NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks retreated early Monday ahead of major earnings reports later this week amid lingering unease over US trade conflicts.
About 40 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1 percent at 25,031.47.
The broad-based S&P 500 dipped 0.1 percent to 2,799.59, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index slid 0.2 percent to 7,801.58.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker heads to Washington on Wednesday to meet with President Donald Trump and try to avert an escalation of tit-for-tat trade tariffs.
Trump already is embroiled in a messy trade spat with China, while negotiations with Canada and Mexico to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement have stalled.
“It is hard to imagine a more difficult trading environment due to worsening trade-war rhetoric, a sharp devaluation of the Chinese currency, an unsynchronized global recovery, and the President commenting on Fed policy,” said Canaccord Genuity strategist Tony Dwyer.
Dwyer noted that any pullback would be a buying opportunity given strong corporate earnings.
Earnings season will heat up further in the coming days with reports from Google-parent Alphabet, Boeing and Amazon, among others.
Also on tap this week will be the first reading on second-quarter US growth, which is forecast to be a blockbuster, albeit a one-time burst.
Among individual stocks, US-listed shares of Fiat Chrysler fell 2.3 percent, while Ferrari slumped 4.8 percent after the sudden exit of chief executive Sergio Marchionne due to health reasons.
Amazon dipped 0.7 percent after Trump again attacked the company on Twitter, swiping at the “Amazon Washington Post” and suggesting the company should face antitrust charges.
The Washington Post is owned by Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, but is now owned by the online retail giant.
US stocks fall amid lingering trade war unease
US stocks fall amid lingering trade war unease
- About 40 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1 percent at 25,031.47
- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker heads to Washington on Wednesday to meet with President Donald Trump
Silver crosses $77 mark while gold, platinum stretch record highs
- Spot silver touched an all-time high of $77.40 earlier today, marking a 167% year-to-date surge driven by supply deficits
- Spot platinum rose 9.8% to $2,437.72 per ounce, while palladium surged 14 percent to $1,927.81, its highest level in over 3 years
Silver breached the $77 mark for the first time on Friday, while gold and platinum hit record highs, buoyed by expectations of US Federal Reserve rate cuts and geopolitical tensions that fueled safe-haven demand.
Spot silver jumped 7.5% to $77.30 per ounce, as of 1:53 p.m. ET (1853 GMT), after touching an all-time high of $77.40 earlier today, marking a 167% year-to-date surge driven by supply deficits, its designation as a US critical mineral, and strong investment inflows.
Spot gold was up 1.2% at $4,531.41 per ounce, after hitting a record $4,549.71 earlier. US gold futures for February delivery settled 1.1% higher at $4,552.70.
“Expectations for further Fed easing in 2026, a weak dollar and heightened geopolitical tensions are driving volatility in thin markets. While there is some risk of profit-taking before the year-end, the trend remains strong,” said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals.
Markets are anticipating two rate cuts in 2026, with the first likely around mid-year amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could name a dovish Fed chair, reinforcing expectations for a more accommodative monetary stance.
The US dollar index was on track for a weekly decline, enhancing the appeal of dollar-priced gold for overseas buyers.
On the geopolitical front, the US carried out airstrikes against Daesh militants in northwest Nigeria, Trump said on Thursday.
“$80 in silver is within reach by year-end. For gold, the next objective is $4,686.61, with $5,000 likely in the first half of next year,” Grant added.
Gold remains poised for its strongest annual gain since 1979, underpinned by Fed policy easing, central bank purchases, ETF inflows, and ongoing de-dollarization trends.
On the physical demand side, gold discounts in India widened to their highest in more than six months this week as a relentless price rally curbed retail buying, while discounts in China narrowed sharply from last week’s five-year highs.
Elsewhere, spot platinum rose 9.8% to $2,437.72 per ounce, having earlier hit a record high of $2,454.12 while palladium surged 14% to $1,927.81, its highest level in more than three years.
All precious metals logged weekly gains, with platinum recording its strongest weekly rise on record.
