Wall Street Steadies After Weeks of Tariff Volatility

Yesterday at 11:34 am

2912 posts

Wall Street Steadies After Weeks of Tariff Volatility/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. stocks nudged higher Tuesday in a rare calm stretch for Wall Street after weeks of turmoil sparked by tariff upheavals. The S&P 500 edged up 0.2% as traders took a breather from volatile swings. Meanwhile, global markets also steadied as investors await the next round of trade decisions from Washington and Beijing.

Trader Peter Herits, center, works on the options floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Markets Pause Amid Tariff Tensions – Quick Looks

S&P 500 Climbs 0.2%: Modest gains mark a quiet day
Bond Market Stabilizes: 10-year Treasury yield holds at 4.38%
Dollar Mixed: Slight rebound after last week’s decline
Bank Earnings Strong: Bank of America and Citigroup beat forecasts
Boeing Slips: China halts new orders amid trade tension
Global Markets Rise: Europe, Asia see broad-based gains
China Signals Stability: Beijing emphasizes calm in Southeast Asia tour
Caution Remains: Wall Street braces for more tariff volatility

Wall Street Steadies After Weeks of Tariff Volatility

Deep Look

NEW YORK — After weeks of whiplash driven by trade uncertainty and tariff threats, U.S. financial markets paused for breath on Tuesday. Stocks drifted slightly higher as global investors looked for a moment of stability amid a high-stakes trade standoff between the U.S. and China.

The S&P 500 edged up 0.2% in early trading, a modest move in contrast to the volatile swings of recent sessions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 44 points (0.1%), while the Nasdaq rose 0.3%.

The key signal of calm came from the bond market, where the 10-year Treasury yield held steady at 4.38%, down from the recent high of 4.48%. This came after a rapid rise last week sparked concern that global investors were losing faith in U.S. government bonds as a safe-haven asset.

The U.S. dollar, which had slipped sharply amid fears the trade war was eroding its international standing, also steadied. It ticked higher against the euro and Swiss franc but fell slightly against the British pound.

Banks Lead Modest Gains

Financials helped lift Wall Street, led by Bank of America, which surged 3.9% after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings. Citigroup also beat forecasts, rising 2.3%.

Analysts pointed to trading volatility—sparked in large part by the Trump administration’s back-and-forth on tariff policies—as a key driver of bank profits.

“It’s chaos, but it’s profitable chaos for trading desks,” said one analyst.

Boeing Feels the Fallout

Not all stocks shared in the rebound. Boeing dropped 1.4% following reports that China ordered its airlines to halt new deliveries and suspend U.S.-linked aerospace purchases. The move is a fresh blow amid growing economic retaliation between the two global powers.

The trade war continues to escalate, with President Donald Trump maintaining that aggressive tariffs are necessary to repatriate manufacturing jobs and reduce the trade deficit.

Meanwhile, China is positioning itself as a voice of global stability. Officials are touring Southeast Asia, attempting to reassure neighbors that Beijing remains committed to open trade and cooperation.

Global Markets Steady, But Unease Lingers

In Europe, stocks broadly rose. Germany’s DAX added 1.1%, and London’s FTSE 100 climbed 0.9%.

Asian markets followed suit, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 0.8%, South Korea’s Kospi gaining 0.9%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng nudging 0.2% higher after a volatile session. Shanghai stocks added 0.1%.