Dow Jones Top Markets Headlines at 1 PM ET: Iran War Lifts Fed's Targeted Inflation Metric | U.S. …
Iran War Lifts Fed’s Targeted Inflation Metric
Higher energy prices ratcheted up the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation in March, illustrating why plans for further rate cuts have grown divisive at the central bank.
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U.S. Stocks Climb After Tech Earnings
U.S. stock markets climbed after some of America’s biggest tech companies posted bumper earnings.
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AI Investment Boosted Economic Growth, While Consumers Tapped the Brakes
Gross domestic product grew at a 2% rate in the first quarter, rebounding from a fourth quarter dented by a government shutdown.
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Europe’s Economy Stutters as War Drives Up Inflation
Both the ECB and BOE, facing a mix of weaker growth and higher inflation, held interest rates steady.
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Canada Economy Returns to Growth, Though Activity Cools in March
Canada’s economy rebounded in the first quarter despite signs activity stalled in March even with a spike in energy prices.
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U.S. Jobless Claims Fell Last Week
U.S. jobless claims fell more than expected last week as layoffs remained contained despite cooling job growth.
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U.S. Leading Indicators Forecasts Further Slowdown
The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index declined by 0.6% in March, reversing a February increase.
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U.S. Debt Tops 100% of GDP
Federal debt exceeding the size of the economy is a potent symbol of the gathering fiscal stresses on the U.S.
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Oil Prices Mixed After Spiking to Four-Year High. Why Iran War Fears Are Growing.
Front-month international crude prices hit a wartime high as investors worry that the U.S. could restart its attacks on Iran.
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As Hormuz Traffic Stalls, U.S. Pitches New Coalition to Get Ships Moving Again
A State Department cable shows the Trump administration wants other nations to form an alliance to help jump-start ship traffic.
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Taiwan’s Economic Growth Hits 39-Year High
The Taiwanese economy expanded at its fastest pace since 1987, supercharged by demand tied to artificial intelligence.
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Powell Won’t Leave. The Fed Won’t Cut. Warsh Will Have to Deal With Both.
A divided committee, external political pressures, and an energy shock-Kevin Warsh is inheriting a Fed unlike any his predecessors faced.
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Yen Crosses Key Threshold, But Don’t Count on Intervention Just Yet
The Japanese currency weakened to as low as 160.45 against the dollar Thursday, in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep rates steady.
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China’s Factory Activity Holds Up Despite Middle East Disruptions
China’s factory activity held up in April, suggesting limited pressure from surging energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East.
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Big Tech Strikes Gold With AI, but at a Steep Cost
While Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Amazon ride artificial intelligence to strong earnings, some investors are still worried about spending.
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The U.A.E.’s OPEC Bombshell Signals a New Middle East Order
After bearing the brunt of Iran’s counterattack, the financial powerhouse is strengthening ties with Israel and challenging Saudi Arabia.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 30, 2026 13:15 ET (17:15 GMT)
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