For: March 31, 2026
>>Ahead Of The Bell
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after a mixed start to what will be a holiday-shortened trading week. Stocks erased nearly all early gains led by a steep decline in the technology sector. Meanwhile, oil prices edged higher with Brent crude heading for a record monthly surge. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 49 points to 45-216. The S&P 500 lost 25 points to 63-43. The Nasdaq fell 153 points to 20-794. The market will be closed Friday in observance of Good Friday.
>>Average Gas Prices Top $4 A Gallon
(Heathrow, FL) -- Gas prices continue to climb day by day. Triple-A says today's national average has crossed the four-dollar mark, at four-oh-one a gallon for regular gas. A month ago, the national average was about two-98.
>>Fed Chairman Jerome Powell Speaks At Harvard
(Cambridge, MA) -- Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is signaling a wait-and-see approach on interest rates. Delivering remarks at Harvard on Monday, Powell said the central bank continues to monitor inflation expectations, especially given the situation in the Middle East, but said "We feel like our policy is in a good place for us to wait and see how that turns out." The FOMC's next interest rate decision is due at the end of April. Interest rates weren't the only subject the chairman addressed yesterday. Asked what advice he would give to undergraduates in the crowd, Powell acknowledged that this is a "challenging time to enter the labor market" and encouraged them to embrace AI.
>>Proposal To Expand 401(k) Assets
(Washington, DC) -- The Labor Department wants to make it easier for 401(k) plans to include assets like cryptocurrency, real estate and private market assets. The rule proposed Monday falls in line with an executive order from President Trump last year, which called for expanded access to alternative assets in a 401(k). Those in favor of the change say it could let people save for retirement with greater diversification beyond public markets. Others warn that many investors might not be knowledgeable enough to use these assets effectively, ones that often carry higher risk. The rule is subject to further review before it can be adopted.
>>Air Canada CEO Stepping Down After Deadly Collision
(Undated) -- The CEO of Air Canada is planning an early retirement after facing public pushback on his response to a deadly crash that left two pilots dead. According to a statement from Air Canada, Michael Rosseau, who has been with the company for nearly two decades, plans to step down by the end of the third quarter. The crash involved an Air Canada Express flight from Montreal that collided with an airport fire truck at LaGuardia, killing both pilots and injuring dozens. The 68-year-old executive came under scrutiny after delivering a condolence message that was mostly in English despite Canada's two official languages being English and French. Some critics said his remarks dismissed French-speaking Canadians while political leaders also added to the criticism by arguing that his lack of fluency reflected a disconnect with a significant portion of the country.
>>NBA Board Of Governors Approves Trail Blazers Sale
(Portland, OR) -- The sale of the Portland Trail Blazers has been approved by the NBA Board of Governors. It's reportedly a two-part deal with the initial sale closing on March 31st. The second part finalizes no later than September 1st, 2028. The Athletic reports the sale price paid by Tom Dundon's group will be four-and-a-quarter billion dollars.
