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[bigdog]

Wall Street drifts lower as US stocks slow their roll

U.S. stocks drifted lower, as Wall Street's momentum cooled a day after charging back within a few good days’ worth of gains from its all-time high.

apnews.com

Wall Street drifts lower as US stocks slow their roll​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 6:57 AM GMT+10, May 29, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted lower on Wednesday, cooling down a day after leaping within a few good days’ worth of gains from their all-time high.

The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, but it’s still within 4.2% of its record after charging higher amid hopes that the worst of the turmoil caused by President Donald Trump’s trade war may have passed. It had been roughly 20% below the mark last month.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 244 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5%.

Trading was relatively quiet in the countdown to Wednesday’s main event for financial markets, the latest quarterly earnings release for Nvidia. That came after trading ended for the day. Before that, the AI darling’s stock slipped 0.5%.

Expectations were high for the bellwether of the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology. So are worries that its stock price may have run too high, even after it has largely stalled this year.

Like Nvidia, Macy’s stock also swung up and down through much of the day, even though it reported milder drops in revenue and profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

The retailer maintained its forecast for revenue this year, but it cut its profit forecast in part because of tariffs and some moderation of spending by consumers. Its stock ended the day down 0.3%.

Several other retailers likewise delivered better-than-expected results for the latest quarter. Abercrombie & Fitch soared 14.7% after its profit and revenue topped analysts’ expectations. CEO Fran Horowitz credited broad-based growth across its business around the world, and strength for its Hollister brand offset weakness for its Abercrombie brand.

Dick’s Sporting Goods added 1.7% after topping analysts’ expectations for the latest quarter, and it stood by its financial forecasts it earlier gave for the full year.

On the losing end of Wall Street was Okta, which fell 16.2% even though the identity and access management company reported better results for the latest quarter than Wall Street expected. Analysts called it a solid performance, but investors may have been looking for even more after its stock came into the day up nearly 60% for the year so far.

Video-game retailer GameStop fell 10.9% after saying it had bought 4,710 bitcoin, which is worth more than $500 million at its current price. The company said in late March that it could begin buying bitcoin to store some of the cash in its treasury.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 32.99 points to 5,888.55. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 244.95 to 42,098.70, and the Nasdaq composite fell 98.23 to 19,100.94.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.47% from 4.43% late Tuesday.

The bond market showed relatively little reaction after the Federal Reserve released the minutes from its latest meeting earlier this month, when it left its benchmark lending rate alone for the third straight time. The central bank has been holding off on cuts to interest rates, which would give the economy a boost, amid worries about inflation staying higher than hoped because of Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

Sharp swings in Treasury yields last week rattled markets worldwide, as they rose in part on worries about the U.S. government’s rapidly rising debt levels. Such swings have also hit Japan, where an auction of 40-year Japanese government bonds on Wednesday drew less interest from potential buyers than it’s seen since July.

After years of pumping money into the economy by buying loads of Japanese government bonds, Japan’s central bank has been gradually cutting back, undermining demand at a time when other institutional investors also have been buying fewer Japanese government bonds. Fewer buyers for bonds pushes up their yields.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were modestly lower across much of Europe and Asia.

South Korea was an exception, where the Kospi jumped 1.3% thanks in part to gains for Samsung Electronics and other tech companies.

ASX 200 expected to rise​

The Australian share market looks set to rise modestly on Thursday despite a poor night on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 13 points or 0.15% higher this morning.
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U.S. stocks drifted lower on Wednesday, cooling down a day after leaping within a few good days’ worth of gains from their all-time high.

The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, but it’s still within 4.2% of its record after charging higher amid hopes that the worst of the turmoil caused by President Donald Trump’s trade war may have passed. It had been roughly 20% below the mark last month.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 244 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5%.

Trading was relatively quiet in the countdown to Wednesday’s main event for financial markets, the latest quarterly earnings release for Nvidia. That came after trading ended for the day. Before that, the AI darling’s stock slipped 0.5%.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 32.99 points to 5,888.55. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 244.95 to 42,098.70, and the Nasdaq composite fell 98.23 to 19,100.94.

 

[bigdog]

A global rally for stocks loses steam amid questions about what will happen to Trump's tariffs

A big rally for stocks that began in Asia lost steam amid uncertainty about what will happen next after a U.S. court blocked many of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

apnews.com

A global rally for stocks loses steam amid questions about what will happen to Trump’s tariffs​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 6:51 AM GMT+10, May 30, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — A big rally for stocks that began in Asia on Thursday lost steam after sweeping into Europe and the United States amid uncertainty about what will happen next after a U.S. court blocked many of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% after giving up more than half of an early gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 117 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.4%.

It’s a downshift after stocks initially leaped nearly 2% in Tokyo and Seoul, where markets had the first chance to react to the ruling late Wednesday by the U.S. Court of International Trade. The court said that the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump cited for ordering massive increases in taxes on imports from around the world does not authorize the use of tariffs.

The ruling at first raised hopes in financial markets that a hamstrung Trump would not be able to drive the economy into a recession with his tariffs, which had threatened to grind down on global trade and raise prices for consumers already sick of high inflation. Trump has said he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, and he warned the process could cause some pain for U.S. households.

A recent federal court decision against the Trump administration has lifted stocks. We hear more from AP business correspondent Seth Sutel.

But the tariffs remain in place for now while the White House appeals the ruling, and the ultimate outcome is still uncertain. The court’s ruling also affects only some of Trump’s tariffs, not those on foreign steel, aluminum and autos, which were invoked under a different law.

Trump “is still able to impose significant and wide-ranging tariffs over the longer-term through other means,” according to Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi, chief investment officer of global equities at UBS Global Wealth Management.

Such uncertainty helped dampen the excitement in financial markets as trading headed through Europe into the United States, where the moves were much more modest than in Asia. The U.S. court’s move was nevertheless seen as a positive for financial markets.

“The bar is raised for President Trump to resurrect his tariffs,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.

“Markets are pricing that this is a better type of uncertainty than what we’ve had since Liberation Day,” which is what Trump called his April 2 announcement of a worldwide set of sweeping tariffs.

The S&P 500 has pulled within 3.8% of its all-time high after dropping roughly 20% below at one point last month.

On Wall Street, tech stocks led the way after Nvidia once again topped analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue in the latest quarter.

The chip company has grown into one of the U.S. market’s largest and most influential stocks because of the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology, and its 3.2% rise was the strongest force by far lifting the S&P 500.

C3.ai, an AI application software company, jumped 20.8% after it reported stronger profit than analysts expected for its latest quarter. It also said the U.S. Air Force increased the maximum possible value for its contract by $350 million to $450 million. The company’s revenue last quarter totaled $108.7 million.

E.l.f. Beauty was another big winner and rose 23.6% after the cosmetics company delivered a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also said it agreed to buy Hailey Bieber’s Rhode skincare brand in a $1 billion deal. Rhode had $212 million in net sales in the 12 months through March.

Bieber, a model and the wife of singer Justin Bieber, will be Rhode’s chief creative officer and head of innovation and also a strategic advisor to the combined companies.

They helped offset a drop for Best Buy, which fell 7.3% even though it reported a stronger profit than expected. Its revenue fell short of analysts’ forecasts.

The electronics retailer also cut its forecasted ranges for revenue and profit over the full year on the assumption that “tariffs stay at the current levels for the rest of the year, and there is no material change in consumer behavior from the trends we have seen in recent quarters,” Chief Financial Officer Matt Bilunas said.

Many companies have recently said that the uncertainty caused by tariffs is making it too difficult to offer any financial forecasts for the upcoming year.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 23.62 points to 5,912.17. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 117.03 to 42,215.73, and the Nasdaq composite gained 74.93 to 19,175.87.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased following some mixed reports on the economy. One said that the U.S. economy likely shrunk by less in the first three months of the year than earlier estimated. Another said slightly more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.43% from 4.47% late Wednesday.

In stock markets abroad, Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to help lead Asian markets higher, while stocks rose 1.4% in Hong Kong and 0.7% in Shanghai. South Korea’s Kospi rallied 1.9% after the Bank of Korea cut its key interest rate to ease pressure on the economy.

The moves for European stocks were much more muted. France’s CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX both swung from early gains to modest losses

ASX 200 expected to fall​

The Australian share market looks set to fall on Friday despite a good night in the United States.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 17 points or 0.25% lower this morning.
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A big rally for stocks that began in Asia on Thursday lost steam after sweeping into Europe and the United States amid uncertainty about what will happen next after a U.S. court blocked many of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% after giving up more than half of an early gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 117 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.4%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 23.62 points to 5,912.17. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 117.03 to 42,215.73, and the Nasdaq composite gained 74.93 to 19,175.87.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street glides to the end of its best month since 2023

Wall Street closed its best month since 2023 with a quiet day of trading. The S&P 500 was essentially flat and edged down by less than 0.1% as it finished a winning week and its first winning month in the last four.

apnews.com

Wall Street glides to the end of its best month since 2023​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 6:47 AM GMT+10, May 31, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street closed its winning week and month with a quiet Friday following a mixed set of profit reports from Gap, Ulta Beauty and other companies navigating the challenges created by President Donald Trump’s on-and-off tariffs.

The S&P 500 finished the day nearly unchanged after edging down by less than 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 54 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%.

Gap weighed on the market even though the retailer reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

The company behind Banana Republic and Old Navy fell 20.2% after saying tariffs on imports from China and other countries could add up to $300 million to its costs this fiscal year. It has strategies set to mitigate up to half of that before it hits its profits.

The AP’s Seth Sutel reports markets ended May on a positive note.

This week and month on Wall Street have been dominated by questions about what will happen with Trump’s tariffs, which investors worry could grind the economy into a recession, slash companies’ profits and layer even more challenges on households already sick of inflation.

Hopes had largely been rising that the worst of such worries had passed, which in turn sent stocks rallying, after Trump paused his tariffs on both China and the European Union. A U.S. court then on Wednesday blocked many of Trump’s sweeping tariffs. It all sent the S&P 500 in May to its first winning month in four and its best since November.

But the tariffs remain in place for now while the White House appeals the ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade, and the ultimate outcome is still uncertain.

Stay up to date with similar stories by signing up to our WhatsApp channel.

Trump also briefly shook markets shortly before Wall Street opened for trading Friday, when he accused China of not living up to its end of the agreement that paused their tariffs against each other.

“So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

The impact was limited though, and futures for U.S. stock indexes quickly pared their losses. Since Wednesday’s ruling, analysts and investors have been saying Trump and his administration would likely look for new avenues to impose tariffs on trading partners.

Trump has said he’s using tariffs to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States and that U.S. households and businesses may feel some pain in the process.

Friday’s most influential losses came from several Big Tech stocks. Nvidia fell 2.9% to give back some of its gain from earlier in the week after it topped analysts’ expectations for profit in the latest quarter. It was the single heaviest weight by far on the S&P 500.

On the winning side of Wall Street was Ulta Beauty, which rose 11.8% after the retailer reported stronger sales and profit than analysts forecast. It also raised the top end of its forecasted range for revenue this fiscal year even though CEO Kecia Steelman called the operating environment “fluid.”

Costco climbed 3.1% after the retailer’s results and revenue for the latest quarter edged past analysts’ expectations.

Red Robin Gourmet Burger soared 62.9% after reporting a profit for the latest quarter, when analysts expected a loss.

Shares of SharpLink Gaming fell 3.2% to trim their gain for the week to a still-whopping 1,041.4% after the marketing company said it would raise $425 million to buy the cryptocurrency on the Ethereum blockchain. The company delivers leads to U.S. sportsbooks and global casino companies, and it has been expanding into the global crypto gaming market.

All told, the S&P 500 edged down 0.48 to 5,911.69 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 54.34 to 42,270.07, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 62.11 to 19,113.77.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased after a report showed that the measure of inflation that the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower in April than economists expected.

A separate report from the University of Michigan said that sentiment among U.S. consumers was better in May than economists expected. Sentiment improved in the back half of the month after Trump paused many of his tariffs on China.

“Overall, consumers see the outlook for the economy as no worse than last month, but they remained quite worried about the future,” according to Survey of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.39% from 4.43% late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Fed will do with overnight interest rates, slipped to 3.90% from 3.92%.

The Fed has left its benchmark borrowing rate steady so far this year after cutting it at the end of 2024 to give the economy more breathing room. Fed officials have said they want to wait longer to see how tariffs will affect inflation and the economy before making their next move. While lower interest rates can give the economy a boost, they can also fan inflation higher.

In stock markets abroad, European indexes were mixed, while Asian markets fell.

 

[bigdog]

ASX 200 expected to edge higher​

The Australian share market looks set to edge higher on Monday despite a mixed finish to last week on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 8 points or 0.1% higher.
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Wall Street closed its winning week and month with a quiet Friday following a mixed set of profit reports from Gap, Ulta Beauty and other companies navigating the challenges created by President Donald Trump’s on-and-off tariffs.

The S&P 500 finished the day nearly unchanged after edging down by less than 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 54 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%.

Gap weighed on the market even though the retailer reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

All told, the S&P 500 edged down 0.48 to 5,911.69 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 54.34 to 42,270.07, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 62.11 to 19,113.77.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street drifts higher as oil prices jump and US manufacturing slumps

U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to records, coming off their stellar May. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% Monday.

apnews.com

Wall Street drifts higher as oil prices jump and US manufacturing slumps​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 7:16 AM GMT+10, June 3, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to their records on Monday, coming off their stellar May, which was Wall Street’s best month since 2023.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% after erasing an early loss from the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 35 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7%.

Indexes had been down close to 1% in the morning following some discouraging updates on U.S. manufacturing. President Donald Trump has been warning that U.S. businesses and households could feel some pain as he tries to use tariffs to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the country, and their on-and-off rollout has created lots of uncertainty.

But stocks rallied back as the day progressed, and gains for a few influential stocks helped lift the S&P 500 even though more stocks within it fell than rose. Nvidia climbed 1.7%, and Meta Platforms rose 3.6%, for example.

Some of Monday’s strongest action was in the oil market, where the price of crude spurted more than 3%. The countries in the OPEC+ alliance decided to increase their production again, a move that often pushes crude prices down because it puts more on the market, but analysts said investors were widely expecting it.

The past weekend’s attacks by Ukraine in Russia, meanwhile, helped to raise uncertainty about the flow of oil and gas around the world.

Stay up to date with similar stories by signing up to our WhatsApp channel.

Monday’s market moves also came after more harsh rhetoric crossed between the world’s two largest economies, just a few weeks after the United States and China had agreed to pause many of their tariffs that had threatened to drag the economy into a recession.

China blasted the United States for moves that it said hurt China’s interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China and planning to revoke Chinese student visas.

“These practices seriously violate the consensus” reached during trade discussions in Geneva last month, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement. That followed President Donald Trump’s accusation at the end of last week, where he said China was not living up to its end of the agreement that paused their tariffs against each other.

Hopes for lower tariffs because of potential trade deals between Trump and other countries were the main reasons for Wall Street’s big rally last month, which brought the S&P 500 back within 3.8% of its all-time high. The index had dropped roughly 20% below the mark in April.

But Trump on Friday told Pennsylvania steelworkers he’s doubling the tariff on steel imports to 50% to protect their industry, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, autos and other goods. That helped stocks of U.S. steelmakers climb. Nucor jumped 10.1%, and Steel Dynamics rallied 10.3%.

On the losing side of Wall Street were automakers and other heavy users of steel and aluminum. Ford fell 3.9%, and General Motors reversed by 3.9%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 24.25 points to 5,935.94. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 35.41 to 42,305.48, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 128.85 to 19,242.61.

Lyra Therapeutics soared nearly 311% for one of the market’s biggest gains after reporting positive late-stage trial results of an implant to treat chronic sinus inflammation in some patients.

In the bond market, Treasury yields rose as worries continue about how much debt the U.S. government will pile on due to plans to cut taxes and increase the deficit.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.44% from 4.41% late Friday and from just 4.01% roughly two months ago. That’s a notable move for the bond market.

Besides making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, such increases in Treasury yields can deter investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments.

Yields had dipped briefly in the morning, before rallying back, following the updates on manufacturing, which suggested that effects of Trump’s tariffs are taking root in the economy.

“The impact of ever-changing trade policies of the current administration has wreaked havoc on suppliers’ ability to react and remain profitable,” one manufacturer in the transportation equipment industry said in the Institute for Supply Management’s survey, which came in weaker than economists expected.

A separate report from S&P Global on manufacturing came in better than expected, but the overall figure “masks worrying developments under the hood of the U.S. manufacturing economy,” said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. He said uncertainty caused by tariffs has worries high about supplier delays and rising prices.

In stock markets abroad, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.6% following the harsh words tossed between the United States and China. A report over the weekend also said that China’s factory activity contracted in May, although the decline slowed from April.

Indexes also dipped across much of the rest of Asia and Europe. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was one of the biggest movers after falling 1.3%.

ASX 200 expected to rebound​

The Australian share market is expected to rise on Tuesday after a decent start to the week on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 69 points or 0.85% higher.
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U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to their records on Monday, coming off their stellar May, which was Wall Street’s best month since 2023.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% after erasing an early loss from the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 35 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7%.

Indexes had been down close to 1% in the morning following some discouraging updates on U.S. manufacturing. President Donald Trump has been warning that U.S. businesses and households could feel some pain as he tries to use tariffs to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the country, and their on-and-off rollout has created lots of uncertainty.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street rises again as US stocks pull closer to their records

U.S. stocks drifted higher and pulled closer to their record as the wait continues for more updates on President Donald Trump’s tariffs and how much they’re affecting the economy.

apnews.com

Wall Street rises again as US stocks pull closer to their records​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 6:45 AM GMT+10, June 4, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks pulled closer to their record on Tuesday as the wait continued for more updates on President Donald Trump’s tariffs and how much they’re affecting the economy.

The S&P 500 rose 0.6%, coming off a modest gain that added to its stellar May. It’s back within 2.8% of its all-time high set earlier this year after falling roughly 20% below two months ago.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 214 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8%.

Dollar General jumped 15.8% for one of the market’s bigger gains after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the start of the year than analysts expected. The discount retailer also raised its forecasts for profit and revenue over the full year, though it cautioned that “uncertainty exists for the remainder of the year” because of tariffs and how they might affect its customers.

Many other companies have cut or withdrawn their financial forecasts for the upcoming year because of the uncertainty caused by Trump’s on-again-off-again rollout of tariffs. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Tuesday that it’s forecasting 1.6% growth for the U.S. economy this year, down from 2.8% last year.

But while Trump’s tariffs have certainly made U.S. households feel more pessimistic about where the economy and inflation are heading, reports have suggested only a moderate hit so far. Manufacturers have begun to feel the effects, but the overall job market has remained solid overall with layoffs remaining relatively low, and inflation has not taken off.

A report on Tuesday morning showed U.S. employers were advertising more job openings at the end of April than economists expected, another signal that the labor market remains resilient. It set the stage for a more important report coming on Friday, which will show how much hiring and firing U.S. employers did in May.

On the trade front, hopes are still high on Wall Street that Trump will reach trade deals with other countries that will ultimately lower tariffs, particularly with the world’s second-largest economy. The U.S. side said President Donald Trump was expecting to speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday that they had no information on that.

All the hope has brought the U.S. stock market almost all the way back to its record heights nearly as quickly as it plunged in April.

“This calm won’t last indefinitely, but it will take unexpected policy news or growth and inflation data to inflect the narrative and push the markets outside these ranges,” according to Jason Draho, head of asset allocation, Americas at UBS Global Wealth Management.

On Wall Street, tech stocks helped lead the way again as Nvidia rose 2.9%, and Broadcom climbed 3.3%. The chip companies have recovered their sharp losses from earlier this year borne amid worries their stock prices had shot too high.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.43 points to 5,970.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 214.16 to 42,519.64, and the Nasdaq composite gained 156.34 to 19,398.96.

In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.45% from 4.46% late Monday, though it had been lower earlier in the morning before the stronger-than-expected report on U.S. jobs openings.

It’s a cooldown following a sharp rise for yields over the last two months. Yields had been climbing in part on worries about how the U.S. government may be set to add trillions of dollars to its debt through tax cuts.

Besides making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, higher Treasury yields can also discourage investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose modestly across much of Europe and Asia.

Hong Kong was an outlier, where the Hang Seng jumped 1.5%. That came despite a report showing Chinese manufacturing activity slowed in May.

South Korean markets were closed for a snap presidential election that resulted in a victory for opposition leader Lee Jae-myung. The election was triggered by the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who now faces an explosive trial on rebellion charges over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December.

ASX 200 expected to rise again​

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Wednesday following a positive night of trade on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 23 points or 0.3% higher this morning.
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U.S. stocks pulled closer to their record on Tuesday as the wait continued for more updates on President Donald Trump’s tariffs and how much they’re affecting the economy.

The S&P 500 rose 0.6%, coming off a modest gain that added to its stellar May. It’s back within 2.8% of its all-time high set earlier this year after falling roughly 20% below two months ago.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 214 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.43 points to 5,970.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 214.16 to 42,519.64, and the Nasdaq composite gained 156.34 to 19,398.96.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street’s big rally stalls following some discouraging economic data

Wall Street’s big recent rally lost some momentum following a pair of potentially discouraging reports on the economy.

apnews.com

Wall Street’s big rally stalls following some discouraging economic data​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 6:51 AM GMT+10, June 5, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s big recent rally lost some momentum on Wednesday following a pair of potentially discouraging reports on the economy.

The S&P 500 finished the day virtually unchanged and remained 2.8% below its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 91 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.3%.

The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled following the weaker-than-expected economic updates.

One said that activity contracted for U.S. retailers, finance companies and other businesses in the services industries last month, when economists were expecting to see growth. Businesses told the Institute for Supply Management in its survey that all the uncertainty created by tariffs is making it difficult for them to forecast and plan.

A second report from ADP suggested U.S. employers outside of the government hired far fewer workers last month than economists expected. That could bode ill for Friday’s more comprehensive jobs report coming from the U.S. Labor Department, which is one of Wall Street’s most anticipated data releases each month.

So far, the U.S. job market has remained remarkably resilient despite years of high inflation and now the threat of President Donald Trump’s high tariffs. But weakness there could undermine the rest of the economy.

To be sure, ADP’s report historically has not been a perfect predictor of what the U.S. Labor Department’s report will say.

Wall Street is losing steam early Wednesday after a new report on the U.S. job market. We hear from AP’s Seth Sutel.

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“Whether this report is accurate or not, traders and investors will read today’s number as a dark result for trading today,” according to Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics. “This may be the tip of an iceberg, but it also could be a false start.”

Following the reports, traders built up bets that the Federal Reserve will need to cut interest rates later this year in order to prop up the economy, which in turn caused the fall for Treasury yields. The weaker-than-expected ADP report also pushed Trump to call on Fed Chair Jerome Powell to deliver cuts to rates more quickly.

“‘Too Late’ Powell must now LOWER THE RATE,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “He is unbelievable!!!”

The Fed has yet to cut interest rates this year after slashing them through the end of 2024. Part of the reason for the pause is that the Fed wants to see how much Trump’s tariffs will hurt the economy and raise inflation. While lower interest rates could boost the economy, they could also give inflation more fuel.

Longer-term Treasury yields have also been rising in recent weeks because of reasons outside the Fed’s control. Investors have been demanding the U.S. government pay more in interest to borrow because of worries about whether it’s set to add trillions of dollars to its debt through tax cuts under discussion on Capitol Hill.

On Wall Street, some companies that benefit from lower interest rates rallied after Treasury yields fell. Homebuilders D.R. Horton, PulteGroup and Lennar all rose more than 3%. Lower 10-year Treasury yields typically mean lower interest rates for mortgages, which can juice the homebuilding business.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise rose 0.8% after delivering a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity company that Delta Air Lines has sued for a technology outage last summer, fell 5.8% despite reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Its revenue fell just short of Wall Street’s target, as did its forecast for revenue in the current quarter.

All told, the S&P 500 added 0.44 to 5,970.81 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 91.90 to 42,427.74, and the Nasdaq composite added 61.53 to 19,460.49.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia as the wait continued for more updates on trade talks that could convince Trump to lower his tariffs. Hopes for such deals have been a big reason U.S. stocks have roared back after falling roughly 20% below their record two months ago.

But nothing is assured, and Trump early Wednesday said of China’s leader Xi Jinping, “I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!”

The European Union’s top trade negotiator, Maroš Šefčovič, met Wednesday with his American counterpart, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.35% from 4.46% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks traders’ expectations for what the Fed will do with overnight interest rates, eased to 3.86% from 3.96%.

ASX 200 expected to edge lower​

The Australian share market looks set to fall slightly on Thursday following a mixed night on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 1 point lower this morning.
.
Wall Street’s big recent rally lost some momentum on Wednesday following a pair of potentially discouraging reports on the economy.

The S&P 500 finished the day virtually unchanged and remained 2.8% below its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 91 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.3%.

The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields tumbled following the weaker-than-expected economic updates.

All told, the S&P 500 added 0.44 to 5,970.81 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 91.90 to 42,427.74, and the Nasdaq composite added 61.53 to 19,460.49.

 

[bigdog]

US stocks slip as Wall Street makes its final moves ahead of Friday’s jobs report

U.S. stocks drifted lower as financial markets locked in their final moves before a highly anticipated update coming Friday about the U.S. job market.

apnews.com

US stocks slip as Wall Street makes its final moves ahead of Friday’s jobs​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 7:55 AM GMT+10, June 6, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted lower on Thursday as financial markets locked in their final moves before a highly anticipated update coming Friday about the U.S. job market.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5% for its first drop in four days. After sprinting through May and rallying within a couple good days’ worth of gains of its all-time high, the index at the center of many 401(k) accounts has lost momentum.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 108 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.8%.

Trading activity in options markets suggests investors believe the next big move for the S&P 500 could come on Friday, when the U.S. Labor Department will say how many more jobs U.S. employers created than destroyed during May. The expectation on Wall Street is for a slowdown in hiring from April.

A resilient job market has been one of the linchpins that’s propped up the U.S. economy, and the worry is that all the uncertainty created by President Donald Trump’s on-and-off tariffs could push businesses to freeze their hiring.

A report on Thursday said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected. The number remains relatively low compared with history, but it still hit its highest level in eight months.

The data came as Procter & Gamble, the giant behind such brands as Pampers diapers and Cascade dish detergent, said it will cut up to 7,000 jobs over the next two years. Its stock fell 1.9%.

The day’s heaviest weight on the market was Tesla, which tumbled 14.3%. It’s lost nearly 30% of its value so far this year as CEO Elon Musk’s relationship with Trump sours amid a disagreement over the president’s signature bill of tax cuts and spending.

Brown-Forman, the company behind Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve, dropped 17.9% for its worst day since it began trading in 1972.

Its profit and revenue for the latest quarter fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the company said it expects its upcoming fiscal year to be challenging because of “consumer uncertainty, the potential impact from currently unknown tariffs” and other things.

The CEO of PVH, which runs the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands, likewise cited challenges from “an increasingly uncertain consumer and macroeconomic backdrop.”

Its stock fell 18% even though it reported stronger revenue and profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company cut its profit forecast for its full fiscal year, saying it will likely be able to offset only some of the potential hit it will take because of tariffs.

Hopes that Trump will lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with other countries have been among the main reasons the S&P 500 has rallied back so furiously since dropping roughly 20% from its record two months ago. It’s now back within 3.3% of its all-time high.

Trump boosted such hopes Thursday after saying he had “a very good phone call” with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, about trade and that “their respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined.”

It’s an easing of tensions after the world’s two largest economies had earlier accused each other of violating the agreement that had paused their stiff tariffs against each other, which threatened to drag the economy into a recession.

To be sure, nothing is assured amid Trump’s on-and-off rollout of tariffs, and markets took the latest detente with China relatively coolly.

Among Wall Street’s winners was MongoDB, which jumped 12.8% after the database company likewise delivered a stronger profit than analysts expected.

Circle Internet Group, the U.S.-based issuer of one of the most popular cryptocurrencies, surged 168.5% in its first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Five Below climbed 5.6% after the retailer, which sells products priced between $1 and $5, reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Winnie Park credited broad-based strength across most of its merchandise

All told, the S&P 500 fell 31.51 points to 5,939.30. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 108.00 to 42,319.74, and the Nasdaq composite sank 162.04 to 19,298.45.

In the bond market, Treasury yields held steadier. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.37% late Wednesday after tumbling from 4.46% the day before.

Yields dropped so sharply on Wednesday as expectations built that the Federal Reserve will need to cut interest rates later this year to prop up an economy potentially weakened by tariffs.

In stock markets abroad, indexes in Europe were mixed amid modest moves after the European Central Bank cut its main interest rate again, as was widely expected.

The moves were bigger in Asia, where South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.5% after the country’s new president and leading liberal politician Lee Jae-myung began his term, vowing to restart talks with North Korea and beef up a partnership with the U.S. and Japan.

ASX 200 expected to edge lower​

The Australian share market looks set to edge lower on Friday following a poor night in the United States.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 13 points or 0.2% lower this morning.
.
U.S. stocks drifted lower on Thursday as financial markets locked in their final moves before a highly anticipated update coming Friday about the U.S. job market.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5% for its first drop in four days. After sprinting through May and rallying within a couple good days’ worth of gains of its all-time high, the index at the center of many 401(k) accounts has lost momentum.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 108 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.8%.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 31.51 points to 5,939.30. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 108.00 to 42,319.74, and the Nasdaq composite sank 162.04 to 19,298.45

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street gains ground following a solid jobs report and marks another winning week

Stocks rose on Wall Street following a better-than-expected report on the U.S. job market. The S&P 500 climbed 1% Friday, marking its second weekly gain in a row.

apnews.com

Wall Street gains ground following a solid jobs report and marks another winning week​

By DAMIAN J. TROISE
Updated 6:53 AM GMT+10, June 7, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks gained ground on Wall Street Friday following a better-than-expected report on the U.S. job market.

The gains were broad, with every sector in the S&P 500 rising. That solidified a second consecutive winning week for the benchmark index, which has rallied back from a slump two months ago to come within striking distance of its record high.

The S&P 500 rose 61.06 points, or 1%, to 6,000.36. It is now within 2.3% of its record.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 443.13 points, or 1%, to 42,762.87. The Nasdaq rose 231.50 points, or 1.2%, to 19,529.95.

Technology stocks, with their outsized values, led the broad gains. Chipmaker Nvidia jumped 1.2% and iPhone maker Apple rose 1.6%.

Tesla rose 3.7%, regaining some of the big losses it suffered on Thursday when Trump and Musk sparred feverishly on social media.

Circle Internet Group, the U.S.-based issuer of one of the most popular cryptocurrencies, rose 29.4%. That adds to its 168% gain from Thursday when it debuted on the New York Stock Exchange.

U.S. employers slowed their hiring last month, but still added a solid 139,000 jobs amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s trade war. The closely watched monthly update reaffirmed that the job market remains resilient, despite worries from businesses and consumers about the impact of tariffs on goods going to and coming from the U.S. and its most important trading partners.

US stocks power within 3% of their record as Wall Street closes out a winning week

“It looks like, for now, everything is kind of running smoothly,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for Northlight Asset Management. “Investors see that as a positive, but we also haven’t seen the full effect of tariffs yet.”

President Donald Trump’s on-again-off-again tariffs continue to weigh on companies. Lululemon Athletica plunged 19.8% after the maker of yoga clothing cut its profit expectations late Thursday as it tries to offset the impact of tariffs while being buffeted by competition from start-up brands.

Lululemon joins a wide range of companies, from retailers to airlines, who have warned investors about the potential hit to their revenue and profits because of tariffs raising costs and consumers potentially tightening their spending.

Hopes that Trump will lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with other countries have been among the main reasons the S&P 500 has rallied back so furiously since dropping roughly 20% from its record two months ago. Senior U.S. administration officials will meet with a Chinese delegation on Monday in London for the next round of trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing.

The economy is already absorbing the impact from tariffs on a wide range of goods from key trading partners, along with raw materials such as steel. Heavier tariffs could hit businesses and consumers in the coming months.

The U.S. economy contracted during the first quarter. Recent surveys by the Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, found that both American manufacturing and services businesses contracted last month. On Tuesday, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecast 1.6% growth for the U.S. economy this year, down from 2.8% last year.

The uncertainty over tariffs and their economic impact has put the Federal Reserve in a delicate position.

“All things being equal, you can clearly see they are on hold,” Zaccarelli said.

The central bank is holding its benchmark interest rate steady as it worries about tariffs reigniting inflation. It fought hard, using interest rate increases, to ease inflation back toward its target of 2% and rates have been hovering just above that level.

The Fed has been hesitant to cut interest rates in 2025 after trimming rates three times late last year. While lower interest rates can give the economy a boost, they can also push inflation higher. That could be especially damaging if import taxes are also raising costs for businesses and consumers.

Wall Street expects the central bank to hold rates steady at its June meeting, but traders are forecasting that it will have to cut interest rates later this year in an effort to prop up the economy.

In the bond market, Treasury yields made significant gains. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.51% from 4.39% late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks traders’ expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with overnight interest rates, rose to 4.04% from 3.92% late Thursday.

Markets in Europe were mostly higher.

 

[bigdog]

US stocks drift and Chinese markets rise as trade talks start between the world's largest economies

U.S. stocks drifted through a quiet day of trading as the world’s two largest economies began talks on trade that could help avoid a recession.

apnews.com

US stocks drift and Chinese markets rise as trade talks start between the world’s largest economies​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 7:39 AM GMT+10, June 10, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted through a quiet Monday as the world’s two largest economies began talks on trade that could help avoid a recession.

The S&P 500 edged up by 0.1% and is within 2.3% of its record, which was set in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped by 1 point, which is well below 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.3%.

Officials from the United States and China met in London to talk about a range of different disputes that are separating them. The hope is that they can eventually reach a deal that will lower each’s punishing level of tariffs against the other, which are currently on pause, so that the flow of everything from tiny tech gadgets to enormous machinery can continue.

Hopes that President Donald Trump will lower his tariffs after reaching such trade deals with countries around the world have been among the main reasons the S&P 500 has rallied so furiously since dropping roughly 20% from its record two months ago. It’s back above where it was when Trump shocked financial markets in April with his wide-ranging tariff announcement on what he called “Liberation Day.”

This may be the shortest sell-off following a shock of heightened volatility on record, according to Parag Thatte, Binky Chadha and other strategists at Deutsche Bank. Typically, stocks take around two months to bottom following a spike in volatility and then another four to five months to recover their losses. This time around, stocks have basically made a round trip in less than two months.

But nothing is assured, of course, and that helped keep trading relatively quiet on Wall Street Monday.

Some of the market’s biggest moves came from the announcement of big buyout deals. Qualcomm rallied 4.1% after saying it agreed to buy Alphawave Semi in a deal valued at $2.4 billion. IonQ, meanwhile, rose 2.7% after the quantum computing and networking company said it agreed to purchase Oxford Ionics for nearly $1.08 billion.

On the losing side of Wall Street was Warner Bros. Discovery, which flipped from a big early gain to a loss of 3% after saying it would split into two companies. One will get Warner Bros. Television, HBO Max and other studio brands, while the other will hold onto CNN, TNT Sports and other entertainment, sports and news television brands around the world, along with some digital products.

Tesla recovered some of its sharp, recent drop. The electric vehicle company tumbled last week as Elon Musk’s relationship with Trump broke apart, and it rose 4.6% Monday after flipping between gains and losses earlier in the day.

The frayed relationship could end up damaging Musk’s other companies that get contracts from the U.S. government, such as SpaceX. Rocket Lab, a space company that could pick up business at SpaceX’s expense, rose 2.5%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 5.52 points to 6,005.88. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.11 to 42,761.76, and the Nasdaq composite rose 61.28 to 19,591.24.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were modestly lower in Europe after rising across much of Asia.

Chinese markets climbed even though the government reported that exports slowed in May, growing 4.8% from a year earlier after jumping more than 8% in April. China also reported that consumer prices fell 0.1% in May from a year earlier, marking the fourth consecutive month of deflation.

Stocks rallied 1.6% in Hong Kong and rose 0.4% in Shanghai.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.48% from 4.51% late Friday. It fell after a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that consumers’ expectations for coming inflation eased a bit in May.

That provides some relief for the Fed, which has been keeping its main interest rate steady as it waits to see how much Trump’s tariffs will raise inflation and how much they will hurt the economy. A persistent increase in expectations for inflation among U.S. households could drive behavior that creates a vicious cycle that only worsens inflation.

Economists expect a report coming on Wednesday to show inflation across the country accelerated last month to 2.5% from 2.3%.

ASX set to slip after Wall Street edged up​

The Australian share market is expected to slip on Tuesday after two positive sessions in a row on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 3 points lower.
.
U.S. stocks drifted through a quiet Monday as the world’s two largest economies began talks on trade that could help avoid a recession.

The S&P 500 edged up by 0.1% and is within 2.3% of its record, which was set in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped by 1 point, which is well below 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.3%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 5.52 points to 6,005.88. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.11 to 42,761.76, and the Nasdaq composite rose 61.28 to 19,591.24.

rise

 

[bigdog]

US stocks drift closer to their record as Wall Street waits to see what US-China talks will bear

U.S. stocks drifted just below their all-time high as the wait continues to hear what will come of trade talks underway between the United States and China.

apnews.com

US stocks drift closer to their record as Wall Street waits to see what US-China talks will bear​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 7:19 AM GMT+10, June 11, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted closer to their all-time high on Tuesday as the wait continued to hear what will come of trade talks between the United States and China.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5% as talks between the world’s two largest economies carried into a second day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 105 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6%.

Stocks have roared higher since dropping roughly 20% below their record two months ago, when President Donald Trump shocked financial markets with his announcement of tariffs that were so stiff that they raised worries about a possible recession. Much of the rally has been due to hopes that Trump would lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with countries around the world, and the S&P 500 is back within 1.7% of its record set in February.

It’s getting to be time to see whether such hopes were warranted. The talks with China were going “really, really well,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said Tuesday evening in London, where the talks were being held. The two sides worked on “all sorts of trade issues,” he said, according to a video clip posted by the Chinese state broadcaster CGTN.

Both the United States and China have put many of their tariffs announced against each other on pause as talks continue.

Even though many tariffs are on hold for the moment, they’re still affecting companies and their ability to make profits because of all the uncertainty they’ve created.

Stay up to date with similar stories by signing up to our WhatsApp channel.

Designer Brands, the company behind the DSW shoe store chain, became the latest U.S. company to yank its financial forecasts for 2025 because of “uncertainty stemming primarily from global trade policies.”

The company, which also owns the Keds, Jessica Simpson and other shoe brands, reported a larger loss for the start of the year than analysts were expecting, and its revenue also fell short of forecasts. CEO Doug Howe pointed to ”persistent instability and pressure on consumer discretionary” spending, and the company’s stock tumbled 18.2%.

The uncertainty is moving in both directions, to be sure. A survey released Tuesday of optimism among small U.S. businesses improved a bit in May.

“While the economy will continue to stumble along until the major sources of uncertainty are resolved, owners reported more positive expectations on business conditions and sales growth,” according to Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist at the National Federation of Independent Business.

On Wall Street, J.M. Smucker fell 15.6% even though its results for the latest quarter topped analysts’ expectations. Its revenue fell short of expectations, as did its forecast for profit in the upcoming year.

Tesla helped to make up for such losses after rising 5.7%. The electric vehicle company has been recovering since tumbling last week as Elon Musk’s relationship with Trump imploded. That raised fear about possible retaliation by the U.S. government against Tesla.

Shares that trade in the United States of chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. rose 2.6% after the company known as TSMC said its revenue in May jumped nearly 40% from the year earlier.

Casey’s General Stores leaped 11.6% after the chain of convenience stores based in Ankeny, Iowa, reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It credited strength in sales of hot sandwiches and other items.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 32.93 points to 6,038.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 105.11 to 42,866.87, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 123.75 to 19,714.99.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed amid mostly modest movements across Europe and Asia. A 0.8% drop for Germany’s DAX and a 0.6% gain for South Korea’s Kospi were two of the bigger moves.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.47% from 4.49% late Monday.

ASX 200 expected to rise again​

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Wednesday following a strong night of trade on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 24 points or 0.3% higher this morning.
.
U.S. stocks drifted closer to their all-time high on Tuesday as the wait continued to hear what will come of trade talks between the United States and China.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5% as talks between the world’s two largest economies carried into a second day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 105 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6%.

Stocks have roared higher since dropping roughly 20% below their record two months ago, when President Donald Trump shocked financial markets with his announcement of tariffs that were so stiff that they raised worries about a possible recession. Much of the rally has been due to hopes that Trump would lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with countries around the world, and the S&P 500 is back within 1.7% of its record set in February.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 32.93 points to 6,038.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 105.11 to 42,866.87, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 123.75 to 19,714.99.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street's rally stalls as US stocks dip for their 1st loss in 4 days

Wall Street’s rally stalled after stocks climbed back within 2% of their all-time high. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Wednesday for its first drop in four days.

apnews.com

Wall Street’s rally stalls as US stocks dip for their 1st loss in 4 days​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 7:34 AM GMT+10, June 12, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s rally stalled on Wednesday after U.S. stocks climbed back within 2% of their all-time high.

The S&P 500 fell 0.3% for its first loss in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was virtually unchanged after edging down by 1 point, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5%.

Several Big Tech stocks led the way lower, and a 1.9% drop for Apple was the heaviest weight on the market. It’s been listless this week after unveiling several modest upcoming changes to the software that runs its devices.

The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields eased after a report suggested President Donald Trump’s tariffs are not pushing inflation much higher, at least not yet.

U.S. consumers had to pay prices for food, gasoline and other costs of living that were 2.4% higher overall in May than a year earlier. That was up from April’s 2.3% inflation rate, but it wasn’t as bad as the 2.5% that Wall Street was expecting.

A fear has been that Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs could ignite an acceleration in inflation, just when it had seemed to get nearly all the way back to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target from more than 9% three summers ago. It hasn’t happened, though economists warn it may take months more to feel the full effect of Trump’s tariffs.

“Another month goes by with little evidence of tariffs, but the longer-term inflation challenge they pose remain,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

Financial markets also had only modest reactions to the conclusion of two days of trade talks between the United States and China in London.

Trump said Wednesday that China will supply rare-earth minerals and magnets to the United States, while his government will allow Chinese students into U.S. universities in a deal that still needs an agreement by him and by China’s leader. Trump also said that “President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!”

Investors are still hoping for a more sweeping trade deal that would ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Hopes for such deals between the United States and countries around the world have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has charged nearly all the way back to its all-time high after dropping roughly 20% below a couple months ago. Without them, the fear is that Trump’s high tariffs could drive the economy into a recession while pushing inflation higher. The S&P 500 is now sitting 2% below its record.

On Wall Street, Chewy dropped 11% after the seller of pet supplies reported a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts had forecast. Expectations were high after its stock had already rallied nearly 37% coming into the day for the year so far.

Tesla swung between gains and losses before finishing with a rise of 0.1% to continue its shaky run. It’s been recovering much of its big losses taken last week after Elon Musk’s relationship with Trump imploded, which in turn raised fears about a loss of business for the electric-vehicle company. Musk on Wednesday backed away from some of his earlier comments and said they went “too far.”

All told, the S&P 500 fell 16.57 points to 6,022.24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.10 to 42,865.77, and the Nasdaq composite sank 99.11 to 19,615.88.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.41% from 4.47% late Tuesday. Shorter-term yields, which more closely track expectations for what the Fed will do with overnight interest rates, fell more.

Wednesday’s better-than-expected reading on inflation raised expectations along Wall Street that the Fed could cut its main interest rate at least twice by the end of the year.

The Fed has been keeping interest rates steady so far this year, going on pause after cutting rates at the end of last year. It has been waiting to see how much Trump’s tariffs raise inflation because cutting interest rates could push inflation up even more, in addition to giving the economy a boost.

“The Fed could be justified in doing some preemptive rate cuts,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “They were afraid that inflation would rise before growth would slow, but the script has been flipped and they will likely change their tune.”

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe after rising in Asia. South Korea’s Kospi was one of the best performers and jumped 1.2%.

ASX 200 expected to rise​

The Australian share market looks set to rise on Thursday despite a poor night on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 20 points or 0.2% higher this morning.
.
Wall Street’s rally stalls as US stocks dip for their 1st loss in 4 days

Wall Street’s rally stalled on Wednesday after U.S. stocks climbed back within 2% of their all-time high.

The S&P 500 fell 0.3% for its first loss in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was virtually unchanged after edging down by 1 point, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5%.

Several Big Tech stocks led the way lower, and a 1.9% drop for Apple was the heaviest weight on the market. It’s been listless this week after unveiling several modest upcoming changes to the software that runs its devices.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 16.57 points to 6,022.24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.10 to 42,865.77, and the Nasdaq composite sank 99.11 to 19,615.88.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street ticks closer to its record after Oracle rallies

U.S. stocks drifted higher following another encouraging update on inflation. The S&P 500 added 0.4% Thursday and is sitting less than 2% below its record.

apnews.com

Wall Street ticks closer to its record after Oracle rallies​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 6:47 AM GMT+10, June 13, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes ticked higher on Thursday following another encouraging update on inflation across the country.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to pull back with 1.6% of its record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 101 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2%.

Oracle pushed upward on the market after jumping 13.3%. The tech giant delivered stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, and CEO Safra Catz said it expects revenue growth “will be dramatically higher” in its upcoming fiscal year.

That helped offset a 4.8% loss for Boeing after Air India said a London-bound flight crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport Thursday with 242 passengers and crew onboard. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a residential area near the airport five minutes after taking off. The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known.

Stocks broadly got some help from easing Treasury yields in the bond market following the latest update on inflation. Thursday’s said inflation at the wholesale level wasn’t as bad last month as economists expected, and it followed a report on Wednesday saying something similar about the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling.

Wall Street took it as a signal that the Federal Reserve will have more leeway to cut interest rates later this year in order to give the economy a boost.

The Federal Reserve has been hesitant to lower interest rates, and it’s been on hold this year after cutting at the end of last year, because it’s waiting to see how much President Donald Trump’s tariffs will hurt the economy and raise inflation. While lower rates can goose the economy by encouraging businesses and households to borrow, they can also accelerate inflation.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.35% from 4.41% late Wednesday and from roughly 4.80% early this year.

Besides the inflation data, a separate report on jobless claims also helped to weigh on Treasury yields. It said slightly more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected, and the total number remained at the highest level in eight months. That could be an indication of a rise in layoffs across the country.

“We believe that were it not for the uncertainty caused by the tariffs, the combined information coming from the inflation and labor-market data would have compelled the Fed to have resumed cutting its policy rate by now,” according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie.

The Fed’s next meeting on interest rates is scheduled for next week, but the nearly unanimous expectation on Wall Street is that it will stand pat again. Traders are betting it’s likely to begin cutting in September, according to data from CME Group.

Trump’s on-and-off tariffs have raised worries about higher inflation and a possible recession, which had sent the S&P 500 roughly 20% below its record a couple months ago. But stocks have since rallied nearly all the way back on hopes that Trump will lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with other countries.

Many of Trump’s tariffs are on hold at the moment to give time for negotiations, but Trump added to the uncertainty late Wednesday when he suggested the United States could send letters to other countries at some point “saying this is the deal. You can take it or you can leave it.”

On Wall Street, Chime Financial jumped 37.4% in its first day of trading on the Nasdaq. The technology company is trying to be the main financial hub for customers, connecting them with its bank partners.

GameStop dropped 22.5% after saying it plans to raise $1.75 billion by borrowing at zero interest rates, though the lenders could choose to be repaid in the video-game retailer’s stock instead of cash.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 23.02 points to 6,045.26. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 101.85 to 42,967.62, and the Nasdaq composite gained 46.61 to 19,662.48.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed across Europe and Asia amid mostly modest movements. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier, and it tumbled 1.4% to give back some of its strong recent gains.

Hong Kong’s index is still up nearly 20% for the year so far, towering over the U.S. stock market’s gain of less than 3%.

ASX 200 expected to rebound
The Australian share market looks set to rebound on Friday following a decent night in the United States.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 46 points or 0.55% higher this morning.
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U.S. stock indexes ticked higher on Thursday following another encouraging update on inflation across the country.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to pull back with 1.6% of its record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 101 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2%.

Oracle pushed upward on the market after jumping 13.3%. The tech giant delivered stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, and CEO Safra Catz said it expects revenue growth “will be dramatically higher” in its upcoming fiscal year.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 23.02 points to 6,045.26. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 101.85 to 42,967.62, and the Nasdaq composite gained 46.61 to 19,662.48.

 

[bigdog]

Oil prices leap 7% and US stocks slump more than 1% on worries about the crude market

Oil prices leaped, and stocks slumped on worries that escalating violence following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets could damage the flow of crude around the world, along with the global economy.

apnews.com

Oil prices leap 7% and US stocks slump more than 1% on worries about the crude market​

By JIANG JUNZHE, STAN CHOE and DAVID MCHUGH
Updated 7:18 AM GMT+10, June 14, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices leaped, and stocks slumped Friday on worries that escalating violence following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets could damage the flow of crude around the world, along with the global economy.

The S&P 500 sank 1.1% and wiped out what had been a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 769 points, or 1.8%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 1.3%.

The strongest action was in the oil market, where the price of a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude jumped 7.3% to $72.98. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 7% to $74.23 for a barrel.

Iran is one of the world’s major producers of oil, though sanctions by Western countries have limited its sales. If a wider war erupts, it could slow the flow of Iran’s oil to its customers and keep the price of crude and gasoline higher for everyone worldwide.

Beyond the oil coming from Iran, analysts also pointed to the potential for disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a relatively narrow waterway off Iran’s coast. Much of the world’s oil that’s been pulled from the ground moves through it on ships.

Past attacks involving Iran and Israel have seen prices for oil spike initially, only to fall later “once it became clear that the situation was not escalating and there was no impact on oil supply,” according to Richard Joswick, head of near-term oil at S&P Global Commodity Insights.

That has Wall Street waiting to see what will come next. U.S. stock prices dropped to their lowest points for the day after Iran launched ballistic missiles toward Israel.

For now, the price of oil has jumped, but it’s still lower than it was earlier this year. “This is an economic shock that nobody really needs, but it is one that seems more like a shock to sentiment than to the fundamentals of the economy,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.

That in turn sent U.S. stocks to a loss that was notable in size but outside their top 15 for the year so far.

Companies that use a lot of fuel as part of their business and need their customers feeling confident enough to travel fell to some of the sharpest losses. Cruise operator Carnival dropped 4.9%. United Airlines sank 4.4%, and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings fell 5%.

They helped overshadow gains for U.S. oil producers and other companies that could benefit from increased fighting between Israel and Iran.

Exxon Mobil rose 2.2%, and ConocoPhillips gained 2.4% because the leaping price of crude portends bigger profits for them.

Contractors that make weapons and defense equipment also rallied. Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and RTX all rose more than 3%.

The price of gold climbed as investors searched for safer places to park their cash. An ounce of gold added 1.4%.

Often, prices for Treasury bonds will likewise rise when investors are feeling nervous. That’s because U.S. government bonds have historically been seen as some of the safest options around. But Treasury prices fell Friday, which in turn pushed up their yields, in part because of worries that a spike in oil prices could drive inflation higher.

Inflation has remained relatively tame recently, and it’s near the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, but worries are high that it could be set to accelerate because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

That sent the yield on the 10-year Treasury up to 4.41% from 4.36% late Thursday. Higher yields can tug down on prices for stocks and other investments, while making it more expensive for U.S. companies and households to borrow money.

A better-than-expected report Friday on sentiment among U.S. consumers also helped drive yields higher. The preliminary report from the University of Michigan said sentiment improved for the first time in six months after Trump put many of his tariffs on pause, while U.S. consumers’ expectations for coming inflation eased.

On Wall Street, Adobe fell 5.3% even though the company behind Photoshop reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than Wall Street expected. Analysts called it a solid performance but said investors may have been looking for some bigger revenue forecasts for the upcoming year.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 68.29 points to 5,976.97. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 769.83 to 42,197.79, and the Nasdaq composite sank 255.66 to 19,406.83.

In stock markets abroad, indexes slumped across Europe and Asia. France’s CAC 40 lost 1%, and Germany’s DAX dropped 1.1% for two of the larger losses.

All indexes are RED in today's chart below:

 

[bigdog]

ASX 200 expected to fall​

The Australian share market looks set to fall on Monday following a selloff on Wall Street on Friday night.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 20 points or 0.25% lower.
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Oil prices leaped, and stocks slumped Friday on worries that escalating violence following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets could damage the flow of crude around the world, along with the global economy.

The S&P 500 sank 1.1% and wiped out what had been a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 769 points, or 1.8%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 1.3%.

The strongest action was in the oil market, where the price of a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude jumped 7.3% to $72.98. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 7% to $74.23 for a barrel.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 68.29 points to 5,976.97. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 769.83 to 42,197.79, and the Nasdaq composite sank 255.66 to 19,406.83.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street recovers from Friday's shock as US stocks rise and oil prices ease

Calm returned to Wall Street, and U.S. stocks rallied, while oil prices gave back some of their initial spurts following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets at the end of last week.

apnews.com

Wall Street recovers from Friday’s shock as US stocks rise and oil prices ease​

By STAN CHOE
Updated 7:10 AM GMT+10, June 17, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Calm returned to Wall Street on Monday, and U.S. stocks rose, while oil prices gave back some of their initial spurts following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets at the end of last week.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% to reclaim most of its drop from Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 317 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.5%. They joined a worldwide climb for stock prices, stretching from Asia to Europe.

Israel and Iran are continuing to attack each other, and a fear remains that a wider war could constrict the flow of Iran’s oil to its customers. That in turn could raise gasoline prices worldwide and keep them high.

But past conflicts in the region have seen spikes for crude prices last only briefly. They’ve receded after the fighting showed that it would not disrupt the flow of oil, either Iran’s or other countries’ through the narrow Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast.

Wall Street is recovering from Friday’s shock oil prices. More from AP business correspondent Seth Sutel.

Hopes that the fighting could remain similarly contained this time around helped send oil prices back toward $71 per barrel on Monday.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, appeared to make a veiled outreach for the U.S. to step in and negotiate an end to hostilities between Israel and Iran, saying in a post on X that a phone call from Washington to Israel’s leader “may pave the way for a return to diplomacy.”

A barrel of benchmark U.S. oil fell 1.7% to $71.77, while Brent crude, the international standard, dropped 1.3% to $73.23 per barrel. They had both jumped roughly 7% on Friday after the initial attacks.

In another signal of calming fear in financial markets, the price of gold also gave back some of its knee-jerk climb from Friday, when investors were looking for someplace safe to park their cash. An ounce of gold fell 1% to $3,417.30.

Wall Street has plenty of other concerns in addition to the fighting in Iran and Israel. Key among them are President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which still threaten to slow the economy and raise inflation if the U.S. government doesn’t win trade deals with other countries to reduce Trump’s taxes on imports.

The United States is meeting with six of the world’s largest economies in Canada for a Group of Seven meeting, with the specter of tariffs looming over the talks.

Later this week, the Federal Reserve is set to discuss whether to lower or raise interest rates, with the decision due on Wednesday. The nearly unanimous expectation among traders and economists is that the Fed will make no move.

The Federal Reserve has been hesitant to lower interest rates, and it’s been on hold this year after cutting at the end of last year, because it’s waiting to see how much Trump’s tariffs will hurt the economy and raise inflation. Inflation has remained relatively tame recently, and it’s near the Fed’s target of 2%.

More important for financial markets on Wednesday will likely be the latest set of forecasts that Fed officials will publish for where they see the economy and interest rates heading in upcoming years. Economists at Bank of America say it could show a forecast for just one cut to interest rates this year, along with three more in 2026.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.45% from 4.41% late Friday

On Wall Street, Sage Therapeutics jumped 35.4% for one of the market’s biggest gains after Supernus Pharmaceuticals said it would buy the biopharmaceutical company in a deal worth up to $795 million, or $12 per share, if certain conditions are met.

U.S. Steel rose 5.1% after Trump signed an executive order on Friday paving the way for an investment in the company by Japan’s Nippon Steel. Trump would have unique influence over the operations of U.S. Steel under the terms of the deal.

They helped offset drops for defense contractors, which gave back some of their jumps from Friday. Lockheed Martin fell 4%, and Northrop Grumman sank 3.7%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 56.14 points to 6,033.11. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 317.30 to 42,515.09, and the Nasdaq composite gained 294.39 to 19,701.21.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across most of Europe and Asia.

Stocks climbed 0.7% in Hong Kong and 0.3% in Shanghai after data showed stronger Chinese consumer spending for May but slower growth in factory activity and investment.

South Korea’s Kospi climbed 1.8%, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 rallied 1.3% for two of the world’s bigger gains.

ASX 200 expected to rise​

The Australian share market is expected to rise on Tuesday after a decent start to the week on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 5 points higher.
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Calm returned to Wall Street on Monday, and U.S. stocks rose, while oil prices gave back some of their initial spurts following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets at the end of last week.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% to reclaim most of its drop from Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 317 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.5%. They joined a worldwide climb for stock prices, stretching from Asia to Europe.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 56.14 points to 6,033.11. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 317.30 to 42,515.09, and the Nasdaq composite gained 294.39 to 19,701.21.

 

[bigdog]

Stocks slump and oil prices jump as Trump urges Iran's unconditional surrender

U.S. stocks slumped under the weight of a jump for the price of oil. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% Tuesday following signals that Israel’s conflict with Iran may be worsening and that one of the U.S. economy’s main engines is weakening.

apnews.com

Stocks slump and oil prices jump as Trump urges Iran’s unconditional surrender​

By STAN CHOE and ELAINE KURTENBACH
Updated 7:27 AM GMT+10, June 18, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — .

Stocks sank under increasing pressure from crude oil prices, which climbed in their latest see-saw move. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude jumped 4.3% to $74.84. Brent crude, the international standard, added 4.4% to $76.45 per barrel.

Their gains accelerated after President Donald Trump raised the temperature on Israel’s fight with Iran by calling for “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” on his social media platform and saying, “We are not going to” kill Iran’s leader, “at least for now.”

Before that, Trump had left a Group of Seven summit early and warned that people in Iran’s capital should evacuate immediately. It took only about eight hours for Trump to go from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained “achievable” to urging Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives.

The fighting has the potential to drive up prices for crude oil and gasoline because Iran is a major producer of oil, and it sits on the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s crude passes. Past conflicts in the area have caused spikes in oil prices, though they’ve historically proven to be only temporary after showing that they did not disrupt the flow of oil.

Often, higher oil prices can help stocks of companies in the solar industry because they increase the incentive to switch to alternative energy sources. But solar stocks tumbled Tuesday because of the possibility that Congress may phase out tax credits for solar, wind and other energy sources that produce fewer emissions that change the Earth’s climate.

Enphase Energy dropped 24%, and First Solar fell 17.9%.

Treasury yields also fell in the bond market after a report said shoppers spent less last month at U.S. retailers than the month before and than economists expected. Solid such spending has been one of the linchpins keeping the economy out of a recession, but part of May’s drop may have simply been a return to more normal trends.

In April, some shoppers had rushed to buy automobiles to get ahead of Trump’s tariffs.

“Today’s data suggests consumers are downshifting, but they haven’t yet slammed the brakes,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

On the winning side of Wall Street was Jabil, which jumped 8.9% after reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Mike Dastoor credited strength from accelerated demand related to artificial-intelligence technology, among other things.

Verve Therapeutics soared 81.5% after Eli Lilly said it would buy the company developing genetic medicines for cardiovascular disease in a $1 billion deal that could be worth up to $1.3 billion if certain conditions are met. Lilly’s stock fell 2%.

All told, the S&P 500 lost 50.39 points to 5,982.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 299.29 to 42,215.80, and the Nasdaq composite sank 180.12 to 19,521.09.

All the action took place as the Federal Reserve began a two-day meeting on interest rates. The nearly unanimous expectation among traders and economists is that the Fed will make no move.

The Fed has been hesitant to lower interest rates, and it’s been on hold this year after cutting at the end of last year, because it’s waiting to see how much Trump’s tariffs will hurt the economy and raise inflation. Inflation has remained relatively tame recently, and it’s near the Fed’s target of 2%.

More important for financial markets on Wednesday will likely be the latest set of forecasts that Fed officials will publish for where they see the economy and interest rates heading in upcoming years.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.38% from 4.46% late Monday.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe after finishing mixed in Asia.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index rose 0.6% after the Bank of Japan opted to keep its key interest rate unchanged. It’s been gradually raising its rate from near zero and cutting back on its purchases of Japanese government bonds to help counter inflation.

ASX 200 expected to fall
The Australian share market looks set to fall on Wednesday following a poor night of trade on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 16 points lower this morning.
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US stocks sank under increasing pressure from crude oil prices, which climbed in their latest see-saw move. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude jumped 4.3% to $74.84. Brent crude, the international standard, added 4.4% to $76.45 per barrel.

Their gains accelerated after President Donald Trump raised the temperature on Israel’s fight with Iran by calling for “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” on his social media platform and saying, “We are not going to” kill Iran’s leader, “at least for now.”

Before that, Trump had left a Group of Seven summit early and warned that people in Iran’s capital should evacuate immediately. It took only about eight hours for Trump to go from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained “achievable” to urging Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives.

All told, the S&P 500 lost 50.39 points to 5,982.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 299.29 to 42,215.80, and the Nasdaq composite sank 180.12 to 19,521.09.

 

[bigdog]

Wall Street ends mixed after the Fed says it's still waiting to see the effects of Trump's tariffs

U.S. stocks drifted to a mixed finish after the Federal Reserve indicated it may cut interest rates twice this year, though it’s far from certain about that.

apnews.com

Wall Street ends mixed after the Fed says it’s still waiting to see the effects of Trump’s tariffs​

By STAN CHOE and JIANG JUNZHE
Updated 6:18 AM GMT+10, June 19, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted to a mixed finish on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve indicated it may cut interest rates twice this year, though it’s far from certain about that.

The S&P 500 finished nearly unchanged and edged down by less than 0.1% after flipping between modest gains and losses several times. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 44 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%.

Treasury yields also wavered but ultimately held relatively steady after the Fed released a set of projections showing the median official expects to cut the federal funds rate twice by the end of 2025. That’s the same number they were projecting three months ago, and it helped calm worries a bit that inflation caused by President Donald Trump’s tariffs could tie the Fed’s hands.

Cuts in rates would make mortgages, credit-card payments and other loans cheaper for U.S. households and businesses, which in turn could strengthen the overall economy. But they could likewise fan inflation higher.

So far, inflation has remained relatively tame, and it’s near the Fed’s target of 2%. But economists have been warning it may take months to feel the effects of tariffs. And inflation has been feeling upward pressure recently from a spurt in oil prices because of Israel’s fighting with Iran.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell stressed on Wednesday that all the uncertainty surrounding tariffs means the median forecast for two cuts to interest rates this year could end up being far from reality. “Right now it’s just a forecast in a very foggy time,” he said

Fed officials are waiting to see how big Trump’s tariffs will ultimately be, what they will affect and whether they will drive a one-time increase to inflation or something more dangerous. There is also still deep uncertainty about how much tariffs will grind down on the economy’s growth.

“Because the economy is still solid, we can take the time to actually see what’s going to happen,” Powell said.

“We’ll make smarter and better decisions if we just wait a couple months or however long it takes to get a sense of really what is going to be the passthrough of inflation and what are going to be the effects on spending and hiring and all those things.”

Adding to the uncertainty Wednesday were continued swings for oil prices. After topping $74 during the morning, the price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. oil dropped below $72 before settling at $75.14, up 0.4% from the day before. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 0.3% to $76.70.

Oil prices have been yo-yoing for days because of rising and ebbing fears that the conflict between Israel and Iran could disrupt the global flow of crude. Not only is Iran a major producer of oil, it also sits on the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s crude passes.

Trump said on Wednesday that Iran has reached out to him and that it’s not “too late” for Iran to give up its nuclear program, though he also declined to say whether the U.S. military would strike the country.

“I may do it. I may not do it,” he said. “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

On Wall Street, Nucor rose 3.3% after the steelmaker said it expects to report growth in profit for all three of its operating groups in the second quarter. It said it benefited from higher selling prices at its sheet and plate mills, among other things.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 1.85 points to 5,980.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 44.14 to 42,171.66, and the Nasdaq composite added 25.18 to 19,546.27.

In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following a few wavers up and down.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.38% from 4.39% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Fed will do with its overnight interest rate, held at 3.94%.

The moves followed a mixed set of reports on the U.S. economy released earlier in the day. One said fewer workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, which could be an indication of fewer layoffs. But a second report said that homebuilders broke ground on fewer homes last month than economists expected. That could be a sign that higher mortgage rates are chilling the industry.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed across Europe and Asia.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.9%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.1% for two of the bigger moves.

ASX 200 expected to fall​

The Australian share market looks set to fall on Thursday following a relatively poor night on Wall Street.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 24 points or 0.3% lower this morning.
.
U.S. stocks drifted to a mixed finish on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve indicated it may cut interest rates twice this year, though it’s far from certain about that.

The S&P 500 finished nearly unchanged and edged down by less than 0.1% after flipping between modest gains and losses several times. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 44 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 1.85 points to 5,980.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 44.14 to 42,171.66, and the Nasdaq composite added 25.18 to 19,546.27.

 

[Skate]

The U.S. markets were closed for the Juneteenth Holiday (19th of June 2025)
The U.S. markets were closed last night, and futures trading was notably subdued, offering little guidance for today’s trading session. The S&P 500 and DJIA futures slid about 0.9%, despite the main markets being closed, indicating cautious sentiment among traders.

Typically, Fridays aren't great for me anyway, and I'm expecting the same today.

Skate.

 

[bigdog]

The Australian share market looks set to fall again on Friday.

According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 23 points or 0.3% lower this morning

NYSE closed for Juneteenth National Independence Day Thursday, June 19 (thanks Skate)

Rest of world trading THURSDAY