Apple and Nvidia now account for over 15% of the S&P 500, surpassing the 9.1% once represented by Microsoft and General Electric as powerful rallies push the benchmark into unprecedented concentration around just two companies.
Many Americans understand that delaying Social Security can produce larger checks, yet immediate income needs, health concerns, and uncertainty about the program continue to drive early claims that may reduce monthly benefits by as much as 30%.
Hyundai is forecast to pass Ford in quarterly U.S. sales for the first time as Ford’s production troubles, limited Detroit hybrid offerings and gasoline prices reshape the market while Toyota closes in on GM.
Nvidia led technology stocks lower as surging Treasury yields shook markets. With the 10 year yield near 5.1% and the 30 year yield at its highest since 2004, investors confronted renewed fears of additional rate hikes and a broader stock pullback.
China and the U.S. opened their first senior trade discussions on AI while considering tariff reductions and a longer trade truce, setting the stage for broader negotiations between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
Gold slipped near session lows after August new home sales climbed 6.4%, twice the expected increase. Stronger housing activity beat forecasts, but elevated mortgage rates and limited turnover continue to constrain the broader market.
Rising cat ownership is lifting sales at General Mills, Chewy and Petco, while softer dog demand forces companies to reconsider products, marketing and diversification as consumers remain cautious about household spending.
Silver decisively outpaced gold as easing oil prices supported markets, while a firm dollar and Treasury yields near 5.0% contained bullion. Upcoming U.S. economic reports could determine whether gold escapes the middle of the $4,300 range.
Trump and Xi may explore AI safety frameworks and an emergency communication channel, but disputes over advanced chips, distillation, verification, and technological leadership leave little prospect that either country will agree to slow development.
Intel shares gained 25% in five days as demand for CPUs rose alongside agentic AI, while reported manufacturing interest from Google, Nvidia, and SK Hynix added weight to the chipmaker’s broader push to regain semiconductor leadership.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has gained unusual influence with President Donald Trump, shaping the administration’s approach to AI safety even as major model developers, researchers and lawmakers demand slower development and stronger government oversight.
Scott Bessent rejected federal liability protection for AI developers while outlining talks with China, defending a Treasury buyback and predicting interest rates will fall after the Iran war ends.
IRS compromise approvals plunged 57% from 2023 even as applications rose 29%, leaving struggling taxpayers with fewer routes out of mounting debt while experts question staffing cuts, complicated reviews and possible changes in agency discretion.
Carney says Canada will determine its own international partnerships as Ottawa and Brussels explore an unprecedented associate membership structure, even as Trump dismisses the proposal and threatens Europe with heavy tariffs.
Spot gold traded at $4,340.98 after reaching a session high of $4,353.78, as August retail sales, annual sales and core sales all exceeded economists’ expectations.
The contract rate on a 30 year mortgage reached 6.97% as purchase and refinancing applications declined, while rising energy prices, inflation concerns and surging Treasury yields placed fresh pressure on the already sluggish US housing market.