US stocks drift closer to record high as Wall Street awaits outcome of US-China talks
Musicians serenade as Dr. Daveed Frazier, Board President of The Jazz Foundation of America, foreground right, rings the New York Stock Exchange closing bell, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK, United States — U.S. stocks drifted closer to their all-time high on Tuesday as the wait continued to hear what will come of trade talks between the United States and China.
The S&P 500 rose 0.5 percent as talks between the world’s two largest economies carried into a second day.
READ: US, China begin key trade talks in London
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 105 points, or 0.2 percent, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6 percent.
Stocks have roared higher since dropping roughly 20 percent below their record two months ago, when President Donald Trump shocked financial markets with his announcement of tariffs that were so stiff that they raised worries about a possible recession.
Much of the rally has been due to hopes that Trump would lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with countries around the world, and the S&P 500 is back within 1.7 percent of its record set in February.
READ: Asian markets extend gains as China-US talks proceed
Going ‘really well’
It’s getting to be time to see whether such hopes were warranted. The talks with China were going “really, really well,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said Tuesday evening in London, where the talks were being held.
The two sides worked on “all sorts of trade issues,” he said, according to a video clip posted by the Chinese state broadcaster CGTN.
Both the United States and China have put many of their tariffs announced against each other on pause as talks continue.
Even though many tariffs are on hold for the moment, they’re still affecting companies and their ability to make profits because of all the uncertainty they’ve created.
Designer Brands, the company behind the DSW shoe store chain, became the latest U.S. company to yank its financial forecasts for 2025 because of “uncertainty stemming primarily from global trade policies.”
The company, which also owns the Keds, Jessica Simpson and other shoe brands, reported a larger loss for the start of the year than analysts were expecting, and its revenue also fell short of forecasts. CEO Doug Howe pointed to ”persistent instability and pressure on consumer discretionary” spending, and the company’s stock tumbled 18.2 percent.
Improved optimism
The uncertainty is moving in both directions, to be sure. A survey released Tuesday of optimism among small U.S. businesses improved a bit in May.
“While the economy will continue to stumble along until the major sources of uncertainty are resolved, owners reported more positive expectations on business conditions and sales growth,” according to Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist at the National Federation of Independent Business.
On Wall Street, J.M. Smucker fell 15.6 percent even though its results for the latest quarter topped analysts’ expectations. Its revenue fell short of expectations, as did its forecast for profit in the upcoming year.
Tesla helped to make up for such losses after rising 5.7 percent. The electric vehicle company has been recovering since tumbling last week as Elon Musk’s relationship with Trump imploded. That raised fear about possible retaliation by the U.S. government against Tesla.
READ: Musk could lose billions as spat with Trump unfolds
Stronger sales
Shares that trade in the United States of chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. rose 2.6 percent after the company known as TSMC said its revenue in May jumped nearly 40 percent from the year earlier.
Casey’s General Stores leaped 11.6 percent after the chain of convenience stores based in Ankeny, Iowa, reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It credited strength in sales of hot sandwiches and other items.
All told, the S&P 500 rose 32.93 points to 6,038.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 105.11 to 42,866.87, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 123.75 to 19,714.99.
In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed amid mostly modest movements across Europe and Asia. A 0.8-percent drop for Germany’s DAX and a 0.6-percent gain for South Korea’s Kospi were two of the bigger moves.
In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.47 percent from 4.49 percent late Monday.
