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Futures Slip as Geopolitical Tensions Overshadow Strong Bank Earnings

  US stock futures edged lower as investors balanced upbeat bank earnings against rising geopolitical unease tied to escalating tensions involving Iran. Contracts tied to the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all traded in the red, signaling a cautious start to the trading day. Major banks delivered solid quarterly results, with strong trading revenue and resilient consumer activity helping lift sentiment in the financial sector. Yet the optimism was tempered by concerns that potential US responses to developments in Iran could inject fresh volatility into global markets. Energy prices climbed as traders braced for possible disruptions. The pullback comes at a moment when investors are already navigating a crowded landscape of economic data, inflation readings, and policy uncertainty. With markets on edge, even strong corporate performance wasn’t enough to counter the broader risk-off mood.

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Stock Market News: Weekly Recap



The stock market ended the week on a positive note, as major indexes edged higher on Friday. The S&P 500 gained 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.3%. The gains came after a week of solid earnings reports and economic data, which boosted investor confidence and optimism.

Some of the highlights of the week included:

- The third-quarter GDP report showed that the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 6.2%, slightly below expectations but still robust.

- The Federal Reserve announced that it will start tapering its monthly bond purchases by $15 billion in November, signaling its confidence in the economic recovery and inflation outlook.

- The October jobs report showed that the U.S. economy added 531,000 jobs, beating expectations and marking the strongest monthly gain since July. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6%, the lowest level since March 2020.

- Several major companies reported strong earnings results, such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Tesla.

The stock market has been resilient in the face of various challenges, such as supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, rising inflation, and the spread of the delta variant. The S&P 500 is up about 24% year to date, and is on track for its sixth consecutive month of gains.

Looking ahead, investors will be watching for more earnings reports, as well as data on consumer confidence, inflation, retail sales, and industrial production. The market will also be paying attention to any developments on the infrastructure and social spending bills in Congress, as well as the global climate summit in Glasgow.

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