Brian O'Connell

2 weeks ago | money.usnews.com | Brian O'Connell |Rachel McVearry

Down and discouraged for the first four months of the year, the U.S. stock market has bounced back in May. The benchmark S&P 500 is up 12.5% over the past month and is back in the black year to date, returning 1% as of the May 20 close. That latter figure isn't gaudy, but when investors consider how far the stock market had fallen through March 31, when the S&P 500 was down 5% for the year, May's figures look as if the market is on the right track.

3 weeks ago | money.usnews.com | Brian O'Connell |Rachel McVearry

Getty ImagesThe U.S. has agreed to temporarily drop its tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30% and China will in turn drop its tariffs on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%. May 12 was a flash point in the ongoing tariff troubles between the U.S. and China. Both sides agreed to a 90-day moratorium on retaliatory tariff hikes, trimming hefty tariffs for the three-month trade truce. The deal's centerpiece is a decline in reciprocal tariffs from 125% to 10% for the entire 90-day period.

1 month ago | money.usnews.com | Brian O'Connell |Rachel McVearry

Ömer Sercan Karku|Anadolu|Getty ImagesC3.ai Inc. shows strong growth and has formed major partnerships, potentially making it an attractive AI investment. It's been a tough year for artificial intelligence stocks, especially for nerve-jangled investors looking for short-term gains from AI stocks in 2025. Those gains haven't materialized, as the entire technology industry has fallen victim to geopolitical trade wars that have cut major sector stocks down to size. Take Microsoft Corp.

2 months ago | money.usnews.com | Brian O'Connell |Rachel McVearry

Hoops mania is in the air as passionate college basketball fans engage in a major spring rite in the U.S.: March Madness. Nowadays, filling out a bracket isn't enough for NCAA tournament fans. Digital betting has launched a wave of sports gambling platforms that allow wagers on everything from who wins the tipoff in Game 1 to who survives the Final Four and takes home the trophy in three weeks. Related: Sign up for stock news with our Invested newsletter.

2 months ago | money.usnews.com | Brian O'Connell |Rachel McVearry

It's been less than two months since Donald Trump took office as the nation's 47th president, but some of his administration's policy changes have landed like thunderbolts on the political stage.