Market Roundup: Volatile Week Ends in Downward Slide for Major Indices

Published: Nov. 19, 2018, 2:06 p.m.

Indices slipped on Monday with stocks dipping amid renewed trade war concerns. While a majority of the market saw declines, the Technology sector saw steep losses. On Tuesday, it appeared that talks between the United States and China might ease some trade issues, but the hope in trade tensions was not enough to offset an afternoon selloff. Midweek trading started strong as good earnings, and strong economic reports were released. Unfortunately, after the initial bump, equity prices slid throughout the day. In economic news, the Consumer Price Index increased by 0.3% last month, which was in line with expectations. The core CPI rose 0.2%. Compared to a year ago, the headline CPI was up by 2.5%, while the core measure was up by 2.1%. While the market started off lower, stocks bounced back after a few hours of trading when The Street heard that the United States and China were aiming to come to a truce by the end of the month. Additionally, Retail Sales ticked up in October, jumping 0.8% versus expectations of a 0.6% increase. The indices experienced turbulent trading action on Friday, which resulted in mixed returns for the day. Utilities led advancers while Technology and Consumer Discretionary retreated. Industrial production increased in October for the fifth straight month, as production edged up 0.1%, while the result for September was revised downward.