NEW YORK: The S&P 500 edged higher to eke out a record high close for a sixth straight session on Monday, while the Nasdaq also advanced to a closing record in choppy trade as investors gauged the U.S.-EU trade pact and prepared for a week of major market catalysts.
U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a trade framework on Sunday, slashing EU import tariffs to 15% – half the previously threatened rate that was scheduled to take effect on August 1. Still, France denounced the deal as a “submission.”
The deal is the latest announcement in recent days on U.S. trade agreements with countries such as Japan and Indonesia. Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials resumed talks in Stockholm to resolve a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
“It’s feel-good in the sense that it doesn’t represent Armageddon, if the draconian tariffs went into place,” said Scott Welch, chief investment officer at Certuity in Potomac, Maryland.
“But it’s much too soon to pass judgment on the long-term effects on how that will play out. It’s better than the alternative for sure, and so I hope they continue.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 64.36 points, or 0.14%, to 44,837.56, the S&P 500 gained 1.13 points, or 0.02%, to 6,389.77 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 70.27 points, or 0.33%, to 21,178.58.
The benchmark S&P 500 index has now notched six straight daily closing records, en route to its 15th closing record of the year. Stocks have rebounded strongly from a selloff that began in early April when Trump announced a slew of tariffs.
Mounting enthusiasm over the potential for AI technology has helped lift stocks, along with the realization of some trade pacts and early indications corporate earnings season may be better than anticipated.
Investors now await a policy announcement from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. The central bank is widely expected to keep U.S. rates unchanged even as Trump has ramped up pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower borrowing costs.
Also on deck this week were a slew of corporate earnings, including results from heavyweights Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and Apple, which could sway broader investor sentiment in either direction.
Along with the Fed meeting and earnings, a number of economic indicators are scheduled to be released this week, including the Personal Consumption Expenditure report (PCE) – the Fed’s preferred inflation measure – and the government payrolls report to gauge how tariffs may have affected consumer prices and the labor market.
Nike climbed 3.89% after J.P. Morgan upgraded the stock to “overweight” from “neutral” and said investors should “just buy it”.
Energy, up 1.15% was the best performing S&P sector on the session, buoyed by a jump of more than 2% in oil prices while real estate, down 1.75%, and materials , off 1.44%, were the worst performing.
Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.81-to-1 ratio on the NYSE, and by a 1.48-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P 500 posted 26 new 52-week highs and five new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 68 new highs and 54 new lows.
Volume on U.S. exchanges was 17.58 billion shares, compared with the 17.84 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days. – Reuters
