By midday, the Dow was trading near 49,368, though it later eased slightly as investors locked in early gains. The S&P 500 hovered near its own record territory, holding just under 7,000, while the Investors are entering 2026 with cautious optimism. Expectations for stable U.S. growth, cooling inflation pressures, and resilient corporate earnings are providing support. At the same time, markets are closely tracking geopolitical developments involving Venezuela, Iran, and Israel, as well as their implicatio ...