S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite pull back from their all-time highs

Wall Street experienced a modest pullback on Friday, with major U.S. stock indexes closing in the red for the week. The S&P 500 fell 0.3%, retreating from its all-time high set the previous day, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.2%. This decline followed a week of market volatility, driven by escalating trade tensions and anticipation of the upcoming corporate earnings season. President Donald Trump’s announcement of increased tariffs on Canadian imports to 35% further strained relations with the longstanding North American ally. This move is part of the administration’s broader strategy to leverage tariff threats to secure new trade agreements globally. Despite the initial market turmoil caused by Trump’s tariff policies earlier this year, Wall Street has shown relative stability recently, with stocks reaching record highs. However, some analysts remain cautious, noting that the market’s muted response to the latest tariff escalation may not reflect underlying risks. As earnings season gains momentum, companies like Levi Strauss and PriceSmart reported strong results, boosting their shares. Meanwhile, financial and healthcare stocks weighed heavily on the market, with Visa and Gilead Sciences among the notable decliners. In other developments, T-Mobile’s shares dipped slightly after the Justice Department cleared its $4.4 billion acquisition of U.S. Cellular, and Red Cat Holdings surged following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s orders to accelerate drone production. Bond yields rose, with the 10-year Treasury yield climbing to 4.42%. European and Asian markets also closed lower, while Bitcoin briefly surpassed $118,000, driven by bullish momentum and anticipation of regulatory developments during the U.S. Congress’ Crypto Week.