BUSINESS HEADLINES

The Dow surges more than 1,100 points as Wall Street soars to its best day since last spring

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks surged to their best day since last spring as doubt swung back to hope on Wall Street about a possible end to the war with Iran. The S&P 500 leaped 2.9% Tuesday for its largest gain since May. Just a day before, worries about the war had sent the main measure of Wall Street’s health more than 9% below its all-time high set early this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 1,125 points, or 2.5%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 3.8%. Stocks strengthened after oil prices eased, which also sent yields lower in the bond market.

Gas prices eclipse $4 a gallon in the US, the highest since 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. gas prices have jumped past an average of $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022 as fuel prices continue to soar worldwide amid the Iran war. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now $4.02 — over a dollar more expensive than before the war began on Feb. 28. That’s the largest monthly jump the motor club has seen on record. As drivers pay more to cover necessities like gas, many households may be forced to cut their budgets in other places. And as businesses face higher transportation costs, prices of things like groceries and other goods people buy each day could also rise.

US consumer confidence inches up despite soaring gas prices brought on by war in Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence inched higher in March despite soaring energy prices brought on by the war in Iran. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose modestly to 91.8 in March from 91 in February. The board said that while rising costs due to tariffs and spiking oil prices induced by the conflict in the Middle East did not affect the topline confidence reading, there was increasing pessimism in other measures of the survey, including expectations of higher inflation. Respondents’ comments about oil, gas and war spiked and consumers’ 12-month inflation expectations surged to levels last seen in August 2025.

Job openings slide to 6.9 million in February, another hint of sluggish hiring in America

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. job openings fell slightly last month to 6.9 million, another sign of sluggishness in the American labor market. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that job vacancies fell from 7.2 million in January. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS), showed that layoffs rose and the number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects for finding better pay or working conditions elsewhere — slipped.

Jury can’t reach verdict in corruption trial of 2 ex-FirstEnergy executives in $60M bribery scandal

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A jury has deadlocked in the trial of two fired FirstEnergy Corp. executives charged for their roles in Ohio’s $60 million bribery scandal. Jurors in Akron declared an impasse Tuesday in the case of ex-CEO Chuck Jones and former senior vice president Michael Dowling. The two were charged with felony corruption, bribery, conspiracy and aggravated theft for paying $4.3 million to the state’s future top utility regulator. Prosecutors said Jones and Dowling bribed Public Utilities Commission of Ohio chair-to-be Sam Randazzo for legislative and regulatory favors. The defense said the payment represented an above-board legal settlement. The judge said she will rule later on a mistrial motion.

Lula keeps Alckmin as his running mate for Brazil’s general election in October

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says he will once again have his past rival and current Vice President Geraldo Alckmin as his running mate for his reelection bid. The leftist leader was under pressure to pick a different running mate from a bigger right-wing party. But his loyalty to the former Sao Paulo state governor prevailed on Tuesday. Brazil’s president said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that Alckmin will leave his ministerial role to be eligible in accordance with the country’s electoral law. Brazil is holding a general election in October.