Market
Business Lookahead: Warsh, war and worsening conditions?
YahooApr 17, 2026
STORY: From financial market reaction to the latest developments in the Middle East, to testimony from Trump's Fed chair pick, these are the stories to watch in business and finance in the coming week. :: Fed chair, hot seat?Investors will learn more about Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve when the former Fed governor Kevin Warsh testifies before Congress as part of his confirmation hearing on Tuesday.Warsh steps into a tricky backdrop to achieve Trump's desire for lower rates, with the Iran war's energy-price surge driving concerns about higher inflation.Trump has openly vented his frustration at current Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering rates more. Elsewhere, Tesla is set to report first-quarter results and March retail sales data could shed light on whether higher prices are hurting consumer spending.:: A gloomy springThe coming week brings a first look at how companies around the world were coping as the Iran war passed the one-month mark in April. First-quarter earnings, especially in imported energy-dependent Europe, are showing airlines, retailers, and manufacturers grappling with deep uncertainty that could weigh on profits.While investors in the U.S. will look closely at the prices and employment components of the upcoming purchasing managers' indices (PMIs) for signs of stress.:: China's loan prime rateChina sets its loan prime rate on April 20, though analysts see the central bank keeping its benchmark unchanged through the end of the year as the economy regains momentum. Even if growth is expected to cool as the effects of the Middle East crisis hit corporate profits and overseas demand, Asia's largest economy is still better off than many.