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Tariff Costs Put New Pressure on U.S. Corporate Profits

Rising tariff expenses are beginning to weigh heavily on U.S. companies, prompting executives across multiple industries to warn that profit margins may tighten in the months ahead. Many firms had initially suggested they could manage the added costs through efficiency improvements or selective price increases, but that confidence is fading as import-related expenses continue to climb. Companies that rely on global supply chains are feeling the strain most acutely. Higher costs on imported materials and components are forcing difficult decisions: pass the increases on to consumers, risking weaker demand, or absorb the costs internally, which directly erodes profitability. For many businesses, neither option is attractive. Consumer-facing brands are finding it especially challenging to raise prices further, as shoppers show growing sensitivity to even modest increases. This resistance limits the ability of firms to offset tariff-driven expenses, creating a squeeze that is beginning t...

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Stocks Open on a Positive Note as Earnings Season Kicks Off

 

The stock market opened on a positive note today, with stocks edging up as the earnings season kicks off. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.2%, or about 75 points, while the benchmark S&P 500 gained 0.4% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite advanced about 0.3%. 

The earnings season is seen as a crucial chance for stocks to shake off the losses built in the year so far. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo all posted decent results on Friday, but the latter two saw shares fall as they failed to settle nerves about potential pain ahead.

Oil prices jumped more than 2% after the US and its allies launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, drawing threats of reprisals from the Iran-backed group behind Red Sea attacks on shipping. Meanwhile, investors are looking for more insight into price pressures after the consumer CPI reading came in hotter than expected on Thursday. 

On Friday, the producer price index showed an unexpected fall in prices last month, boosting hopes that inflation will continue to cool in the months ahead.



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