US Stocks Mixed Amid Tariff Uncertainty Dow Falls 1.33%

On April 18, the US stock market experienced mixed results due to ongoing tariff uncertainty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 1.33%, while the S&P 500 rose by 0.13% and the Nasdaq Composite edged down by 0.13%. This marked the third consecutive week of decline for the three major indices, with the Dow down 2.66%, the Nasdaq down 2.62%, and the S&P 500 down 1.5%. The US stock market will be closed on Friday for Good Friday.

The crypto market traded sideways, with Bitcoin holding steady around $84,000 and Ethereum hovering below $1,600. The altcoin market saw reduced volatility as investors remained cautious amid tariff policy uncertainty. Concerns in the derivative markets about a potential downturn outweighed expectations of an upward move.

In the forex and commodities market, the US Dollar Index slightly declined by 0.01%, marking its third consecutive week of weakness. Driven by the weakened US dollar and optimistic comments on energy trade, oil prices surged by over 3% on Thursday, with a cumulative increase of about 5% for the week. Gold prices retreated from their highs, with spot gold falling by 0.46%.

The European Central Bank maintained its accommodative stance, while the Federal Reserve remained cautious. President Trump harshly criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's rate policy in a Thursday post, stating that it was "always too late and wrong," and emphatically stating that firing Powell was urgently needed. The market is watching closely to see if Powell will adjust the policy under political pressure.