Stocks were mixed last week as volatility dropped despite ongoing trade concerns and the Federal Reserve's update on short-term rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.16 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 0.47 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 0.27 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, fell 0.37 percent.1,2 Stocks Go SidewaysStocks dropped on Monday, ending the S&P 500's 9-day winning streak as the trade anxiety weighed on investors.3,4 Sentiment picked up midweek, however. In a widely expected move, the Fed held short-term interest rates steady but warned of lingering uncertainty around tariffs' effects on inflation and unemployment.5,6 On Thursday, the U.S.-U.K. trade deal sparked a slight rally, but stocks flattened as the week ended. Investors appeared to be risk-averse with U.S.-China trade talks scheduled for the weekend.7 |
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