A military conflict with Iran, a labor-linked affordability crisis and a tepid stock market have put the U.S. economy on uncertain footing in the first quarter of 2026.

Major stock indexes fell Friday to post losses for a second straight week after a weak jobs report, while oil futures soared as the war in the Middle East intensified.

The U.S. stock market careened through a manic Monday, going from a steep early loss to a solid gain as worries turned into hope that the war with Iran may not last that long.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is climbing Tuesday afternoon with shares of Cisco and Caterpillar seeing positive gains for the index. The Dow is trading 161 points (0.3%) higher, as shares of Cisco and Caterpillar have contributed to the blue-chip gauge's intraday rally.