For: March 11, 2026
>>Ahead Of The Bell
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed mostly lower on Wall Street. Stocks gave up gains late in the session as investors monitored developments in the Iran War. Oil prices retreated, but a report that Iran may be deploying mines in the Strait of Hormuz weighed on market sentiment. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 34 points to 47-706. The S&P 500 lost 14 points to 67-81. The Nasdaq rose one point to 22-697.
>>Consumer Prices Rose In Line With Expectations
(Washington, DC) -- Consumer prices rose about in line with what analysts were expecting in February. The Labor Department is reporting that the consumer price index, a bellweather basket of goods and services -- excluding food and energy -- dropped to two-tenths of a percent for the month, down from three-tenths in January. The annual inflation rate held steady for a second straight month at two-point-four percent, the lowest level since last May. Energy prices were up half a percent while the cost of food jumped three-point-one percent.
>>Gas Prices Continue Climbing
(Heathrow, FL) -- Another day, another jump in gas prices. Triple-A reports the national average for a gallon of regular gas jumped overnight to three-dollars and 57 cents a gallon. A week ago, the national average was at three-dollars and 19 cents. Flashback to a month ago and we were at two-93. Drivers in California are feeling the most pain at the pump with the statewide average at five-dollars and 33-cents a gallon.
>>Plane Ticket Prices Rise With Cost Of Fuel
(Undated) -- Airlines around the world are starting to hike ticket prices as the price of jet fuel spikes. Costs have climbed from 85-to-90 dollars a barrel before the start of the Iran War to anywhere from 150-to-200 dollars a barrel. Speaking at a recent industry event, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said he expected the situation in Iran to drive up airfare costs and impact the airline's financial results this quarter. Now, Australia's Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand have both announced increases in airfare, pinning them on the conflict in Iran. Hong Kong Airlines is bumping up its fuel surcharge by as much as 35-percent and in Vietnam, officials say airline operating costs have jumped as much as 70 percent. Finnair has warned that even more alarming than price increases, fuel availability could become an issue if the war drags on and becomes a "prolonged crisis."
>>Existing-Home Sales Rise In February
(Washington, DC) -- Home sales are picking up as mortgage rates decline. The National Association of Realtors says existing home sales increased by one-point-seven percent in February. The group's chief economist cited improving affordability as the key factor. Month-over-month sales of previously owned homes rose in the Midwest, South and West, but fell in the Northeast.
>>Musk Still World's Richest Person
(Undated) -- Elon Musk is still the richest person in the world. Forbes is out with its list of the wealthiest people in 2026 and once again the Tesla and SpaceX CEO is on top of the list with an estimated fortune of 839-billion-dollars. The list, which makes an effort to list all the world's billionaires, grew by 400 to more than 34-hundred this year. In the next two spots are Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin, followed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
>>George Clooney Launching Non-Alcoholic Beer Brand
(Los Angeles, CA) -- Actor George Clooney is launching a non-alcoholic beer brand. Clooney is teaming up with entrepreneur Rande Gerber and real estate developer Mike Meldman. On Monday, they announced Crazy Mountain, a non-alcoholic lager-style beer. Clooney says it will give people the taste of beer without the after affects. Crazy Mountain will debut in select U.S markets, including Los Angeles, later this month. Clooney previously co-founded the Casamigos tequila brand with Gerber. In 2017, they sold it to beverage giant Diageo in a deal worth up to a billion dollars.
