By Anora M. Gaudiano and Barbara Kollmeyer, MarketWatch
Stock benchmarks on track for worst weekly losses since early
February
U.S. stocks turned decidedly lower on Friday with the main
benchmarks extending losses from the previous session even after
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping $1.3 trillion bill funding
the government until October.
Earlier Trump threatened to veto
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/congress-rushes-to-approve-13-trillion-spending-bill-and-avoid-shutdown-2018-03-23)
the spending bill, charging that it didn't include provisions for a
border wall.
The stock market has mostly been under pressure as investors
wrestled with the prospect of a global trade war as China fired its
first retaliatory salvo against tariffs on at least $50 billion of
Chinese goods announced by the Trump administration.
What are the main benchmarks doing?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 302 points, 1.2%, to
23,669, weighed by declines in shares of 3M Co. (MMM) and Goldman
Sachs Group Inc.(GS).
The S&P 500 index slumped 39 points, or 1.5%, to 2,604, with
all of the 11 main sectors trading lower. Financials, off 2.1%, and
technology stocks, down 1.6%, led decliners.
The benchmark index is about 3 percentage points below where it
was on the day Trump signed the tax bill into a law in late
December.
The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 125 points, or 1.8%, to
7,040.
With one session left to wrap up this week, the main benchmarks
are each down about 5% for the week. That would mark the worst week
for those indexes since the week ending Feb. 9, when markets were
routed amid concerns over rising inflation and bond yields
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dow-poised-to-edge-up-as-traders-lick-their-wounds-after-a-punishing-stretch-2018-02-08).
The Cboe Volatility Index rose 7% to 24.90, above its long-term
average of 20.
What's driving markets?
Trump said that he signed the spending bill, "as a matter of a
national security," adding there are "a lot of things I'm unhappy
about in this bill." Trump criticized Congress for passing the
spending package without leaving enough time to read the plan
before funding expires at the end of the day.
Earlier, China reacted to Trump administration's plans to impose
tariffs
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/trumps-china-tariffs-a-fight-for-control-over-robots-wireless-other-future-technologies-2018-03-22),
as Beijing's commerce ministry fired back with tariffs against $3
billion in U.S. goods
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/china-plans-3-billion-in-retaliatory-tariffs-against-us-goods-2018-03-22).
China stopped short of penalties on the biggest pawns in a
potential trade war, leaving off soybeans, sorghum and Boeing
aircraft, indicating Beijing may be looking for leverage in any
negotiations with the U.S.
The White House late Thursday formally approved tariff reprieves
for the European Union
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eu-plus-six-other-nations-get-temporary-us-tariff-reprieve-2018-03-23)
plus six other nations, including Canada and Mexico.
Read:Here's why the stock market took the China tariffs so hard
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-why-the-stock-market-took-the-china-tariffs-so-hard-2018-03-22)
Read:Trump, Xi enter rockier phase as U.S.-China trade fight
heats up
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/trump-xi-set-to-undergo-rockier-phase-as-trade-fight-heats-up-2018-03-22)
What are the data showing?
Durable-goods orders
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/durable-goods-orders-snap-back-with-31-gain-as-business-investment-surges-2018-03-23)jumped
3.1% in February, largely reversing a big drop at the start of the
year and posting the largest gain since last summer.
Sales of newly constructed homes
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-home-sales-chug-higher-in-february-2018-03-23)were
little changed in February, with a 0.6% decline compared with the
previous month. January's tally was raised substantially. The
February selling pace was 0.5% higher than a year ago at a 618,000
seasonally adjusted annual pace.
Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said he is likely to
support more interest-rate hikes this year
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bostic-says-he-is-likely-to-support-more-rate-hikes-this-year-2018-03-23),
saying there are upside risks to both GDP and employment as well as
building, if still modest, inflation pressures.
What are strategists saying?
"There was plenty of good news this morning: durable goods and
the signing of the spending bill, but investors could not shake off
uncertainty created by Trump administration when it comes to trade
with China," said Erin Browne, head of asset allocation at UBS
Asset Management.
"Investor may also be concerned about weakening dollar in an
environment when inflation is rising," Browne said.
Browne said positioning and a run-up in financials and
technology stocks may have been prompting investors to flee these
sectors now.
"Investors had been long financials and technology stocks since
December and with higher interest rates, the unwind is hitting
these sectors the most," Browne said.
Read:'I don't think this is a trade war,' says veteran Wall
Street strategist
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/i-dont-think-this-is-a-trade-war-says-veteran-wall-street-strategist-2018-03-23)
What stocks are in focus?
Micron Technology Inc.(MU) shares fell 7.3% after the company
posted an earnings beat late Thursday, but also announced plans to
spend money building out its fabrication sites.
Read:Micron bets that memory demand is here to stay
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/micron-bets-that-memory-demand-is-here-to-stay-2018-03-22)
Dropbox Inc. made its debut on Friday
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dropboxs-stock-soars-in-its-debut-to-push-market-cap-above-10-billion-2018-03-23),
with the stock soaring more than 36%. The company priced its
initial public offering at $21 a share late Thursday.
Nike Inc.(NKE) shares gained by 0.6% after the shoe-and-apparel
company posted a beat on sales
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nike-swings-to-loss-but-sales-beat-expectations-shares-rise-2018-03-22)
even though it swung to a fiscal third-quarter loss.
Read:Nike CEO says company has 'deep leadership bench' after
reshuffle
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nike-has-deep-leadership-bench-says-ceo-2018-03-23)
Shares of Kroger Co.(KR) and Target Corp(TGT) shot higher after
reports that the two companies are in merger talks. Although, CNBC
has raised questions
(https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/23/shares-of-target-and-kroger-jump-on-report-of-possible-merger-talks.html)
about the likelihood of such a hookup. Shares of Kroger were up
0.4%, while those for Target were 0.9% lower.
What are other markets doing?
The ICE U.S. Dollar Index fell 0.4%, with the dollar hitting its
worst levels against the Japanese yen since the election of
President Trump.
Gold prices
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-rallies-as-investors-seek-shelter-from-global-trade-tensions-2018-03-23)
ended at $1,349.90 an ounce--the highest finish since Feb. 16.
European equities finished weaker across the board, and Asian
markets also suffered losses
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/asian-markets-strengthen-after-fed-raises-rates-2018-03-21).
Oil futures
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-tips-higher-on-fresh-sign-for-continued-opec-production-curbs-2018-03-23)
rose 1.9% to $65.54 a barrel on more indications that OPEC could
maintain production curbs into 2019.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 23, 2018 15:36 ET (19:36 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.