Tech Declines Pressure Nasdaq, S&P 500
Stocks ended the session mixed, with signs of progress on Mideast diplomacy competing against worries about the mounting costs of the war.
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Trump Says He Will Hold Off on Iran Attack as 'Serious Negotiations' Are Under Way
The president said Gulf leaders requested he pause plans for strikes that had been set for Tuesday to allow for negotiations with Tehran over a prospective deal to end the war.
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U.S. Home Builder Sentiment Improves But Challenges Persist
Confidence among U.S. home builders improved in May but still remains in negative territory amid rising mortgage rates, elevated costs and economic uncertainty tied to the war in Iran.
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China's Economy Unexpectedly Weakens as Iran War Fallout Mounts
The country's export machine continues to hum but its economic growth has become increasingly lopsided.
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U.K. Gilt Yields Climb to Multiyear Highs on Inflation, Political Concerns
Yields on 30-year gilts hit a high last seen in 1998, while 10-year yields were at their highest since 2008.
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The Economy Kevin Warsh Is Inheriting Is Not the One He Wanted
The next Fed chair wants lower rates. But the data might make that impossible.
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Swiss Economy Expands Again
GDP grew 0.5% in the first quarter, but the war in Iran threatens to derail Switzerland's recovery in the coming months.
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China Says It Has Agreed With U.S. to Set Up Trade and Investment Bodies
The confirmation fulfills one expected outcome of Trump's visit to Beijing and solidifies a truce between the world's two largest economies.
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The World Can't Get Enough U.S. Energy, Keeping Prices High for Americans
Overseas buyers are looking to America for oil and transportation fuels, helping deplete its domestic inventories.
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The Mysterious Crypto Judges Who Settle Polymarket Disputes
A fight over the Hezbollah cease-fire highlights unease over the prediction market's arbitration system.
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The Oil Shock Is Causing a $45 Billion Rupture in the Economy
A wartime price surge is slamming consumers while boosting investors.
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Suspicious Betting in Washington Is on the Rise-and Authorities Are Playing Catch-Up
Regulators are seeking information from Kalshi and Polymarket over wagers tied to political events and military operations.
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Coal Makes a Comeback, Fueled by War in the Middle East
Countries are returning to the highly polluting but reliable source of power after the Iran war effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 18, 2026 17:00 ET (21:00 GMT)
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