Market Talk Roundup: Latest on U.S. Politics

Market Talks covering the impact of U.S. Politics and White House policies on companies and markets. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires throughout the day.

0248 ET - Bitcoin recovers slightly after reaching a two-and-a-half-week low on Thursday as risk appetite improves on hopes for diplomatic progress in the Middle East conflict. President Trump said in a Truth Social post that the U.S. won't attack Iran before November's midterm elections, citing "productive" discussions. Oil prices ease, sending the dollar lower and providing some support to bitcoin. Bitcoin rises 0.9% to $82,468 after hitting as low as $80,391 Thursday, LSEG data show. Thursday's declines were in part due to a stronger dollar and rising Treasury yields as oil prices jumped on concerns about an escalation in the Middle East. (renae.dyer@wsj.com)

1700 ET - Aritzia's tariff refunds helped 2Q profit surge. During the 2Q ended Aug. 30, 2026, the women's fashion brand recognized just about C$97.4 million in International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariff refunds that were received. The regulatory windfall significantly boosted reported results, lifting gross margins by 840 basis points to 57.1%. The refund also tripled net income to C$201.7 million, or C$1.70 a share. Excluding one-off items, such as the tariff windfall, adjusted net income more than doubled to C$156 million, or C$1.31 a share. (adriano.marchese@wsj.com)

1555 ET - Crude oil futures settled higher as Hurricane Isaias heads for the U.S. Gulf coast, shutting in production. The market reacts less to proclamations from President Trump regarding the status of negotiations with Iran and a pause on attacks until after the midterm elections on Nov. 3. Even though Trump's comments would suggest that negotiations are progressing, their effect on price movement appears to have weakened. "The market has heard it all before, and the pullback just isn't what it was in the past," says Robert Yawger of Mizuho Securities USA in a note. WTI finished up 3.6% to $91.49 a barrel, and Brent crude settled up 4.1% to $104.28 a barrel. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)

1311 ET - Crude oil futures pare their earlier gains, with WTI now up 2.9% to $90.86 a barrel and Brent crude up 3.2% to $103.38 a barrel. WTI was briefly over $93 a barrel in morning trade, but quickly backed-off from highs after President Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. would not attack Iran before the midterm elections are held on Nov. 3. Escalating fighting in the Middle East has been a factor pushing up crude oil prices in recent sessions. The U.S. dollar, which has strengthened on rising Treasury yields, is flat. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)

0841 ET - Political instability and rising debt costs in Europe leave the euro vulnerable to further falls, XS.com's Simon-Peter Massabni says in a note. European fiscal stability faces growing headwinds as the WSJ reports that France is considering issuing more short-term debt after foreign investors showed reluctance to hold longer-dated paper, he says. The report "indicates that market participants fear deep political paralysis in Paris will prevent the government from executing necessary public spending cuts," he says. Persistent energy inflation risks stemming from the Middle East conflict also weigh on the euro, he says. The euro falls 0.1% to $1.1184, having hit $1.1160 on Monday, its lowest level in more than 16 months, LSEG data show. (renae.dyer@wsj.com)

0659 ET - The crypto-friendly Clarity Act is unlikely to pass into law in the U.S. this year, JPMorgan analysts write. "With both chambers of Congress now out of session ahead of the 2026 midterms, we think passage of crypto legislation in this Congress through December 31 is unlikely," they say. Even Democrats who had been active in crafting the bill voted against it in the Senate, they note. (josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 09, 2026 02:48 ET (06:48 GMT)