Stocks fell last week as investors assessed progress on trade negotiations, new U.S. tariffs, and fresh data on the U.S. economy. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 2.36 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index declined 2.17 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.92 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost 2.95 percent.1,2 Action-Packed WeekStocks largely went sideways over the first half of the week as investors waited for more Q2 corporate results, fresh economic data, and the Fed decision. The U.S.-E.U. trade agreement announced over the weekend had a muted impact on the market as the week began. Stocks then retreated as China trade talks appeared to stall, with the Dow declining the most of the three major averages through midweek.3,4 Stocks gained on Wednesday morning after the latest gross domestic product (GDP) report showed consumer spending powered the economy back to 3 percent annualized growth in Q2. That afternoon, the Federal Reserve announced they were holding rates steady, which put some pressure on stocks.5 Selling pressure continued on July’s final trading day as investors continued to fret about the Fed’s next move. The Personal Consumption and Expenditures (PCE) Index—the Fed’s favored inflation metric—showed a June uptick in core goods prices, unsettling investors.5 Stocks were under pressure from the opening bell on Friday as investors sorted through fresh tariff announcements from the White House, a softer-than-expected July jobs report, and mixed Q2 corporate reports from two megacap tech names.6,7 |
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