Wall Street sells off as Trump hits China with more tariffs

Wall Street sells off as Trump hits China with more tariffs

By Stephen Culp

Fri October 10, 2025 6:22 PM  

Yesterday there was the threat of a wildly increased tariff on China. Today the threat became a reality with an extra 100% tariff announced likely at 11 a.m. as that was the precise moment that all three indexes went into freefall resulting in a huge sell off that continued all day. That’s 100% in addition to the already steep tariffs on the world’s second largest economy. Between the two days, the Dow lost over 1100 points, the Nasdaq nearly 840, the S&P a whopping 200+.  This was all completely predictable and should have been a heyday for the short sellers. The damage to tech was enormous, with the chip index falling 6.3%. It was the largest single day percentage drop since the so-called “Liberation Day” April 2^nd, a pullback that took months to recover from.  

Wall Street closes lower, pausing record-setting rally as earnings approach

Wall Street closes lower, pausing record-setting rally as earnings approach

By Stephen Culp

Thu October 9, 2025 7:27 PM

Yesterday it was a straight shot up, today a straight shot down as, after the recent record highs combined with the uncertainty of no data to drive the markets as we are in the ninth day of the shutdown with everyone in pause mode as we await the first Q3 reports next week, there was more than sufficient incentive to take profits today. The exception to this was the Nasdaq that, though there were 3-digit losses all around, the AI driven index managed to recover to near break-even by close.  

S&P 500, Nasdaq end higher as tech strength outweighs Fed concerns

S&P 500, Nasdaq end higher as tech strength outweighs Fed concerns

By Stephen Culp

Wed October 8, 2025 4:37 PM

It was a shot straight up for tech continuing to ride the AI craze and pushing the Nasdaq up 3-digits, the S&P and Nasdaq once again achieving new record highs. The Dow was not as lucky, the index pushed up over 200 by noon but then immediately sliding back to close flat. Among other things, one trigger that caused the plunge was a 4.7% dip in home loan demand, this despite the easing interest rates. The shutdown, now in its eighth day, continues to be shrugged off.  

Wall Street retreats from record closing highs as economic worries mount

Wall Street retreats from record closing highs as economic worries mount

By Stephen Culp

Tue October 7, 2025 4:16 PM

The day began with all three indexes ever so modestly in the black but began an immediate withdrawal that sank all three, the Nasdaq down 3-digits, the Dow close to that, reaching a bottom around noon and then staying there all day with no further recovery. With the shutdown depriving analysts of any new data, a lot more uncertainty has been produced about what’s happening and secondary sources must now be used.  

S&P 500, Nasdaq reach all-time closing highs on AI dealmaking boost

S&P 500, Nasdaq reach all-time closing highs on AI dealmaking boost

By Stephen Culp

Mon October 6, 2025 4:20 PM

All the indexes took a shot straight up today putting the S&P and Nasdaq at still new records. The Dow was the exception that took a steep 350-point dive right out the gate but started a recovery as early as 10 a.m. but still never quite made it to breakeven. The shutdown is in its 6^th day and for a 6^th day the markets are shrugging it off, namely due to the impetus of AI, particularly today when chip leader AMD struck a deal with OpenAI that the market liked very much, boosting the chip index by 2.9% and AMD’s stock value by a whopping 23.7%. But, as one expert cautioned, “AI is a wave and waves don’t go on forever; it will eventually crest and decline.  

Dow, S&P 500 manage record closing highs; Nasdaq falls in volatile session

Dow, S&P 500 manage record closing highs; Nasdaq falls in volatile session

By Reuters

Fri October 3, 2025 5:24 PM

In the third day of the shutdown, the resulting analysis paralysis is working to the market’s favor as, even though there was no jobs report today, the assumption of a continuing weakening labor force only bolstered the case for more rate cuts, another example of bad news taken as good news. An October cut is now virtually certain while the odds of a December cut are at a whopping 84%. All three indexes were up in the morning, the Dow up some 530 points by 1 pm, before declining to a much more modest close but still in the black.  

Wall Street closes with records as tech support offsets labor, shutdown uncertainties

Wall Street closes with records as tech support offsets labor, shutdown uncertainties

By Sinéad Carew and Niket Nishant

Thu October 2, 2025 4:53 PM  

Given the historical track record of government closures not really seriously impacting the stock market, plus the continuing optimism that there will be two more rate cuts this year, the market just keeping pushing up and up. Because of that, the Nasdaq had a better day. But the soft employment numbers we’ve been seeing for a while now plus the shutdown has at least kept the advances elsewhere modest in this already greatly overvalued market. The S&P for instance rose just 4 points but it was already at a 5-year record high so the 4 points sent it to still another record high, as did the Dow.