{
  "id": 1512840,
  "title": "US stocks hang near their record heights",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/us-stocks-hang-near-their-record-heights",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-17T16:27:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20260818/us-stocks-hang-near-their-record-heights"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "U.S. stocks are inching closer to record highs on Monday, as investors anticipate profit reports from major retailers later in the week, which may shed light on consumer behavior amidst high inflation and a weakening job market. The S&P 500 fell by 0.1 percent, but remains in close proximity to its all-time peak reached on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 209 points, or 0.4 percent, as of noon Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2 percent. The surge in Wall Street's performance can be attributed to the remarkable growth in U.S. company profits. In the S&P 500 index, earnings per share are projected to surge by approximately 50 percent in the spring compared to the previous year, according to FactSet. This projection is significantly higher than what analysts had anticipated and would represent the most substantial increase since five years ago, during the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. All companies in the S&P 500 have already submitted their profit reports for the spring. However, upcoming reports from significant retailers, such as Home Depot, Target, and Walmart, are expected in the coming week and may face increased scrutiny due to the challenging economic conditions.",
  "summary": "NEW YORK — U.S. stocks are drifting near their record heights on Monday, ahead of a week where profit reports from the nation’s biggest retailers could give a hint about how shoppers are dealing with high inflation and a slowing job market. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1 percent but remains near its all-time high set Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 209 points, or 0.4 percent, as of…",
  "key_points": [
    "U.S. stocks near record highs as investors await retailer profit reports",
    "S&P 500 close to all-time peak, Dow Jones down 0.4 percent",
    "S&P 500 earnings per share projected to rise 50% in spring"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "US stocks hang near their record heights",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/us-stocks-hang-near-their-record-heights-1514792",
        "published": "2026-08-17T16:32:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}