among them: changes to state-level overtime and minimum wage rules, the...

Stock market today: Wall Street rises to turn a dismal week into just a bad one

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Friday to turn what would have been one of the market’s worst weeks of the year into just a pretty bad one. The S&P 500 rallied 1.1% for its best day in six weeks and shaved its loss for the week down to 2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average...

How major US stock indexes fared Friday, 12/20/2024

U.S. stocks rose to turn what would have been one of the market’s worst weeks of the year into just a pretty bad one. The S&P 500 rallied 1.1% Friday to shave its loss for the week down to 2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped nearly 500 points, and the Nasdaq composite...

Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge shows price pressures eased last month

WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely watched by the Federal Reserve barely rose last month in a sign that price pressures cooled after two months of sharp gains. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose just 0.1% from October to...

Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge shows price pressures eased last month

Trump was poised to inherit a strong economy. Then things got rocky and he added to the uncertainty

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The smooth economy that Donald Trump was poised to inherit suddenly looks a bit rockier — with critics saying the president-elect is contributing to the uncertainty. The Dow Jones stock index essentially ended Thursday flat after having posted 10 days...

Stock market today: Wall Street ends little changed after giving up a big morning gain

NEW YORK (AP) — An early rebound for U.S. stocks on Thursday petered out by the end of the day, leaving indexes close to flat. The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1% following Wednesday’s tumble of 2.9% when the Federal Reserve said it may deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next...

How major US stock indexes fared Thursday, 12/19/2024

An early rebound for U.S. stocks petered out by the end of the day, leaving indexes close to flat. The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1% Thursday, coming off one of its worst days of the year after the Federal Reserve said it may deliver fewer cuts to interest rates in 2025 than earlier...