US equity indexes rose in midday trading Monday as the trade tariff landscape evolved over the weekend, offering temporary relief to certain industries.
The Nasdaq rose 0.3% to 16,769.6, with the S&P 500 up 0.6% to 5,394.5 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 0.4% higher at 40,379.3. All sectors, except consumer discretionary, rose intraday, with real estate, utilities, and consumer staples leading the gainers.
"President Donald Trump's tariff policy just took a sharp turn -- again," Saxo said in a research note Monday. The White House excluded major electronics categories from the steepest round of tariffs, after imposing a 145% levy on Chinese goods and 10% on imports from other trade partners.
"This move signals a shift from country-specific reciprocal tariff strategy to sector-focused protectionism," Saxo Chief Investment Strategist Charu Chanana said in the note. "While the 20% China tariff remains in place -- especially targeting fentanyl-related imports -- the US appears to be laying the groundwork for new semiconductor-focused tariffs under Section 232, a national security clause that could make these duties more durable and harder to reverse."
Apple (AAPL), heavily reliant on China for manufacturing, was up 2%.
Most US Treasury yields retreated intraday, with the 10-year down 7 basis points to 4.42% and the two-year trading 7.8 basis points lower at 3.88%.
In company news, Goldman Sachs' (GS) Q1 results surpassed Wall Street's views as equities-trading revenue reached record levels, while the investment bank's chief executive, David Solomon, said that market volatility is expected to continue amid policy uncertainty.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures slid 0.8% to $60.99 a barrel.
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