Access to affordable credit helps me pay my employees, but I don't really need it.

Infliction is killing me!

But who cares? Big retailers are making record profits!

That's why we support the Durban Marshall Credit Card Bill!

See? Banks and credit unions help small businesses make payroll.

This bill would cut the vital resources they need.

While increasing megastore profits, they deserve it. Don't they? Tell Congress, stop the Durbin Marshall money grab for corporate megastores. Paid for it by the Electronic Payments Coalition.

Here's your closing bell brief for Thursday, May 21st. I'm Alexis Green for the Wall Street Journal.

U.S. stocks closed higher today thanks to renewed hopes of peace progress in the Middle East.

The Dow gained 0.6 percent to notch its first record close in over three months,

while the S&P 500 rose 0.2 percent and the NASDAQ ticked up 0.1%.

Among individual companies,

Nvidia shares slipped 2% despite the chip giant reporting record sales that beat analyst expectations yesterday.

Spotify technology climbed 13% after the music streamer said it plans to roll out a new AI tool that would let users

make covers and remixes of songs from Universal Music Group artists.

U.S. shares of Stalantis rose 0.4% as the carmaker outlined a $70 billion turnaround

plan that includes more affordable cars.

Intuit shares tumbled 20%. The financial software company

announced plans to lay off 17% of its workforce as it remakes itself into an AI-first platform.

And Walmart shares fell more than 7% after the retail giant left its full-year financial

expectations unchanged, despite reporting higher quarterly

sales as shoppers bought more online.

...