Wall Street ended Monday on a mixed note as investors braced for a week packed with potential market-moving events. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 5,528.75, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 114 points to 40,227.59, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1% to 17,366.13.
For the everyday person, here’s the big takeaway: stocks are treading water. Markets are holding their breath, not knowing if things will get better or worse, especially with the unpredictable tariff situation hanging overhead. It’s a bit like waiting for a pop quiz you didn’t study for—except this one can hit your wallet.
Big Tech Wobbles Ahead of Earnings
Wall Street was dragged in different directions by heavyweight tech stocks. Amazon dipped 0.7%, Microsoft slipped 0.2%, while Apple and Meta Platforms inched up 0.4% each.
These companies will report earnings this week, and because of their massive size, even small moves in their stock prices ripple across the S&P 500.
Meanwhile, non-tech giants like Caterpillar, Exxon Mobil, and McDonald’s are also scheduled to report. Their results could offer clues about how corporate America is bracing for the economic shocks from President Trump’s tariff policies.
As Bank of America strategist Savita Subramanian noted, companies are scrambling. They are pre-ordering goods, shifting production, or simply hiking prices. But a lot of them have gone into a “no hiring, no firing, no new projects” freeze. Translation? Business leaders are treating the economy like a guest who might leave without paying the bill.
Tariff Trouble: A Growing Cloud Over Wall Street
Trump’s April 2 “Liberation Day” announcement of global tariffs is starting to weigh heavily on sentiment. Even though recent economic reports show the U.S. economy is still growing, it’s at a weaker pace.
On Wednesday, a key report is expected to show U.S. growth slowed to 0.8% in the first quarter, compared to 2.4% at the end of 2024.
The real kicker? Most of the recent data predates the new tariffs. That’s why all eyes are on upcoming reports, like Friday’s jobs numbers, to see if hiring slowed as feared. Economists predict just 125,000 new jobs in April, down from 228,000 in March.
Consumer confidence is already wobbling. A fresh reading from The Conference Board, arriving Tuesday, could show how much regular Americans are tightening their belts.
(Feeling déjà vu? You’re not alone. It’s like reliving 2018’s trade war, just with new actors and bigger consequences.)
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Bonds Signal Rate Cut Hopes
In the bond market, Treasury yields continued their slide. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.21% from 4.29%. Investors are betting that the Federal Reserve will eventually cut interest rates to counter the economic slowdown.
Lower rates make it easier for people to borrow, which could juice spending and business investment. But the mere fact that Wall Street is praying for rate cuts shows just how nervous things have gotten.
If Wall Street were a party right now, everyone’s dancing near the exit.
Global Markets and Final Word
Overseas, trading was quiet but cautious. Paris’s CAC 40 rose 0.5%, while Shanghai’s stocks slipped 0.2%.
Wall Street’s story this week is simple: cautious gains, nervous glances, and a whole lot of “wait and see.” Investors, businesses, and households are watching—and hoping—that a tariff-driven downturn doesn’t crash the party.
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