Startups in the U.S. raised $37 billion in the first quarter of this year, down 55% from the first three months of last year.

Investors are bracing for a flood of more than $1 trillion of Treasury bills in the wake of the debt-ceiling fight, potentially sparking a new bout of volatility in financial markets by overwhelming buyers, jolting markets and raising short-term borrowing costs.

Compared with the S&P 500 traditional index’s 11% gain, the equally weighted version has added 1.1%. That is the largest-ever outperformance by the S&P 500 on a year-to-date basis based on data starting in 1990.

Derivatives markets show investors now expect the Fed’s target rate to sit at 5% at year-end, up from just above 4% last month.

Despite steady job gains, Americans are growing more pessimistic about economic growth, which slowed in the first quarter. Consumer confidence fell in May for the second straight month.

Companies in the Russell 3000 have unveiled plans to buy back more than $600 billion in shares this year, in line with last year’s record pace. In all, they announced $1.27 trillion of share repurchases and completed $1.05 trillion in buybacks in 2022, both all-time highs.

The Federal Reserve’s rate-raising campaign has put a notable crimp in financing for companies with smaller payrolls and valuations. The average rate for a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which historically costs less than a bank loan, has reached double-digits, driving many small firms to borrow less.

Pipeline operator Oneok agreed Sunday to buy smaller rival Magellan Midstream Partners for about $14 billion, a deal that would form one of the biggest U.S. companies involved in transporting and storing energy.

Job satisfaction hit a 36-year high in 2022, reflecting two effects of the tight pandemic labor market: The quality of jobs improved as wages and work flexibility increased, and workers moved into positions that were a better fit. Last year, 62.3% of U.S. workers said they were satisfied with their jobs, up from 60.2% in 2021 and 56.8% in 2020.

The Fed’s rate hike was its 10th since March of 2022. Seeking to rein in high inflation, the central bank has increased the key federal-funds rate from next to nothing to between 5% and 5.25% over that span.