Content and data provided by various third parties and Fidelity - Terms of Use
Print.Print
Small font size A Larger text size A Largest text size A

US Equity Indexes End Mixed This Week as Investors Weigh Trump's Middle East Strategy, Fed's Policy Outlook

BY MT Newswires | ECONOMIC | 06/20/25 04:51 PM EDT

04:51 PM EDT, 06/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes ended mixed this week after President Donald Trump unveiled a deadline to reach a nuclear deal with Tehran, and the Federal Reserve left the possibility of two interest-rate cuts on the table in the remaining four monetary policy meetings in the second half.

* The S&P 500 closed at 5,967.84 on Friday versus 5,970.55 a week ago. The Nasdaq Composite stood at 19,447.41 compared with 19,393.23, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 42,206.82 versus 42,109.22.

* Energy was the sole gainer for the week as concerns mounted that a full-scale war may break out in the Middle East. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures traded near $75 per barrel late Friday, up from about $68 just before Israel attacked Iran.

* In a televised address to Iran on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei struck a defiant tone by saying the US will suffer "irreparable" harm if its enters the conflict but left a door open for diplomacy when he criticized Israel for launching its military campaign while Tehran was holding talks with the US over its nuclear enrichment program.

* A day after Ayatolla's speech, Trump said the decision to join Israel's strikes on Iran will be taken within two weeks.

* The pause gives Israel a defined window to continue with its aerial bombardment of Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure, and for the US, along with Europe, to find a diplomatic solution.

* On Wednesday, the Fed held interest rates steady for the fourth consecutive meeting, matching expectations. Stifel said the latest Summary of Economic Projections showed an expectation for higher inflation and slower growth.

"Taken together, the Committee still anticipates two rate reductions by year-end, although the forecasts were again compressed towards the hawkish end of the spectrum," the Stifel note added.

MT Newswires does not provide investment advice. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

More Fixed Income News

All Fixed Income News

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

© 1998 – 2014 FMR LLC.

All rights reserved.
fir_news_article