US markets end lower on Wednesday

12 Jun 2025 Evaluate

U.S. markets give up early-session gains and finished in negative territory on Wednesday. The early strength in the markets came after the release of a closely watched Labor Department report showing U.S. consumer prices increased by slightly less than expected in the month of May. The Labor Department said its consumer price index inched up by 0.1 percent in May after rising by 0.2 percent in April. Street had expected another 0.2 percent increase. Meanwhile, the report said the annual rate of consumer price growth accelerated to 2.4 percent in May from 2.3 percent in April. The annual rate of consumer price growth was expected to speed up to 2.5 percent. Traders also overlooked the U.S. and Chinese officials announced an agreement in principle on a framework to ease trade disputes between the two economic superpowers. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the plan is subject to approval by President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Without specifying the terms of the framework, Lutnick indicated that both sides agreed to lift export controls on key goods and technologies.

On the sectorial front, Airline stocks showed a substantial move to the downside over the course of the session, with the NYSE Arca Airline Index plunging by 3.4 percent. Significant weakness also emerged among steel stocks, as reflected by the 1.5 percent loss posted by the NYSE Arca Steel Index. Housing and retail stocks also saw notable weakness as the day progressed, while energy stocks turned in a strong performance amid a surge by the price of crude oil.

Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 1.1 points to 42,865.77, Nasdaq fell 99.11 points or 0.5 percent to 19,615.88 and S&P 500 declined 16.57 points or 0.27 percent to 6,022.24.

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