Wall Street stumbled out of the gate Tuesday, with major indexes sliding as renewed tariff worries rattled markets. At the same time, Treasury yields climbed and gold soared to a fresh all-time high, underscoring the flight to safety.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 500 points, or about 1.1%. The S&P 500 slipped 1.2%, while the Nasdaq Composite led losses with a 1.4% decline at the open. The slide follows last week’s rough finish, leaving investors cautious as the shortened trading week gets underway.
Cryptocurrencies followed equities lower, with Bitcoin struggling below $110,000 and Ethereum giving back gains despite ongoing corporate accumulation.
Yields Surge, Gold Breaks Records
Bond markets reflected the tension, with the 30-year Treasury yield climbing to 4.98% and the 10-year yield nearing 4.3%. Rising yields added pressure to stocks but fueled a rally in safe-haven assets.
Gold surged to a new record at $3,508 per ounce, pushing past its previous April peak. The move comes as traders increasingly expect the Federal Reserve to cut rates in September, especially after Chair Jerome Powell hinted at such a pivot during his Jackson Hole speech in August.
Tariffs and Politics Add Fuel to Uncertainty
Beyond the Fed, tariffs are back in the spotlight. A federal appeals court recently struck down most of former President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs as unconstitutional. The ruling is likely headed to the Supreme Court, injecting more uncertainty into trade policy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has already said Trump has a “Plan B” if the ruling stands, but markets remain uneasy.
Meanwhile, Trump’s escalating feud with the Fed has also unnerved investors. Questions over the central bank’s independence are intensifying, with attention now turning to the potential removal of Fed Governor Lisa Cook a move that could signal deeper political interference in monetary policy.
What’s Ahead
The week is packed with economic data that could shape sentiment. Investors are bracing for the August jobs report on Friday, alongside updates on U.S. manufacturing, job openings, and private payrolls.
In the meantime, Wall Street is left juggling multiple risks: sticky inflation, tariff battles, political drama, and Fed policy uncertainty. For now, gold is the big winner, while stocks and crypto are stuck on the defensive.
