Financial Markets                      05/20 09:29

   

   NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. stock market is steadying on Wednesday after 
pressure eased on Wall Street from the bond market.

   The S&P 500 rose 0.3% toward its first gain in four days and pulled closer 
to its all-time high set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 
113 points, or 0.2%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 
0.6% higher.

   The company behind TJ Maxx, Marshalls and other stores helped lead the way 
and climbed 5.4% after delivering stronger profit and revenue for the latest 
quarter than analysts expected. CEO Ernie Herrman also said the current quarter 
is off to a good start, and TJX raised its forecasts for revenue and profit 
this year.

   Red Robin Gourmet Burgers rose 3.9%, and Cava Group rallied 8.8% following 
their own better-than-expected profit reports. Such results raise hopes that 
households can keep spending and driving the economy, even though they're 
contending with high gasoline prices and widespread discouragement about 
economic conditions.

   Most big U.S. companies have likewise reported better profits for the start 
of 2026 than analysts expected, which has helped stocks run to records. Stock 
prices tend to follow the path of corporate profits over the long term.

   The other main lever that helps set stock prices, interest rates, also gave 
some relief on Wednesday after Treasury yields eased.

   The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged back to 4.65% from 4.67% late 
Tuesday and slowed what had been a rapid ascent from less than 4% before the 
war with Iran. Yields have been climbing in bond markets worldwide on worries 
about the high oil prices caused by the war, among other factors. That in turn 
has been slowing economies and weighing on prices for stocks, bitcoin and all 
kinds of other investments.

   Higher yields can drive up rates for mortgages and loans going to companies 
to build artificial-intelligence data centers, which have been a big source of 
growth for the economy.

   Yields eased Wednesday as oil prices pulled back some more. The price for a 
barrel of Brent crude fell 2.4% to $108.68, though it remains well above its 
roughly $70 level from before the war.

   A report showing less bad inflation in the United Kingdom than economists 
expected also helped to keep yields calmer worldwide.

   On the losing side of Wall Street was Target, which fell 6.5% even though 
the retailer reported better profit and revenue for the latest quarter than 
analysts expected. A new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, is trying to turn around the 
company and boost its revenue.

   The main event for the market is set for after trading ends for the day. 
That's when Nvidia will report its latest results. The chip company has 
routinely blown past analysts' profit expectations each quarter, and how it 
does this time around could determine whether AI stocks and the larger U.S. 
market can maintain their rally.

   In stock markets abroad, indexes ticked higher in Europe following weaker 
finishes across Asia. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 1.2% as the yield on the 10-year 
Japanese government bond remained near its highest level since 1997.

   ___

   AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

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