FX.co ★ US Equities Edge Higher with Eyes on Tariffs and Earnings

On Tuesday, the three major stock indices in the United States experienced a rise of nearly 0.3%. This uplift was influenced by investor sentiment balancing both the developments in the trade war and the growing optimism regarding a potential temporary suspension of automobile tariffs. On Monday, President Trump indicated he is contemplating temporary exemptions on tariffs for imported vehicles and auto parts, which would enable manufacturers to enhance their US-based production efforts. Concurrently, the Commerce Department has initiated a new inquiry into the national security impacts of imports in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical sectors, which is perceived as a preliminary step towards implementing new tariffs in these areas. Additionally, investors are meticulously analyzing earnings reports. Bank of America saw a gain of approximately 4% following results that surpassed earnings and revenue expectations, while Citigroup's profits rose by 1.4%. Conversely, Johnson & Johnson's shares fell by 0.3%, despite the company's earnings exceeding projections. Boeing's stock declined by about 2%, following reports that China has directed its airlines to halt deliveries of Boeing aircraft.