Wall Street Wavers Amid Economic Warnings and Tariff Tensions

Wall Street's indexes struggled for direction as investors evaluated economic health and Boeing warned of a larger loss. Business activity slowed, but hiring picked up. The Fed may cut rates in June. Tariff concerns loomed with potential triggers for a trade war. Market indexes showed mixed reactions.

On Friday, Wall Street's primary indexes displayed uncertainty as investors hesitated over significant bets, scrutinizing new data to assess economic vitality and reacting to Boeing's caution of a larger-than-anticipated quarterly loss.

A survey by S&P Global indicated business activity has dwindled to a nine-month low in January under growing price stresses, despite companies reporting increased hiring rates, aligning with the Federal Reserve's cautious monetary stance this year. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan's concluding consumer sentiment estimate dropped to 71.1 from a prior 73.2.

The Federal Reserve meeting next week is likely to see no change in borrowing costs, though traders anticipate the inaugural rate cut by June, according to LSEG's data. By mid-morning, Dow Jones dipped slightly, S&P 500 marginally gained, while Nasdaq showed a minor decrease. Market sectors projected mixed performance, led by utilities posting a 0.9% rise, whereas American Express and Boeing faced declines amid earnings reports.

(With inputs from agencies.)