Highlights

The US stock market faced a notable downturn due to rising tensions in international trade sparked by President Donald Trump. Key indices, such as the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq, saw declines of over 2% during the week. Apple experienced a significant drop, over 3%, following the President's stark tariff proposal. Additionally, renewed trade disputes with the European Union further diminished investor confidence. A bright spot emerged in the nuclear sector, with select stocks seeing impressive gains.

Sentiment Analysis

• The overall sentiment of the article is mixed, with negative highlights due to falling stocks and trade tensions.
• Positive sentiments are seen in specific sectors like nuclear, demonstrating growth amidst general market decline.
• The downward market trend emphasizes investor uncertainty despite hopes for de-escalation in trade wars.

Article Text

In a rapid decline on Friday, US stock markets suffered significant losses as President Donald Trump reignited fears of a trade conflict, which overshadowed existing investor worries about rising bond yields. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 359 points, marking a 0.9% fall, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite also receded by 0.9% and 1.2% respectively. By the week's close, these indices had each decreased by more than 2%. This turbulent period was exacerbated by a pronounced decline in Apple's stock, falling 3.5% after Trump suggested imposing a 25% tariff on foreign-produced iPhones unless manufacturing moved to domestic locations.

The escalation wasn't limited to Apple. President Trump also accused the European Union of stagnating trade talks, proposing substantial tariffs on EU imports scheduled for mid-2025. This sudden shift unraveled investor optimism for trade resolution following a brief 90-day pause and promises of initial accords with the UK and China. The semiconductor sector, integral to technology markets, also bore the brunt of the volatility; industry stalwarts like Qualcomm, Micron, and Nvidia saw reductions in their stock values.

Conversely, nuclear energy stocks bucked the overall trend. Oklo and NuScale's shares soared following leaks that suggested potential executive orders favoring nuclear energy from Trump, resulting in notable market reactions of over 8% increase each. Furthermore, Constellation Energy and Cameco saw uplifts as well.

In corporate developments, Intuit provided a beacon of positivity, achieving an 8% rise after updating its annual financial outlook and surpassing quarterly profit predictions. These movements underscore a complex narrative of uncertainty amid Trump's contentious trade policies. As the week's trading closed, the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq reflected a broader narrative of pessimism, concluding over 2% lower throughout this challenging period.

Key Insights Table