The S & P 500 struggled to maintain its early gains following President Donald Trump's comments on the Iran war, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading the market lower. The oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude rose above $100 per barrel, which typically increases bond yields due to rising energy costs. While the broader market drops slightly, the AI buildout part of the portfolio saw significant declines. Other AI-related stocks including Broadcom, Eaton, GE Vernova, Corning, Nvidia and Qnity Electronics also traded lower. TJX Companies announced it had raised its quarterly dividend by 14% to $0.48 per share, marking its 29th dividend increase over the last 30 years. Despite these setbacks, the long-term benefits of steadily growing payouts shouldn't be underestimated.