By STAN CHOE, Associated Press Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Most U.S. stocks are ticking higher on Wednesday, a day after breaking their seven-day winning streak, while the price of gold is pushing further past $4,000 per ounce.

The S&P 500 rose 0.1% and is near its all-time high set on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 20 points, or less than 0.1%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% higher.

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AST SpaceMobile jumped 17% after Verizon Communications agreed to use its space-based network to offer service to its cellular customers when needed, starting in 2026. Verizon edged down by 0.1%.

The stock market is near records, but trading has been relatively muted recently following the U.S. government’s latest shutdown. That has delayed the release of several major economic reports, such as the monthly jobs report, which usually move the market. Stocks have been drifting without them or other signals to change forecasts for continued cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, one of the major reasons for the stock market’s stellar performance since April.

Another force that’s pushed the market to records is the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology.

Poet Technologies rallied 4.7% and added to its surge of 23.5% from Tuesday, when it said it raised $75 million in investment to accelerate its growth. The company sells high-speed optical engines and other products used in the AI systems market.

Dell Technologies likewise piled more gains onto its own rally from Tuesday, when it talked up growth opportunities related to AI, and rose nearly 6% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500.

AI-related stocks have broadly been on a tear. Chipmaker Nvidia came into the day up nearly 40% for the year so far. Oracle soared 70% over the same time, while Palantir Technologies more than doubled with a 140.9% surge.

But such performances have raised criticism that prices have gone too far, too fast and are reminiscent of the 2000 dot-com bubble that ultimately imploded and halved the S&P 500’s value.

Proponents say AI stocks are backed by big growth in profits, something that many dot-com stocks didn’t have. But the Bank of England nevertheless warned Wednesday of the rising risk that tech stock share prices pumped up by the AI boom could face a “sudden correction.”

“On a number of measures, equity market valuations appear stretched, particularly for technology companies focused on Artificial Intelligence,” policymakers at the U.K. central bank said in a report. With Big Tech companies accounting for an increasingly outsize share of stock market indexes, stocks are “particularly exposed should expectations around the impact of AI become less optimistic.”

Gold, meanwhile, continued its stellar year and rose further past $4,000 per ounce. Investors have traditionally seen gold as a way to protect against rising inflation, and its price has soared more than 50% this year.

Worries are high about big debt loads that the U.S. and other governments are building, which threaten to push inflation higher. Political instability around the world and expectations for rate cuts by the Fed are also helping to push up interest in gold.

The Fed will release the minutes from its last meeting later in the afternoon. That’s when the Fed cut its main interest rate for the first time this year and hinted that more may be on the way. It’s trying to support a slowing job market but also says it’s staying mindful of inflation, which remains above its target of 2%. Lower rates can give inflation more fuel.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a weaker finish in Asia.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.10% from 4.14% late Tuesday.

___

AP Business Writers Matt Ott, Elaine Kurtenbach and Kelvin Chan contributed.

How much liability insurance do I need?

To drive your car legally, you need at least the minimum amount of car insurance required in your state. But state-required car insurance levels aren’t generally high enough to cover every expense after an accident. To protect your finances, you’ll likely need more.

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For example, almost every state requires you to have bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, which pay for other people’s injuries and property damage if you’re at fault. But while the average cost of a bodily injury liability claim in 2023 was $26,501, according to the most recent data from the Insurance Information Institute, that amount is already higher than the per-person minimum requirement in most states.

If the liability insurance limits on your policy are low and you’re found at fault for a serious accident, you may end up owing the other driver thousands of dollars more than your policy will pay out.

» MORE: Compare car insurance quotes

What is the recommended amount of car insurance coverage?

NerdWallet recommends you get enough car insurance to protect your assets, including your house. Otherwise you risk having to give up your assets to help cover accident-related costs. To find out the exact amount you need, calculate your net worth.

To do this, add up the value of all of your assets, including physical property and investments, then subtract any outstanding liabilities or debt you owe. Make sure your car insurance policy has enough bodily injury liability coverage to match that amount.

Umbrella coverage increases your coverage limits

Your policy should be able to cover the full cost of an accident without putting your home and other assets at risk, but insurance companies limit the amount of liability coverage you can get in an auto policy.

If you max out your carrier’s liability limit and still want more coverage, you can purchase umbrella insurance. Umbrella insurance adds additional liability coverage for both your car and home, often in $1 million increments. If you don’t have any assets to protect besides your car, you’re probably OK skipping umbrella insurance and only purchasing liability coverage.

» MORE: How to find the best umbrella insurance

Do I need comprehensive and collision coverage?

Liability coverage can help you deal with another driver’s bills if you cause an accident, but it won’t help you repair or replace your own car.

The term “full coverage insurance” typically describes an auto insurance policy with liability coverage as well as collision and comprehensive coverage. Unlike liability insurance, these two coverage types pay for damage to your own vehicle, regardless of who is at fault.

Collision coverage: Pays for damage to your car when you caused an accident.
Comprehensive coverage: Pays for damage to your car from situations outside of your control, like vandalism, theft or hitting a wild animal.

No states require comprehensive or collision coverage, but you’ll need them both if you finance a car. Comprehensive and collision coverage are especially important if you couldn’t afford to replace your car yourself if it were totaled. But if your car isn’t worth much or you’re willing to pay to replace it, these types of coverage might not be worth their cost.

Nerdy Tip If you do buy collision and comprehensive coverage, pay attention to the deductibles associated with each type. A deductible is how much you’ll be responsible for paying out of pocket before your insurance coverage begins paying for a claim. Collision and comprehensive deductibles generally range from $100 to $2,000. While higher deductibles mean lower monthly insurance bills, make sure you choose a deductible amount you could afford to pay after an accident.

Optional coverage types may be worth it

You may choose to add other types of car insurance to your policy besides liability, comprehensive and collision coverage, though you may not need to. Here are some other common kinds of car insurance you might come across, and situations when it might be worth adding them to your policy.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

If you’re involved in an accident with someone who doesn’t have insurance, or has only enough insurance to cover part of the damage they’re responsible for, uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage can pay for your medical bills and damage to your property.

Nearly half of states require one or both of these coverages, but they may be worth getting anyway if you decide not to get comprehensive or collision insurance.

Personal injury protection

Personal injury protection pays for you and your passengers’ medical expenses, lost wages and other costs after an accident, regardless of who’s at fault. Unlike liability insurance, personal injury protection covers your own expenses, not another driver’s.

You have to get personal property insurance in 12 states, and it’s optional in six more. Even if you’re not required to get personal property insurance, it’s worth considering as a supplement to your health insurance.

Medical payments coverage

Like personal injury protection, medical payments coverage helps cover medical expenses after an accident, regardless of fault. Unlike personal injury protection, medical payments coverage doesn’t cover lost wages or provide other benefits.

Maine and New Hampshire require medical payments coverage. If it’s not required where you live, it could still help you supplement your health insurance coverage.

Roadside assistance

Roadside assistance can send help your way if you need a tow, jump start, or other roadside services like fuel delivery or a tire change.

You might not need to pay extra for roadside assistance. You may already get these benefits if you’re a member of AAA or you have certain credit cards.

New car replacement

If your car was totaled, your comprehensive or collision coverage would replace it at its current value (that is, minus depreciation). This would be a problem if you totaled a new car, as new cars quickly lose value. But with new car replacement coverage, your replacement vehicle would be one of the same make and model.

This type of coverage may be right for you if you just bought a new car, but keep in mind that insurers only offer this coverage to vehicles that are under a few years old.

Gap insurance

If you lease or finance your car and total it, gap insurance would pay the difference between your car’s value (the amount your insurance will reimburse you) and the remainder of your loan or lease. Without it, you’d have to pay for the difference yourself.

This type of coverage is often required by leasing companies and auto lenders, but no states require it.

Rideshare insurance

Your regular car insurance policy won’t cover damage that happens while you use your car for business, like if you drive for Uber, Lyft or similar companies. Rideshare companies provide insurance coverage for the time you’re matched with a passenger and driving them to their destinations, but not while you’re waiting for a fare. You would need rideshare insurance to receive coverage during this time.

More From NerdWallet

How to Estimate Car Insurance Before Buying a Car
8 Ways to Get the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates Possible
How to Buy Car Insurance

Drew Gula writes for NerdWallet. Email: dgula@nerdwallet.com.

The article How Much Car Insurance Do I Need? originally appeared on NerdWallet.

By ERIN HOOLEY and CHRISTINE FERNANDO, Associated Press

ELWOOD, Ill. (AP) — National Guard troops are positioned outside Chicago and could be in Memphis by Friday, as President Donald Trump’s administration pushes ahead with an aggressive policy toward big-city crime — whether local leaders support it or not.

National Guard members from Texas had settled in at an Illinois Army Reserve center by early Wednesday, despite a lawsuit and vigorous opposition from Democratic elected leaders. Their exact mission was not clear. However, the Trump administration has an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, and protesters have frequently rallied at an immigration building in nearby Broadview.

The president has called Chicago a “hellhole” of crime, although police statistics show significant drops in most crimes, including homicides.

In Memphis, Tennessee, police Chief Cerelyn Davis said a small group of commanders was already in the city, planning for the arrival of Guard troops.

Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee has said troops will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to “play a critical support role” for law enforcement, though that hasn’t been defined yet.

Trump’s bid to deploy the military on U.S. soil over local opposition has triggered a conflict with blue state governors.

Illinois and Chicago are urging a federal judge to stop “Trump’s long-declared ‘War’” on the state. A court hearing on their lawsuit is scheduled for Thursday. In Oregon, a judge over the weekend blocked the Guard’s deployment to Portland.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has predicted that National Guard troops from the state would be activated, along with 400 from Texas. He has accused Trump of using troops as “political props” and “pawns,” and said he didn’t get a heads-up from Washington about their deployment.

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The Associated Press saw military personnel in uniforms with the Texas National Guard patch at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. Trucks marked Emergency Disaster Services dropped off portable toilets and other supplies. Trailers were set up in rows. Extra fencing was spread across the perimeter.

The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act limits the military’s role in enforcing domestic laws. However, Trump has said he would be willing to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to dispatch active duty military in states that are unable to put down an insurrection or are defying federal law.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered flight restrictions over the Army Reserve Center for security reasons until Dec. 6.

Armed Border Patrol agents making arrests near famous landmarks in Chicago has amplified concerns after an immigration crackdown that began last month. Agents have targeted immigrant-heavy and largely Latino areas.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Monday barring federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned property as staging areas for enforcement operations.

Since starting his second term, Trump has sent or discussed sending troops to 10 cities, including Baltimore, the District of Columbia, New Orleans, and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Most violent crime around the U.S. has declined in recent years. In Chicago, homicides were down 31% to 278 through August, police data shows. Portland’s homicides from January through June decreased by 51% to 17 this year compared with the same period in 2024.

In Portland, months of nightly protests at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility continued on Tuesday night. In June, police declared a riot, and there have been smaller clashes since then.

An appeals court has scheduled arguments for Thursday in the government’s bid to deploy the Guard in Portland.

Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek said Tuesday she told Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem there’s “no insurrection” in the state.

Portland police Chief Bob Day said Tuesday that the department needs to work more closely with federal agents as it looks to put more officers at the ICE facility.

Noem said on Fox News Tuesday that she told Portland Mayor Keith Wilson that DHS would “send four times the amount of federal officers” if the city did not boost security at the ICE building, get backup from local law enforcement and take other safety measures.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, center, stands on the roof of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

A federal judge in September said the administration “willfully” broke federal law by putting Guard troops in Los Angeles over protests about immigration raids.

Fernando reported from Chicago. Associated Press reporters Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, Ed White in Detroit, and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this story.

By LISA MASCARO, MARY CLARE JALONICK and JOEY CAPPELLETTI, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tours at the Capitol have come to a standstill. The House is keeping its doors closed, while the Senate is stuck in a loop of failed votes on a rejected plan to reopen the government. President Donald Trump is threatening to mass fire federal workers and refuse back pay for the rest.

As the government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

“You have to negotiate,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, argued late into the evening on the Senate floor. “That’s the way it works.”

But no negotiations, at least publicly, are underway.

Shutdown grinds on, but signs of quiet talks

The Republicans who have majority control in Congress believe they have the upper hand politically, as they fend off Democratic demands to quickly fund health insurance subsidies as part of any plan to end the shutdown.

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But so have Democrats dug in, convinced that Americans are on their side in the fight to prevent the looming health care price spikes and blaming Trump for the shutdown.

Behind the scenes, though, signs of discomfort are apparent.

A loosely formed collection of senators, Republicans and Democrats, have bantered about options for addressing the health insurance problem. One, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, has offered her own plans.

Two prominent Republicans, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, have said something must be done to stop the health insurance rate hikes.

And Trump himself signaled he was open to negotiating with Democrats over their demands to save health care subsidies. Earlier this week, the president said that talks were already underway as he wants “great health care” for the people, only to shift his tone hours later to say the government must reopen first.

Trump wants to make a health care deal

“I spoke to the president at length yesterday about that very thing,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said about his Monday conversation with Trump. “And yes, he wants to solve problems.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks to reporters following the weekly Senate policy luncheon that he attended on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

At its core, the debate is over the health care issue that has tangled Congress for years, and in particular, the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, that Trump tried, and failed, to repeal and replace during his first term at the White House.

Congress increased the federal subsidies that help people purchase private insurance policies on the Affordable Care Act exchanges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal aid was popular, and it boosted ACA enrollment to a record 24 million people. Those enhanced subsidies are set to expire at year’s end.

Republicans say Congress can deal with the health insurance issue in the months ahead. Democrats are fighting to resolve the problem now, as people are receiving notices of higher policy rates for the new year.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Republican from South Dakota, has said there may be a path forward — once the government reopens.

“We were always planning to have those discussions,” said Johnson, R-La.

Doubts are high and trust is low

But Democrats argue that Republicans failed to address the expiring health care subsidies this summer when they approved Trump’s signature bill into law, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Democrats doubt that with Johnson keeping the House out of legislative session, and sending lawmakers home to work in their districts, the Republicans will quickly come back to work on resolving the health care problem.

“Tens of millions of people are about to experience dramatically increased health insurance costs — how is that acceptable in the wealthiest country in the history of the world?” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

“A health care crisis is unfolding before the eyes of the American people because of the actions taken by the GOP — they’re on vacation,” he said.

Missed paychecks for workers, and more failed votes

While federal employees have often missed paychecks during shutdowns, and the first pay period is coming in the next week, Trump is now threatening to do away with guaranteed back pay. It would be a stark departure from what is normal. The White House budget office, under Russ Vought, argues the law says back pay is not automatic, and Congress would need to approve it.

At the same time, Thune’s strategy of trying to peel off more Democratic senators to join Republicans to advance the House-passed bill that would fund the government without a health care fix has not worked.

In fact, the parties are pulling further apart. Sen. Angus King, the independent from Maine who has voted several times with Republicans to fund the government, has said he may change his vote, joining most Democratic senators who are holding out for a better deal.

The Senate is expected to try again Wednesday to advance the House GOP’s bill, but it is expected to fail again.

Each side has dug in, convinced they’re on the right side of the shutdown fight, in part because that’s what their internal data shows.

Over the weekend, Senate Democrats were briefed on information suggesting their health care messaging was resonating with voters. The memo from Senate Majority PAC was circulated to House Democrats and campaigns nationwide on Tuesday, with a clear directive: hold the line.

“It would be a mistake to take the pressure off Republicans,” the memo says.

Republicans, meanwhile, are sticking to their own playbook. A memo from the House GOP’s campaign arm urged candidates to focus on the shutdown’s economic impact, including a district-level breakdown of who would be affected by a government shutdown.

Each side has framed the shutdown fight as a precursor to the 2026 midterm elections.

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.