S&P 500 is Flat Friday, Heads for Worst Week of The Year
The S&P 500 gyrated on Friday, with the benchmark headed for its worst week since September as the salvo of trade policy actions unnerved investors.
The broad index added 0.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded around flat.
A weaker-than-expected jobs report released Friday raised further concerns about an economic softening and sent rates lower. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 151,000 jobs in February, less than the consensus forecast for 170,000 from economists polled by Dow Jones. The unemployment rate ticked higher to 4.1%.
That came as stocks have been on a roller-coaster ride this week with President Donald Trump’s tariff policies worrying investors about future U.S. growth and inflation. Trump said on Thursday that a swath of goods from Canada and Mexico that are covered by the North American trade agreement known as USMCA would be exempt from the announced duties until April 2.
That move effectively walked back much of the original plan. But the market still sold-off, with uncertainty mounting amid constant updates and a lack of clarity around what to expect longer term.
Source : CNBC
