Commodities

The S&P 500 surged over 1 percent to a record high close on Monday as tropical storm Irma caused less damage than expected in Florida, and after North Korea did not test-fire missiles over the weekend, which some had feared.

Asian stocks jumped and the dollar strengthened Monday after Hurricane Irma weakened and North Korea marked a weekend holiday with celebrations but refrained from launching more missiles, easing geopolitical tensions.

Asian stocks jumped and the dollar strengthened Monday after Hurricane Irma weakened and North Korea marked a weekend holiday with celebrations but refrained from launching more missiles, easing geopolitical tensions.

Hurricane Irma seriously damaged Cuba’s already dilapidated sugar industry and flooded and flattened an extensive area of sugar cane, state-run media reported on Monday.

Hurricane Irma seriously damaged Cuba’s already dilapidated sugar industry and flooded and flattened an extensive area of sugar cane, state-run media reported on Monday.

___ Equifax breach: Criticism from lawmakers, what people can do NEW YORK (AP) — After 143 million Americans had their information exposed by credit reporting company Equifax, what should they do?

U.S. stock indexes were wavering between tiny gains and losses in early trading Friday.

U.S. stock indexes were wavering between tiny gains and losses in early trading Friday.

Orange juice futures are skyrocketing as citrus growers prepare for the worst from Hurricane Irma’s category 4 winds which can rip off fruit and damage citrus trees.

The S&P 500 ended slightly lower on Friday as investors braced for potential damage from Hurricane Irma as it moved toward Florida, while a decline in big tech names like Apple and Facebook pushed the Nasdaq down more sharply.

Wheat for Sept. was 8.25 cents lower 4.1350 a bushel; Sept. corn was down 5.25 cents at 3.4175 bushel; Sept. oats unchanged at $2.35 a bushel; while Sept. soybeans lost 1.25 cents at $9.6325 a bushel.

Oil prices slid on Friday, with U.S. crude down more than 3 percent on worries that commerce and energy demand in Florida and the Southeast would be hit hard as Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful storms in a century, drove toward the region.

Oil prices slid on Friday, with U.S. crude down more than 3 percent on worries that commerce and energy demand in Florida and the Southeast would be hit hard as Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful storms in a century, drove toward the region.

Grain futures were higher Friday in early trading on the Chicago Board of Trade.

Grain futures were higher Friday in early trading on the Chicago Board of Trade.

Asian shares mostly slipped Friday on worries about the damage from Hurricane Irma in the U.S., as well as lingering fears about ballistic missile launches and nuclear weapons in North Korea.

U.S. stocks edged lower in early trading Thursday, pulled down by insurers and other financial companies as investors weighed the prospects of big losses for the sector from Hurricane Irma.

___ Equifax says data from 143 million Americans exposed in hack ATLANTA (AP) — Credit monitoring company Equifax says a breach exposed social security numbers and other data from about 143 million Americans.

Wall Street ended little changed on Thursday after a moderate late-day rally as media stocks, which slumped on negative business updates from Walt Disney and Comcast, were offset by gains in healthcare shares.

Wall Street ended little changed on Thursday after a moderate late-day rally as media stocks, which slumped on negative business updates from Walt Disney and Comcast, were offset by gains in healthcare shares.