AP Business SummaryBrief at 12:17 a.m. EDT

US stocks climb to their best day since the Iran war began after oil prices ease

NEW YORK (AP) — A drop in oil prices helped send the U.S. stock market to its best day since the war in Iran began. The S&P 500 climbed 1% Monday for its biggest gain in five weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.2%. The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude fell toward $93 after topping $102 in the morning. The fall in oil prices not only helped boost stocks of companies with big fuel bills but also helped Treasury yields ease in the bond market. The S&P 500 pulled back to just 4% below its record.

Trump team applying pressure to media: Tell the war's story the way we see it

President Donald Trump and his team are increasing the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants. The president has complained on social media about stories he doesn't like and berated a reporter on Air Force One over the weekend. The government's top media regulator warned that broadcasters risk losing their licenses to operate if they don't stay away from “fake news.” Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have questioned the patriotism of some news outlets because of their reports. Antagonism between presidential administrations and the press isn't unusual, but Trump's team has shown a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned.

Some flight cancellations and delays continue after US storms dump snow in the Midwest and head east

ATLANTA (AP) — Hundreds of flights are canceled or delayed one day after powerful storms swept across the eastern half of the country and disrupted thousands of others. The flight-tracking site FlightAware says more than 550 flights scheduled to fly into, out of or within the U.S. have been called off as of early Tuesday, It says over 460 have been delayed. Travelers have been facing additional jams at airport security checkpoints as a partial government shutdown strains screener staffing. The disruptions come at an already challenging time for air travel, in part because the shutdown that began Feb. 14 has pressured staffing at some security checkpoints.

Trump side-stepped diplomacy on his way to war in Iran. Now, he's asking China and others for help

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump relied on his gut and largely side-stepped diplomatic coordination as he made the decision to launch strikes on Iran with Israel. But now with the Iran war’s economic and geopolitical consequences unfurling rapidly, the Republican president is cajoling allies and other global powers to help mop up the mess. Trump says he’s asked roughly a half-dozen other countries to send warships to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic. So far, none has committed. Trump even indicated he'd use his long-planned trip to China to pressure Beijing to help with the coalition — a notion his Treasury secretary later downplayed.

China warns Trump's latest tariff moves could damage trade ties

PARIS (AP) — China says U.S President Donald Trump’s latest tariff moves could harm the countries' trade relationship. Beijing's international trade representative said his government expressed serious concern during high-level talks in Paris. The meeting was meant to prepare for Trump's planned trip to China in about two weeks, though the U.S. president has warned that it could be delayed. The Iran war has emerged as a potential stumbling block just as the U.S. and China were patching up relations following a tariff war and truce. The U.S. treasury secretary says any postponement wouldn’t be to pressure China on that new issue.

A $50 million push hopes to make child care a top issue in the midterm elections

WASHINGTON (AP) — An advocacy group is providing support to candidates who want to expand support for child and elder care in the midterm elections. The Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy plans to spend $50 million to back Democrats in congressional races. The announcement comes as the cost of child care continues to rise and as waiting lists for federal child care subsidies continue to grow. American families face a slew of costs, including surging gasoline prices driven by a war in the Middle East that is unpopular with many voters. Republicans have begun to back child care as an issue crucial to growing the workforce, but their proposals tend to be less dramatic than those offered by Democrats.

When gas prices go up, changing the way you drive can stretch your fuel just a bit farther

DETROIT (AP) — When gas prices go up, it adds to drivers' pain at the pump. But experts say consumers can do something to stretch their fuel just a little farther — change the way they drive. Their tips include driving slower or using cruise control. Limiting the time your car idles — and that includes not switching off your automatic start-stop ignition if you have it. You can improve efficiency by making sure you're not using roof racks or bike racks when you don't need them, and eliminating unnecessary weight you might be dragging around in your trunk or truck bed. And you can carpool with others, or be thoughtful about combining errands so you're not making unnecessary trips.

Storms cancel more US flights as TSA remains under pressure from partial government shutdown

ATLANTA (AP) — Storms sweeping across the eastern half of the country are disrupting air travel across the United States. FlightAware reported more than 4,200 U.S. flights canceled Monday and about 9,600 others delayed. The storms already dumped heavy snow across parts of the Midwest and were moving toward the East Coast with strong winds and the threat of tornadoes. The travel disruptions come during a busy period for airports, with spring break vacations and fans traveling for March Madness games. Meanwhile, a partial government shutdown affecting the Transportation Security Administration has stretched staffing at some airport security checkpoints, leading to longer lines in some places.

Iran war pushes importers into energy triage as they conserve power and curb soaring prices

BANGKOK (AP) — The escalating Iran war is pushing parts of the world into energy triage. Governments are deciding where to cut demand or absorb higher costs, while prioritizing dwindling supplies. In places like Bangkok and Vietnam, people are being urged to work from home, take the stairs and keep air-conditioning above 24°C, while some businesses are preparing for disruptions. The conflict is disrupting critical oil and natural gas shipments from the Middle East, sending prices soaring and threatening global growth — with Asia facing the greatest risk from the shock. That prompted some governments to draw on their emergency reserves, a stopgap measure that can only go on for so long.

Tricky negotiations begin Monday to renew a trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada

WASHINGTON (AP) — Every day more than $4 billion worth of goods cross the United States’ borders with Canada and Mexico – U.S. auto parts headed for car factories in northern Mexico, cartons of Mexican avocados bound for California supermarkets, Canadian aluminum destined to become cans of Campbell Soup. Much of this cross-border commerce is duty-free, thanks to the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that President Donald Trump negotiated during his first term. But the future of the trade pact, which took effect July 1, 2020, is cloudy as the three countries begin what could be a tempestuous attempt to renew the pact this year.