us stock market news today cnbc : April 18,2025

Despite three out of four stocks in the index rising, the S&P 500 only gained 0.1% to 5,282.70 on Thursday. After its sell-off the previous day,the Nasdaq composite saw a rather stable performance, dropping 0.1% to 16,286.45.

After a rough ride on Wall Street,where the Dow industrials lost 1.3% and UnitedHealth lost over 5% of its value owing to a lower-than-expected profit report, Asian markets are largely higher in thin Good Friday trade. The South Korean Kospi increased 0.3% to 2,478.39,while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.6% to 34,583.29.

Global giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. recorded a profit for the most recent quarter that matched analysts’ estimates,causing Taiwan’s Taiex to gain 0.8% and regional tech businesses to advance.

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More significantly,it stated that,contrary to what some other businesses have claimed,it has not experienced a decline in client activity as a result of President Donald Trump’s trade war. The TSMC business was wary,though.

“There are risks and uncertainties from the possible impact of tariff policies,even though we have not yet observed any changes in our customers’ behavior,”Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang stated.

The US-listed stock of TSMC increased by 0.1% on Thursday. At 3,272.09,the Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.3%. In anticipation of Easter,many other markets were closed on Friday.

Despite three out of four stocks in the index rising, the S&P 500 only gained 0.1% to 5,282.70 on Thursday. After its sell-off the previous day, the Nasdaq composite saw a rather stable performance, dropping 0.1% to 16,286.45.

Nvidia’s stock fell for a second day in a row after the company revealed that new restrictions on chip exports to China might negatively impact its first-quarter earnings by $5.5 billion. It was the second-heaviest weight on the S&P 500 and fell 2.9%. The insurer UnitedHealth Group experienced its largest decline since 1998,falling 22.4%,while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 527 points. The company reported that its Medicare Advantage clients were receiving more treatment from physicians and outpatient services than anticipated,and it lowered its financial results prediction for this year.

As the price of crude oil regained some of its steep losses from this month,stocks of companies in the oil and gas sector rose. Halliburton increased 5.1%,and Diamondback Energy increased 5.7%.

The benchmark U.S. crude oil price increased $2.18 to $64.01 a barrel on Thursday. The global benchmark,Brent crude,increased by $2.11 to $67.96 a barrel. For the Easter weekend,oil trading was suspended on Friday. Deep uncertainty still surrounds the trade battle led by US President Donald Trump. Economists are concerned that if his use of steep tariff increases is completely implemented and maintained for some time,it may trigger a recession.

Trump on Thursday offered some optimistic hints that negotiations with other countries could lead to lower tariffs. However,it was offset by his criticism of Jerome Powell,the chair of the Federal Reserve,who reaffirmed on Wednesday that the tariffs are more than the central bank had anticipated and have the potential to slow the economy and rekindle inflation. The Fed is faced with a conundrum because of the tariffs. Prices would rise if interest rates were lowered to promote greater borrowing and spending.

Trump said the Fed is “always TOO LATE AND WRONG” in his criticism of that position on Thursday.“Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough,”he added. One of the main reasons the US is seen as a secure location to invest is because of the Fed’s independence and ability to act without interference from the White House. According to history,economies with more autonomous central banks typically have lower and more consistent inflation rates.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury increased from 4.29% late Wednesday to 4.32% in the bond market. After a spike last week that sparked worries that Trump’s trade war might be eroding trust in American investments as the safest in the world,it had been leveling out for the majority of this week. The U.S. economy received conflicting reports.According to one,fewer Americans filed for unemployment insurance last week than analysts had predicted,indicating that the labor market is still doing well.

However,according to a second survey, mid-Atlantic manufacturing suddenly shifted from expansion to decline. French and German indexes fell 0.6% and 0.5%,respectively,on Thursday. The primary interest rate was lowered by the European Central Bank. Stock prices typically rise as a result,but investors were anticipating the move. The value of the U.S. dollar dropped from 132.44 yen on Thursday to 132.42 yen early Friday. The euro increased from $1.1367 to $1.1373.