Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment

Key points:

U.S. equities staged a modest recovery on Friday, after a turbulent week marked by a broad selloff as investors assessed the economic fallout of the Trump administration's chaotic trade policies, putting major indexes on track for weekly losses.

The technology sector Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment S5INFT , which bore the brunt of the selloff, spearheaded sectoral gains with a 2.8% rise.

An index tracking banks (.SPXBK) gained 2.9%, while chip stocks such as Nvidia Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment NVDA and Broadcom Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment AVGO advanced, aiding the broader chip index's 3% rise.

"These growth companies that have been selling off these highs, the reality is their valuations were high, but they're good companies and they're leading the AI revolution," said Brian Klimke, chief market strategist at Cetera Investment Management.

"Sometimes, a little selloff is good and they can provide a buying opportunity."

All three major indices were on track for weekly losses. The benchmark S&P 500 is set for its fourth consecutive week of declines, marking its longest losing streak in seven months.

The investment climate remains clouded in uncertainty due to Trump's inconsistent tariff strategy. Recent levies on metal imports elicited swift retaliatory actions from Canada and the European Union. The U.S. president has also alluded to the prospect of further reciprocal tariffs in early April.

Several brokerages also downgraded their ratings on U.S. stocks and numerous companies issued cautious forecasts, citing economic worries.

The S&P 500 Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment SPX plunged into correction territory and saw more than $4 trillion in market value evaporate. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment IXIC had already breached correction thresholds the prior week.

The blue-chip Dow Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment DJI , about 8% shy of its recent record peak, is on the brink of its worst week in two years, should current losses persist.

At 11:58 a.m. ET the Dow Jones Industrial Average Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment DJI rose 615.60 points, or 1.51%, to 41,429.17, the S&P 500 Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment SPX gained 106.20 points, or 1.92%, to 5,627.72 and the Nasdaq Composite Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment IXIC gained 410.02 points, or 2.37%, to 17,713.03.

Consumer staples Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment S5CONS , often seen as faring better in times of uncertainty, was on track for its biggest one-week drop since May 2022 after it came in the crossfire of Trump's tariff threats.

Stocks dipped briefly earlier in the day after a University of Michigan survey revealed a sharp decline in consumer sentiment for March, with inflation fears mounting.

Investors flocked to safe-haven assets, propelling gold Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment GOLD past the key $3,000 barrier for the first time in history.

U.S.-listed shares of bullion miners surged, with Barrick Gold Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment ABX advancing 1.6% and Sibanye Stillwater Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment SSW rising 1.9%.

Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment
Thomson Reuters Investors prefer Gold over US stocks as growth worries intensify

Tesla Wall St climbs after steep declines as tariff concerns dampen sentiment TSLA added 3.4%. A report said the automaker would make a lower-cost version of its best-selling Model Y in Shanghai, aiming to regain ground lost during a price war in its second-largest market.

The U.S. Senate was on the verge of passing a stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown.

The central bank's policy decisions will be closely watched next week. Traders expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to maintain interest rates at its upcoming meeting, according to LSEG data.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 5.39-to-1 ratio on the NYSE, and by a 3.53-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

The S&P 500 posted one new 52-week high and five new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 29 new highs and 126 new lows.

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