What are today's top business/market headlines?

Here's a roundup of today's top business and market headlines (Monday, October 12, 2026):

Markets & Economy

•U.S. equity markets posted broad weekly gains from October 5 to October 11, 2026, with benchmark indexes achieving new record highs before experiencing mid-week volatility, as the S&P 500 rose 1.2% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.9%. The Dow Jones gained 423.31 points, or 0.8%, to close at 51,654.95 on Friday, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.6% to 7,811.54 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.6%, with all three major indexes recording weekly gains.

•This came despite 10-year Treasury yields hitting 5.24%, with value and equal-weighted indexes outperforming as tech lagged.

•Although today is Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq are expected to remain open for regular trading, running from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, though the bond market will close for the holiday while equity markets remain open for trading.

•Looking ahead, upcoming catalysts include CPI, PPI, retail sales, and Q3 bank earnings, with JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and UnitedHealth Group expected to report earnings on October 13.

Fed & Inflation

•Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller noted during an October 8 address in Istanbul that upside risks to inflation remain a key concern, with core personal consumption expenditures inflation remaining sticky between 2.5% and 3.0%.

Corporate News

•Third-quarter earnings season kicked off alongside strategic commercial deals, including Constellation Energy contracting power delivery to Google, which provided support to energy and industrial shares.

•Retailers from BJ's to Lululemon are trimming the number of items they sell to boost business.

•Delta cut its 2026 forecast on a fuel surge, though the CEO said demand remains strong.

•Elsewhere in retail, Starbucks is set to shutter 250 stores in North America this week in a second wave of closings.

Consumer & Markets Sentiment

•Consumer sentiment has dropped near an all-time low as prices weigh on shoppers, with the monthly reading being the second-lowest in the 74-year history of the survey.

•On market sentiment, the CBOE Volatility Index edged down to 15.41, while the Fear & Greed Index rose from 31 to 45 into neutral territory, even though broader market breadth metrics remained cautious.

Geopolitics Affecting Markets

•Russian President Putin relayed an Iran war proposal to Trump, according to the Kremlin, and Trump has struck a deal with Putin to supply Russian diesel to world markets.

•Bond vigilantes are weighing whether Italy could be next after France in facing scrutiny over Rome's spending hike.

Legal/Regulatory

•New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed suit against prediction-market platform Polymarket.

Let me know if you'd like me to dig deeper into any specific sector or story.

Citations (15)

1tradingkey.comData and tools
US Stock Market This Week - 2026-10-12 - Tradingkey
Source excerpt: “U.S. equity markets posted broad weekly gains for the period from October 5 to October 11, 2026, with benchmark indexes achieving new record highs bef...”
2sundayguardianlive.comNews and media
US Stock Market Prediction Tomorrow (October 12): Will Dow Jones, S&P 500 & Nasdaq Futures Rise or Fall? Check Wall Street Outlook, Inflation Data, Market Trends & Stocks to Watch
Source excerpt: “The Dow Jones gained 423.31 points, or 0.8%, to close at 51,654.95 on Friday. The S&P 500 advanced 0.6% to 7,811.54, while the Nasdaq Composite rose ...”
3tradingkey.comData and tools
US Stock Market This Week - 2026-10-12 - Tradingkey
Source excerpt: “# US Stock Weekly Report ## Key Points U.S. equities posted weekly gains, with the S&P 500 rising 1.2% to record highs despite 10-year Treasury yields...”
4sundayguardianlive.comNews and media
Columbus Day 2026: What’s Open and Closed in the US on October 12? Check Holiday Closure Status of Banks, USPS Mail, Schools, Stock Market & More
Source excerpt: “Yes. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq are expected to remain open for regular trading on Monday, October 12, 2026. The usual trading se...”
5wisevoter.comNot yet classified
US Stock Exchanges Will Operate on October 12, 2026
Source excerpt: “While federal offices and the bond market close for the holiday, equity markets will remain open for trading. ”
6tradingkey.comData and tools
US Stock Market This Week - 2026-10-12 - Tradingkey
Source excerpt: “Upcoming catalysts include CPI, PPI, retail sales, and Q3 bank earnings. ”
7schwab.comCompanies
Stocks Rebound Early as AI Jitters EaseStocks Rebound Early as AI Jitters Ease
Source excerpt: “October 13: Expected earnings from JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS), Wells Fargo (WFC), Citigroup (C), UnitedHealth Group ... # Stocks Reboun...”
8tradingkey.comData and tools
US Stock Market This Week - 2026-10-12 - Tradingkey
Source excerpt: “Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller noted during an October 8 address in Istanbul that upside risks to inflation remain a key concern, with co...”
9tradingkey.comData and tools
US Stock Market This Week - 2026-10-12 - Tradingkey
Source excerpt: “In corporate news, third-quarter earnings season kicked off alongside strategic commercial deals, including Constellation Energy contracting power del...”
10cnbc.comNews and mediaquality 0.85
Business News
Source excerpt: “# Business News From BJ’s to Lululemon, retailers are trimming the number of items they sell to boost business From BJ’s to Lululemon, retailers are ...”
11abcnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.67
Business News, Personal Finance and Money News - ABC News
Source excerpt: “## Starbucks to shutter 250 stores in North America this week in 2nd wave of closings ## Shoppers squeezed by surging inflation and higher interest r...”
12abcnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.67
Business News, Personal Finance and Money News - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Find the latest business news on Wall Street, jobs and the economy, the housing market, personal finance and money investments and much more on ABC Ne...”
13tradingkey.comData and tools
US Stock Market This Week - 2026-10-12 - Tradingkey
Source excerpt: “Market sentiment demonstrated moderate stabilization despite pressure from the bond market, with the CBOE Volatility Index edging down to 15.41. Equit...”
14cnbc.comNews and mediaquality 0.85
International Business, World News & Global Stock Market Analysis
Source excerpt: “My Portfolio + LINK YOUR PORTFOLIO Putin relayed Iran war proposal to Trump, Kremlin says ## Putin relayed Iran war proposal to Trump, Kremlin say...”
15cnbc.comNews and mediaquality 0.85
International Business, World News & Global Stock Market Analysis
Source excerpt: “Bond vigilantes weigh Rome's spending hike After France, is Italy next? ”