U.S. stocks edged lower as investors navigated a mix of rising oil prices, corporate earnings signals, and shifting expectations around Federal Reserve policy. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all turned down after early gains, reflecting a market grappling with geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns. Indexes Pull Back All three major indexes slipped roughly between 0.3% and 0.6%, giving back some of the previous session’s momentum. The downturn followed renewed volatility in energy markets and cautious sentiment around consumer spending. Oil Prices Add Fresh Pressure Crude prices extended their sharp rally, driven by heightened worries over a potential U.S.–Iran conflict. Brent crude climbed above $71 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate hovered near $66 — its biggest daily jump since October. Rising energy costs revived inflation concerns and weighed on equities. Walmart Earnings in Focus Walmart posted stronger‑than‑expected results, but its cautious pro...
Wall Street and global markets started the week on a bearish note, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures down 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively, before the bell. The Hong Kong benchmark index fell more than 2%, and investors were left without cues from overnight trading due to the holiday weekend.
Investors have been betting on the Federal Reserve cutting its main interest rate six or more times through 2024, a much more aggressive track than the Fed itself has hinted at. However, after a roaring start to the year, investors are growing a bit more cautious about how soon the Fed will begin cutting interest rates, how quickly, and by how much.
The first quarter of this year may be marked by the realization that it’s too early for the central banks to cut the interest rates unless something really bad hits the fan.
Microsoft rose about 0.7%, to $391.25 per share, before the bell Tuesday, vaulting past Apple to become the world’s most valuable publicly-traded company with a market capitalization of $2.89 trillion.
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