Business News

(NEW YORK) -- Stocks closed significantly lower on Friday as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran showed little sign of an imminent resolution that would end one of the worst global oil shocks in decades.The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 790 points, or 1.7%, while the S&P 500 fell 1.6%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 2.1%.The session on Friday marked the end of a woeful week for the major stock indexes. The Dow declined 1% this […]

(NEW YORK) -- A threat of U.S. attacks on power plants in Iran continues to loom over the Middle East conflict, even after Trump pushed back a self-imposed deadline for the second time.In a post on social media on Thursday, Trump said he was "pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction" until April 6.In the event of such an attack, Iran has said it would carry out tit-for-tat strikes against […]

(NEW YORK) -- The U.S. economy slowed more than expected over the final months of 2025, federal government data on Friday showed.The economy grew at an annualized rate of 1.4% in the fourth quarter in the government's initial estimate, marking a cooldown from blistering-hot 4.4% growth recorded in the previous quarter.The slowdown at the end of last year stemmed in part from a decline in the pace of consumer spending, the U.S. Commerce […]

(LOS ANGELES) -- A landmark trial over social media addiction has drawn fresh scrutiny to a decades-old legal shield: Section 230.The case, which began last Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, centers on claims against Meta -- the parent company of Facebook and Instagram -- and YouTube, which is owned by Google. Plaintiffs argue the companies knowingly built features that encouraged compulsive use among young users, contributing to long-term […]

(WASHINGTON) -- Mark Zuckerberg took the stand on Wednesday in a landmark Los Angeles trial alleging that major social media platforms were intentionally designed to be addictive for children and teens.The case, which began last Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, centers on claims against Meta -- the parent company of Facebook and Instagram -- and YouTube, which is owned by Google. Plaintiffs argue the companies knowingly built features that encouraged compulsive […]

(NEW YORK) -- A thaw in the housing market may deliver relief for homebuyers left out in the cold over recent years, analysts told ABC News.After the pandemic, a rapid rise in home prices coincided with stubbornly high mortgage rates, shutting out potential buyers.Glimmers of hope have started to emerge, however. Mortgage rates are falling, wages are rising faster than home prices and homebuyers are scooping up their biggest discounts […]

Photo taken on Aug. 12, 2024 shows the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange NYSE in New York, the United States. (Liu Yanan/Xinhua via Getty Images) (NEW YORK) -- The Dow Jones Industrial average closed up more than 600 points on Monday after President Donald Trump claimed "productive conversations" had been held between the United States and Iran.The major stock indexes each soared more than 2% in early trading but […]

Photo taken on Aug. 12, 2024 shows the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange NYSE in New York, the United States. (Liu Yanan/Xinhua via Getty Images) (NEW YORK) -- The Dow Jones Industrial average soared more than 1,000 points on Monday after President Donald Trump claimed "productive conversations" had been held between the United States and Iran.The major stock indexes shed some of the morning's gains by midday as a […]

(NEW YORK) -- Valentine's Day shoppers may feel jilted by runaway chocolate prices.Chocolate prices soared 14.4% over the initial weeks of 2026 when compared to the same period a year earlier, nearly doubling the pace of price increases at the start of 2025, according to findings shared with ABC News by intelligence firm Datasembly.The sharp rise in chocolate prices owes to a cocoa shortage caused primarily by adverse weather and […]