U.S. stocks advanced for a second consecutive session on Monday, March 17, as investors weighed recent economic data and ongoing trade uncertainty.
The S&P 500 rose 0.6%, though it remains down 3.3% year-to-date. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.9%, trimming its year-to-date decline to 1.3%. The Nasdaq composite added 0.3%, but continues to lag with a 7.6% drop year-to-date.
On Tuesday, March 18, U.S. stocks declined across the board as investors became cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting. The S&P 500 fell 1.1%, while the Nasdaq slid 1.7%, leading to losses among major indexes.
The Dow dropped 0.6%. The selloff came as all members of the ‘Magnificent 7’ — a group of seven high-performing tech companies which includes Apple and Microsoft — turned negative on a year-to-date basis, reflecting broad-based weakness in tech and growth names.
On Wednesday, March 19, U.S. stocks surged as investors shrugged off the Fed’s warnings about slower economic growth and persistent inflation. The S&P rose 1.1%, while the Nasdaq and the Dow increased by 1.4% and 0.9%, respectively.
The rally came even as the Federal Reserve reaffirmed its expectation of two 25 basis-point rate cuts later this year, signaling policy support despite near-term economic headwinds.
On Thursday, March 20, U.S. stocks edged lower as ongoing economic concerns and uncertain trade policy continued to weigh on sentiment.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq lost 0.2% and 0.3% respectively, while the Dow closed flat. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield eased slightly by 0.6 basis points to 4.2%.
On Friday, March 21, U.S. stocks posted modest gains as signs of potential tariff flexibility from Washington lifted sentiment.
The S&P 500 and the Dow both edged up 0.1%, while the Nasdaq outperformed with a 0.5% gain. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq snapped four-week losing streaks, signaling a shift in market tone.
In commodities, wholesale egg prices have plummeted 40% since February, driven by improved supply and easing avian flu concerns
The week was marked by notable volatility as markets responded to mixed signals from economic data, the Fed’s policy expectations, and shifting international trade dynamics. As always, investors should stay alert and mindful of potential market implications.
