On Thursday, U.S. stocks showed mixed performance amid multiple factors. Investors were driven by positive news from major tech and pharmaceutical stocks, while also grappling with the pressure from Federal Reserve policy outlook and trade tensions. As the long weekend approached, some traders opted for profit-taking, making the market sentiment more cautious.
Regarding the major indices, the S&P 500 increased by 0.13% to 5282.70 points; the Nasdaq fell by 0.13%, closing at 16286.45 points; the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped significantly by 1.33% to 39142.23 points. The Dow's decline was mainly impacted by UnitedHealth Group's 22% plunge, as the healthcare insurance giant lowered its annual profit forecast due to rising medical costs.
In terms of individual stock highlights, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly’s shares soared by 14%. The company announced that an experimental diabetes drug demonstrated weight and blood sugar control effects in clinical trials comparable to Ozempic, boosting sentiment across the pharmaceutical sector. Tech giant Apple also rose by 1.4%, rebounding slightly from its recent downward trend.
However, the medical insurance sector generally remained under pressure. Besides UnitedHealth, CVS Health fell nearly 2%, and Humana plummeted by 7.4%, raising concerns about the industry's profitability outlook.
Sector-wise, eight sectors of the S&P 500 recorded gains, with the energy sector leading with a 2.3% rise, closely followed by the consumer staples sector, which increased by 2.2%. In terms of trading volume, the market showed a clear cooldown on Thursday. U.S. exchanges had a combined volume of 14.6 billion shares, lower than the 20-day average of 19.2 billion shares.
Although company announcements that day boosted specific sectors, the overall market remained sensitive to policy and macroeconomic conditions. After the stock market dropped sharply on Wednesday night, Trump stated that "significant progress" had been made in U.S.-Japan trade talks to ease market concerns. However, he again criticized Federal Reserve Chairman Powell on Thursday and stated that "Powell should be fired promptly," once more raising concerns about potential interference with the Federal Reserve's independence.
Since Trump's early April announcement to impose tariffs on global goods, the S&P 500 has fallen about 7%, with all three major indices recording weekly declines this week, marking the third weekly loss in four weeks. This week, the S&P 500 dropped 1.5%, the Nasdaq fell 2.6%, and the Dow declined 2.7%.
Futures market data showed that investor expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut in May fell to about 6%. With many uncertainties still surrounding global trade negotiations and inflation trends, the market is awaiting more clear signals to determine the next steps. Wall Street will close on Friday for Good Friday, and short-term market volatility may continue into next week.
