Major United States benchmark averages ended slightly lower on Thursday (Friday AEDT) as lingering economic uncertainty hindered Wall Street’s efforts to regain recent losses.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down 11.31 points, or 0.03%, to 41,953.3. The S&P 500 slipped 12.4 points, or 0.2%, to 5,662.9, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 59.2 points, or 0.3%, to 17,691.6.
Investor sentiment remained fragile a day after the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting, where officials projected two interest rate cuts in 2025 but left rates unchanged.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned that tariffs could weigh on consumer spending and overall economic growth. The central bank also raised its inflation forecast while lowering its outlook for economic expansion.
Markets attempted to rally following the Fed’s decision on Wednesday, but the S&P 500 remains nearly 8% below its February peak and has lost more than 7% over the past month.
Investors are also closely watching trade policy, with a tariff exemption on select Canadian and Mexican imports set to expire on April 2.
On the bond markets, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell 0.1% to 4.241%, while the 2-year yield dropped 0.3% to 3.964%.
