Wall Street Update: U.S. Stocks Dip Slightly
2 min read
APRIL 15,2025
Stock market today: Wall Street leaned toward modest losses in early trading Tuesday, as investors took a cautious stance amid ongoing trade tensions and mixed corporate news. Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq edged down by 0.3%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.4%, indicating a subdued open on Wall Street.
This morning’s hesitation comes after President Donald Trump signaled a temporary easing on some tariffs, providing brief relief to the market. However, that optimism was quickly overshadowed by fresh concerns. The Trump administration announced a new investigation into whether imports of pharmaceuticals, computer chips, and related technologies pose national security risks—hinting at potential new tariffs on tech and healthcare products.
“It’s the usual pattern we’ve come to expect,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. “One step forward, two steps back—then a sudden policy pivot. It’s diplomacy by whack-a-mole, and markets are left to guess which direction the hammer will swing next.”
Despite the political noise, some corporate earnings are helping buoy investor confidence. Bank of America shares climbed 1.8% in premarket trading after beating analysts’ estimates for both revenue and profit. Many big U.S. banks are seeing strong Q1 performance, especially in their trading segments, thanks to increased volatility tied to tariff headlines.
Johnson & Johnson, on the other hand, reported solid sales and profit but saw its stock dip 1% before the bell. Meanwhile, Boeing shares tumbled 3.3% following a report that China has halted purchases of its aircraft and aviation equipment—a sharp escalation in the ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
Investors are also keeping an eye on United Airlines, which is set to report earnings after the closing bell today.
In the bond market, things appear to be calming down. After a volatile week, 10-year Treasury yields held steady at 4.37%, easing fears sparked by a sharp rise last Friday when yields briefly hit 4.48%.
Wall Street Update: Global Markets React
Overseas, markets showed more optimism:
- Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%
- UK’s FTSE 100 added 0.7%
- France’s CAC 40 was flat by midday
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 0.8%, closing at 34,267.54. Automakers led the gains, with Toyota up 3.7% and Honda rising 3.6%. Sony also had a solid day, gaining 2.2%. Other regional markets saw smaller gains:
- Australia’s ASX 200 rose 0.2%
- South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.9%
- China’s Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng each added 0.2% after a wobbly session
Energy and Currency Markets
Oil prices dipped, with U.S. crude falling 48 cents to $61.05 a barrel and Brent crude losing the same to settle at $64.40. The International Energy Agency trimmed its forecast for global oil demand due to rising trade tensions—pushing crude prices down nearly 14% in April alone.
In currency trading:
- The U.S. dollar slipped to 142.87 Japanese yen (from 143.04)
- The euro eased to $1.1330
RELATED STORY: Global Stock Markets Rally After Trump Eases Tariffs on Electronics
About The Author
