Top U.S. Stories

  • Trump’s UN address centers on Iran. President Trump issued a stark warning to Iran at the UN General Assembly, then said senior U.S. and Iranian officials had held three hours of talks and that the meeting went well. Why it matters: Markets are weighing the prospect of diplomacy against the continuing risk of a broader regional conflict.
  • Networks suspend White House pool coverage. ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC suspended their pool coverage after the administration removed CNN as the TV pool provider.
  • Paramount clears a major legal hurdle. Paramount Skydance settled the antitrust suit brought by California and 11 other states over its Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The settlement still needs court approval.
  • Trump meets Japan’s Takaichi before Xi summit. Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met in New York, where Takaichi said they reaffirmed their commitment to the U.S.–Japan alliance. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to discuss trade, AI, Taiwan and Iran later this week.
  • Rates keep rising. The Fed raised its target range to 3.75%–4.00%. Its September projections show a median year-end policy rate of 4.1%, consistent with one more quarter-point increase in 2026.

Compass Insight

Markets are caught between diplomacy and higher interest rates. Crude fell for a second day as investors assessed the U.S.–Iran talks, though contract expiration and position adjustments also affected the move. That makes it too early to treat the decline as lasting relief from high energy costs.

Borrowing costs are still moving higher. The Fed raised rates in September and its median projection points to another quarter-point increase this year. The Bank of Japan also lifted its policy rate to 1.25%. In the near term, watch the Trump–Xi meeting, developments in U.S.–Iran diplomacy and the reopening of Tokyo markets on Sept. 24.

Markets

  • Dow: 51,863.69, down 185.14 (-0.36%)
  • S&P 500: 7,764.64, essentially flat (-0.06)
  • Nasdaq Composite: 27,244.28, up 122.18 (+0.45%)
  • WTI crude (Oct): $94.59, down $1.19 (-1.24%)
  • Brent crude (Nov): $99.25, down $1.09 (-1.09%)
  • USD/JPY: 157.18, the Sept. 22 ECB reference rate
  • Nikkei 225: 65,018.95, up 882.70 (+1.38%) at the Sept. 18 close. Tokyo markets are shut through Sept. 23 for holidays.

Stocks in Focus

  • Meta Platforms: Its Muse AI agent reached No. 1 among free iPhone apps in the U.S., supporting renewed interest in consumer AI services.
  • Paramount Skydance / Warner Bros. Discovery: The state settlement advances the merger, but court approval and other closing steps remain.
  • Energy: Crude declined for a second day as traders weighed U.S.–Iran diplomacy alongside persistent regional supply risks.

Sources:

Auto-generated and AI-written. Not investment advice.