2025.07.0818:47:24UTC+00US Stocks Struggle for Direction as Tariff Deadline Nears

On Tuesday, US equities exhibited mixed performance as investors weighed President Trump's tariff threats against hopes for further negotiations. The S&P 500 hovered near breakeven, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell over 100 points. Conversely, the Nasdaq 100 edged up 0.2%, following a significant decline on Monday. Despite earlier hints of a possible deadline shift, President Trump confirmed that new tariffs ranging from 25% to 40% on 14 countries, including Japan and South Korea, would commence on August 1. These conflicting messages contributed to market uncertainty, with many investors hoping that upcoming discussions might prevent a more extensive trade confrontation. Meanwhile, the energy sector posted gains, whereas banking and solar stocks pulled down broader indexes. In corporate developments, Nvidia rose by 1%, edging towards a $4 trillion valuation, while Amazon slipped by 1.4% as Prime Day began. Additionally, markets are anticipating the release of the Federal Reserve's June meeting minutes and the unofficial beginning of earnings season later in the week.