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Stocks erase sharp losses; oil prices leap on Iran war worries

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices leaped Monday on worries that war with Iran could clog the global flow of crude and make inflation even worse. U.S. stocks, meanwhile, swung from sharp losses to a tiny gain. Crude prices jumped more than 6%, which will likely mean higher prices soon at gasoline pumps. That would hurt not only U.S. households, whose spending makes up the bulk of the U.S. economy, but also businesses with big fuel bills. The S&P 500 fell as much as 1.2% at the start of trading, and cruise lines and airlines led the way lower. But U.S. stocks quickly erased those losses, in ...

Individual investors’ impact on Wall Street grows

LOS ANGELES — For years, individual investors were dismissed by some on Wall Street as “dumb money.” That typically referred to those prone to trading on hype, or chasing trends rather than company or industry fundamentals, or responding late to big market moves. That’s no longer ...

YBI launches EmpowerUS awards

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Business Incubator hosted its inaugural EmpowerUS Awards on Thursday to honor minority-owned businesses and community leaders for their contributions to the region’s economy. The event, held in recognition of Black History Month, drew entrepreneurs, ...

5 smart ways to diversify your portfolio

Portfolio diversification might sound like a chore, but it’s worth the effort in 2026, given how dominant the artificial intelligence trade was last year. Without some smart diversification, your “just fine” investment portfolio from 2025 may be vulnerable in 2026. “Investors don’t have to think there’s an AI bubble to be concerned about the concentration risk that AI has wrought,” says Morningstar Indexes strategist Dan Lefkovitz. “Concentration … leaves investors holding a market portfolio less diversified than in the past—by stock, sector, and theme.” Here ...

Business briefs

LEWIS APPOINTED: Marcus Thomas, a Cleveland-based integrated marketing communications agency, recently announced the appointment of Youngstown-native Jill Lewis to chief client officer. With more than two decades of experience guiding large-scale, integrated marketing efforts at the agency, Lewis was appointed senior vice president, interim director of client service in 2025 before being named chief client officer. She previously managed the agency’s Health & Wellness practice, leading client Dexcom’s growth from a million-dollar company to a billion-dollar global leader over the ...