Oil and gas prices rose sharply and stock markets slid back on Thursday after Iranian strikes hit energy infrastructure in the Middle East, including Qatar's main gas facility. Brent crude was trading at just over $108 a barrel on Thursday evening, having risen as high as $119 earlier in the day
‘Gudi Padwa puja rituals in Karachi’: Family celebrates Marathi New Year in Pakistan. WatchThe content creator shared a video showcasing how he and his family celebrated Gudi Padwa in Karachi, Pakistan. Published on: Mar 20, 2026 7:52 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link As the Marathi
Bharti Singh finally reveals face of her second son Yashveer; fans call him Haarsh Limbachiyaa's ‘carbon copy’. WatchFans expressed their affection for Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa's baby Yashveer, aka Kaju, comparing his looks to both parents. Mar 20, 2026
India is ageing fast. The population aged 60 and above in the country is projected to more than double from 100 million in 2011 to 230 million in 2036. By last year, the elderly made up 11% of the country’s population; with improvements in life expectancy and falling fertility
For frequent flyers, damaged luggage is not uncommon. Broken wheels, cracked shells, missing locks, or items mysteriously gone, well that’s as regular a trip for many as it comes. While airlines often attribute such issues to “handling errors" or “transit damage
US stock market ends 2025 on a high note after volatile year
US stock market ends 2025 on a high note after volatile year
It's been a roller-coaster year for financial markets - but US stock investors are heading into 2026 on a high note.
US President Donald Trump's global trade tariffs sent shockwaves through markets in the spring. But by summer, the US saw record highs fuelled by strong company profits and confidence in artificial intelligence investments.
The S&P 500 index is on track to end the year up about 17%, the third consecutive year of double-digit gains.
Next year could shape up to be yet another big one for stock investors, analysts say. Still, with leadership changes at the US central bank and mounting concerns that AI stocks are overvalued, the path ahead might be bumpy.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite index is poised for a 21% gain this year, while the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies is roughly 12% higher year-to-date.
In early April, when Trump announced sweeping tariffs on US trading partners, the S&P 500 fell to the brink of bear market territory - Wall Street's term for a drop of 20% from the latest high. Both the Nasdaq Composite and Russell 2000 indexes did briefly tumble into bear markets.
But major indexes quickly bounced back after Trump walked back his steepest tariffs, easing Wall Street's fears about a tariff-driven economic slowdown.
Stocks have since surged to new highs.
That's been in spite of persistent jitters about the economy, Robert Edwards, chief investment officer at Edwards Asset Management, said in a note.
"The market continues to climb the wall of worry into next year," he said.
He added that 2026 "should be another year of record setting for stocks", pointing in part to expectations for lower borrowing costs, which could boost corporate earnings and drive stock prices higher.
Strong earnings growth in corporate America has been a key driver of the stock market rally since the tariff-driven whiplash in the spring, said Parag Thatte, an equity strategist at Deutsche Bank.
At the same time, geopolitical tensions, Trump's tariffs and expectations of interest rate cuts added to investor demand this year for safe haven assets, such as gold and other commodities. The price of gold is on track for a nearly 70% yearly increase.
Bitcoin, on the other hand, has struggled to keep up with strong returns across stocks and gold.
Despite getting a boost earlier in the year from the Trump administration's support for digital assets, the world's largest cryptocurrency is poised to end 2025 slightly lower, after a sharp decline from its record highs in October.
Enthusiasm among investors about massive AI spending has helped several tech firms outperform the broader S&P 500.
The top five companies - Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet - make up almost 30% of the overall index.
But in recent months, fears have mounted in Silicon Valley and beyond of an AI bubble bursting, as the values of tech companies linked to AI have soared and companies keep spending big on the burgeoning industry.
Analysts note that corporate earnings growth appears to be broadening out beyond the tech sector. That could offer investors a cushion, as tech company valuations remain under intense scrutiny.
Mr Thatte, with Deutsche Bank, said growth picked up for average-sized companies in the third quarter of 2025, not just for tech giants. He called this a "key development".
But even with increasingly broad gains across the US stock market, whether the S&P 500 can maintain its momentum if the tech sector's rally were to slow remains to be seen.
The rotation is already happening," Mr Thatte said, referring to investors pivoting away from Big Tech stocks. "It might be noisy along the way.
There are also ongoing concerns among professional investors that some stocks outside of tech are overvalued, too.
Analysts at Vanguard predict annualized returns of about 3.5% to 5.5% for US stocks over the next decade - a relatively subdued outlook, compared to recent gains.
In 2025, the US economy "probably held up better than most people had expected," said David Sekera, chief US market strategist at Morningstar.
The world's largest economy picked up speed over the three months to September, expanding at an annual rate of 4.3%, up from 3.8% in the previous quarter - the strongest growth in two years.
But that's not to say there aren't big economic question marks in the months ahead.
There's still the possibility that Trump tariff policies could prompt another jolt to markets. Negotations between Washington and major trading partners will be "an ongoing headline", Mr Sekera said.
The US labour market has also shown signs of weakness. The unemployment rate rose to a four-year high of 4.6% in November, up from 4.4% in September, according to Labor Department figures.
With policy risk not subsiding anytime soon," analysts at Charles Schwab wrote in a research note, "the bar for a pullback or mini correction in the beginning of 2026 is not terribly high.
Trump is also expected to name a new Federal Reserve chair in the coming weeks, to succeed Jerome Powell after his term ends in May.
The decision is "the big uncertainty" for investors heading into 2026, Paul Stanley, chief investment officer at Granite Bay Wealth Management, said in a note.
Trump, who has been pressuring Powell to lower interest rates, has said he will pick a Fed chair who he views as committed to easing borrowing costs.
Wall Street investors will be focused on understanding how the change in leadership will impact monetary policy moving forward.
"Fed chair transitions come with volatility," Mr Stanley said.
That leaves investors facing down plenty of unpredictability, even as analysts anticipate another strong year ahead.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Priyanka Chopra holds Malti tightly as she enjoys her first roller coaster ride German woman calls Delhi traffic a real life ‘roller coaster’ ICICI Prudential Life rolls out Sector Leaders Index Fund for ULIP investors Can Heavy Roller Flatten India’s Fightback Stock exchanges step up vigil as brokers cross-sell financial products Indian stock markets plummet over 2% rattled by West Asia tensions Indian Stock Markets Open Lower Amid Profit Booking Stock markets snap 3-day rally on profit-taking in HDFC Stock markets end marginally lower in volatile trade ahead of RBI rate decision Stock markets rattled and energy prices soar after strikes on Qatar gas hub
India's auto boom at risk as Iran war chokes gas supply at car plantsMaruti Suzuki to Tata Motors and Mahindra, as well as their parts suppliers, are staring at a production loss as govt diverts gas supply to households. Updated on: Mar 19, 2026 11:23 PM IST Reuters Share via Copy link India's
3 hours ago
The Donald Trump administration is not considering any restrictions on oil exports, a US official said on Thursday, even as Washington grapples with rising energy costs triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “Oil and gas export restrictions are not under consideration
3 hours ago
In February, a video of a mother shouting at security guards at a park in Delhi went viral on social media. The mother, Mona Mishra, got into an argument with the guards after they allegedly stopped her five-year-old daughter from playing on a swing at the city’s Sunder Nursery. In the video
3 hours ago
The historic heart of South Korea's capital is bracing itself for what may well be the year's biggest event: the return of the world's most successful band in recent years, BTS. Some 260,000 people are expected to turn up on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square, where the seven K-pop stars - RM, Jin
3 hours ago
FIFA mandates new rules to tackle gender bias in leadership roles: ‘There are simply not enough women in coaching today’ Published on: Mar 20, 2026 7:34 AM IST Written by Probuddha Bhattacharjee Share via Copy link FIFA President Gianni Infantino (AFP) Key Takeaways Summary is AI-generated FIFA
3 hours ago
Nottingham Forest have not had an abundance of reasons to celebrate with their fans this season. Separated from the Premier League's relegation zone only on goal difference and on their fourth manager of the season, things have been fairly bleak at the City Ground
3 hours ago
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro reflects maturity with design, performance and experienceFoundations for Nothing’s newest phone include a sharper design, consistent performance and usability elements that seem to be growing into its ambition Published on: Mar 19
3 hours ago
Just under 100 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of March, according to data analysed by BBC Verify, despite periodic attacks on shipping in the area by Iranian forces. While some energy and everyday goods are still moving through one of the world's busiest shipping
3 hours ago
The United States and Japan announced Thursday a $40 billion project to build nuclear reactors in Tennessee and Alabama, after a meeting of the two countries' leaders in Washington. The countries announced the first tranche of projects under the new investment fund in February
3 hours ago
The Delhi High Court has given former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and others a week to respond to the Enforcement Directorate's plea. The ED wants the court to remove critical remarks made by a special CBI court. These remarks were made while discharging 23 individuals in the Delhi
3 hours ago
Aston Villa were urged not to become a "maybe" team. Yet maybe this is their year. When Emi Martinez charged up the pitch to celebrate after his quick thinking set up John McGinn's opener there was no doubt their Europa League dream would continue.Aston Villa were urged not to become a "maybe" team
3 hours ago
Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge finally hit theatres on March 19. But some paid previews of the film were also held in certain theatres across the country. While it was meant to be an exclusive preview of Aditya Dhar’s directorial, it turned into a night of confusion
3 hours ago
Saumya Tandon, who plays Rehman Dakait’s wife in Dhurandhar, has shared some inside pictures from the film’s success bash, which was held in Mumbai on Thursday night. In one of the pictures, the actress is all smiles as Ranveer Singh takes a selfie with her. In another
3 hours ago
Stocks to watch: Shares of firms like Vedanta, HDFC Bank, Manappuram, Nazara Tech, UltraTech Cement, and others will be in focus on Thursday’s trade Stocks to Watch On March 19, 2026: Stocks Indian benchmark indices — the BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 — are likely to open sharply lower on Thursday
3 hours ago
In a move that sent ripples across the paddock (not the type that plagued Fernando Alonso at Shanghai), Adrian Newey is set to step down from his team principal role at Aston Martin F1 Team, just months after taking charge. The man widely regarded as Formula One’s greatest designer isn’t
3 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.This Samsung smart TV price drop is turning premium screens into irresistible dealsSamsung smart TVs are now available at reduced prices
3 hours ago
The Asom Gana Parishad has announced 26 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls. Its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, is part of the NDA alliance. The Congress party has also released its third list, bringing their total declared candidates to 102. The state of Assam has 126 assembly seats
3 hours ago
Viral baby monkey Punch-kun finds ‘girlfriend’ Momo-chan after being abandoned at Japan zoo | See videoBaby macaque Punch-kun goes viral again for forming bond with Momo-chan. Updated on: Mar 20, 2026 7:42 AM IST By Prakriti Deb Share via Copy link A baby macaque captured global attention for
3 hours ago
The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday told gym owner Deepak Kumar, who opposed the harassment of an elderly Muslim shopkeeper by alleged Bajrang Dal members, that he was attempting to sensationalise the matter by seeking police protection as part of his petition, Bar and Bench reported
3 hours ago
The BJP’s Christian outreach, which has been a talking point in Keralam for long, is now taking clearer electoral shape. The party is banking on gains among Christian voters in the assembly elections this time as the early momentum appears to be driven by sections of the Syro-Malabar community
3 hours ago
Jammu and Kashmir police have dismantled a sophisticated international cyber fraud network in Srinagar. Seven individuals were arrested for targeting victims in the USA, UK, and Canada. The syndicate used fake online advertisements and psychological tactics
3 hours ago
The execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi has thrust Iran’s crackdown on dissent back into the global spotlight. According to reports from Euronews, Iranian authorities executed three men on March 19 — Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi
3 hours ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he held talks with Qatar PM Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and condemned the latest Iranian attack on Qatar’s energy infrastructure. In a post on X, PM Modi said: “Spoke with my brother, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar
3 hours ago
Tarot Horoscope Today for March 20, 2026: Emotions may feel intense; rely on intuitionThis article will dive into the daily tarot reading for each zodiac sign for March 20, 2026, with our expert's predictions. Published on: Mar 20, 2026 7:00 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link The tarot
3 hours ago
Income Tax: While overall tax burden for individuals remains largely unchanged, the new tax law introduces structural changes in the way income is assessed and returns are filed. India’s direct tax framework is set for a major overhaul from April 1, 2026, when the new Income-tax Act, 2025
3 hours ago
The Salt Path author Raynor Winn wrote a book published in 2012 – despite repeatedly claiming her controversial 2018 release documenting a life-changing walk was the first she had ever written. In a new BBC Sounds podcast Secrets of the Salt Path
3 hours ago
Love and Relationship Horoscope for March 20, 2026: A random moment may spark joy in your love lifeDaily Love Horoscope for March 20, 2026 Explore relationship insights and emotional guidance for all sun signs today Published on: Mar 20, 2026 6:01 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link
3 hours ago
