Market Uncertainty: Investors Await Trump's Tariff Details

Investors are playing it safe as they wait for more details on President Trump's tariff plans. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped slightly on Friday, but it's still looking at a big gain for the week. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were barely moving. Business activity slowed in January, but companies are hiring more. This could give the Federal Reserve reason to be careful with interest rates. A survey by S&P Global showed this slowdown, while the University of Michigan found that consumer sentiment dropped. Traders think the Fed won't change interest rates next week, but they expect a cut in June. This is a shift from their earlier predictions.

American Express had a great fourth quarter, but its shares fell. Boeing also had a tough day after warning of a big loss. Verizon, on the other hand, reported more subscribers than expected. President Trump has been talking about tariffs a lot this week, but he hasn't given many details. This uncertainty is making investors nervous. They worry about a trade war, higher prices, and the Fed slowing down on interest rate cuts. Some experts, like Ross Mayfield from Baird, think the worry about Trump's policies causing inflation is overblown. He says there could be a little push on prices, but other factors might balance that out.

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