NEW YORK — U.S. stocks inched lower Tuesday morning, with investors weighing renewed tensions in the Middle East, rising oil prices, and fresh signs that American consumers may finally be pulling back.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 89 points (0.2%), and the Nasdaq lost 0.4% as of 10 a.m. Eastern. Treasury yields also edged lower after new data showed U.S. retail sales fell more than expected in May.

Shoppers Are Pulling Back — But Not Slamming the Brakes

The retail sales report added to growing evidence that consumers, long the backbone of the U.S. economy, may be starting to cool off. After an unusually strong April, partly driven by auto purchases ahead of potential tariffs, May’s dip may signal a return to more normal spending patterns.

“Today’s data suggests consumers are downshifting, but they haven’t yet slammed the brakes,” said Ellen Zentner, chief economist at Morgan Stanley.

Geopolitical Tensions Send Oil Prices Climbing

Meanwhile, concerns over escalating conflict between Israel and Iran sent oil prices higher once again. President Trump—who abruptly left the G7 summit—warned Iranians to evacuate Tehran “immediately,” just hours after suggesting a nuclear deal was still possible.

Iran, a key oil producer, controls the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for much of the world’s crude. That makes any hint of instability in the region a potential flashpoint for energy markets.

After calming on Monday, oil prices bounced back. U.S. benchmark crude rose 2.6% to $72.12 a barrel, while Brent crude climbed 2.8% to $75.28.

Solar Stocks Slammed Despite Rising Oil

You might expect rising oil prices to give renewable energy stocks a boost—but not this time. Shares of solar companies tumbled on fears that Congress may roll back tax credits for clean energy. Enphase Energy plunged 23.6%, and First Solar dropped 18.2%.

AI and Biotech Stand Out in a Mixed Market

Still, a few stocks shined. Jabil jumped 10.7% after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings, helped by increased demand tied to artificial intelligence.

Biotech also made headlines: Verve Therapeutics surged nearly 74% after Eli Lilly announced it would acquire the company—known for its genetic treatments for heart disease—in a deal that could top $1.3 billion. Shares of Eli Lilly dipped 1%.

All Eyes on the Fed

Markets are now looking ahead to the Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting. No interest rate move is expected, but investors will be watching closely for new economic forecasts and clues about the Fed’s next steps.

So far, the Fed has kept rates steady in 2025, waiting to assess the economic fallout from tariffs and inflation trends. With inflation still near the Fed’s 2% target, policymakers remain cautious.

The 10-year Treasury yield dipped to 4.43% from 4.46%, while the 2-year yield edged down to 3.96%.

Global Markets: Japan Steady, Europe Down

Overseas, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.6% after the Bank of Japan held its interest rate steady, continuing its slow unwind of pandemic-era stimulus. European markets, however, mostly fell in early trading.

Source: AP News – US stocks edge lower as oil prices return to rising

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June 12, 2025 – NEW YORK — U.S. markets took a step back Thursday morning, easing off the highs of a recent rally that had pushed stocks close to record levels.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite edged down the same. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more sharply, dropping 246 points, or 0.6%, weighed heavily by a steep loss in Boeing shares.

Boeing Tumbles After Dreamliner Crash

Boeing shares sank 5.5% following news of a tragic crash involving one of its aircraft. A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Air India crashed into a residential area just five minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on a flight bound for London. The plane was carrying 242 passengers and crew. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but the incident put immediate pressure on Boeing’s stock, dragging down the broader Dow index.

Oracle Pops on Strong Earnings

On a brighter note, Oracle surged 9.6% after reporting better-than-expected results for the latest quarter. The tech giant posted strong revenue and profit numbers, offering a rare highlight in an otherwise muted day for markets.

Inflation Cools, Rate Cut Hopes Rise

In economic news, wholesale inflation data came in cooler than expected, echoing Wednesday’s report showing similar relief for consumer prices. Wall Street took this as a sign the Federal Reserve may have more room to cut interest rates later this year without triggering a fresh wave of inflation.

Adding to that sentiment, a report showed that jobless claims ticked up slightly last week, with the total number of people receiving unemployment benefits sitting at an eight-month high. That too helped ease pressure on bond yields, as signs of a softening labor market could nudge the Fed toward easing monetary policy.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 4.36%, down from 4.41% the day before, and well off its recent high near 4.80% earlier this year.

A Mixed Bag Overseas

Global markets were mixed. European and Asian indexes mostly saw modest changes, with one notable exception: Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.4%, giving back some of its recent rally. Still, it remains up nearly 20% year-to-date, making it one of the world’s best-performing markets in 2025 so far.

Source: AP News – Wall Street drifts lower as Boeing sags and Oracle rallies

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