Stocks Mostly Recover From Early Plunge10/23 16:07

   A turbulent day on Wall Street ended Tuesday with stocks climbing nearly all 
the way out of a steep, broad sell-off that at one point erased more than 500 
points from the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

   (AP) -- A turbulent day on Wall Street ended Tuesday with stocks climbing 
nearly all the way out of a steep, broad sell-off that at one point erased more 
than 500 points from the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

   Even with the late-afternoon rebound, stocks extended the market's recent 
string of declines, giving the benchmark S&P 500 index its fifth-straight loss. 
Bond prices rose, sending yields lower, as investors sought out safer 
investments.

   Hong Kong's Hang Seng index sank 3.1 percent. European markets also closed 
sharply lower.

   The latest selling came as investors grew unsettled over slowing economic 
growth in China and increased signs that President Donald Trump's aggressive 
trade policies are beginning to weigh on corporate earnings. Caterpillar and 3M 
slumped Tuesday after the companies warned of rising costs related to tariffs.

   "That's the story, it's not the current quarter results, but the commentary 
going forward, the impact of tariffs and what that means in terms of costs," 
said Willie Delwiche, an investment strategist at Baird. "If tariffs didn't 
come up in earnings calls and commentary, then maybe you could say we were 
moving away from that, but the opposite is happening."

   The S&P 500 fell 15.19 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,740.69. The Dow lost 
125.98 points, or 0.5 percent, to 25,191.43. The average had been down more 
than 540 points.

   The Nasdaq slid 31.09 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,437.54. The Russell 2000 
index of smaller-company stocks gave up 12.91 points, or 0.8 percent, to 
1,526.59. The index is now down for the year.

   Markets have been rattled in recent weeks by increased worries over the 
impact that rising interest rates, inflation and the escalating trade dispute 
between the U.S. and China may have on Corporate America.

   Trump has imposed tariffs on about $250 billion in Chinese imports, and 
Beijing has retaliated by targeting $110 billion in American products. Trump 
has threatened to tax another $267 billion in Chinese products, a move that 
would cover virtually everything China ships to America.

   The two countries are locked in a dispute over U.S. allegations that China 
steals U.S. technology and forces U.S. companies to share trade secrets in 
exchange for access to the Chinese market.

   Recent data show China's economic engine is growing more slowly. From July 
to September, it grew 6.5 percent, the slowest pace since early 2009. The 
world's second-largest economy was cooling even before the outbreak of a tariff 
war with Washington. That contrasts with the momentum of the U.S. economy. The 
government is expected to say Friday that the U.S. economy grew by 3.3 percent 
in the third quarter, after growing by 4.2 percent in the second quarter.

   The strong U.S. economy has helped power earnings growth for companies in 
the S&P 500. While those companies are expected to deliver 21.9 percent 
earnings growth for the third quarter, according to S&P Global Market 
Intelligence, investors are concerned about future growth amid rising 
inflation, interest rates and uncertainty over trade.

   Caterpillar skidded 7.6 percent to $118.98 after the heavy equipment 
manufacturer warned that Trump's taxes on imported steel were driving up 
production costs.

   3M fell 4.4 percent to $192.55 after its earnings missed Wall Street's 
targets. The industrial manufacturer said it expects raw material prices to 
continue climbing, and for tariffs to have a roughly $100 million negative 
impact on the company's sourcing costs next year.

   Caterpillar and 3M were, by far, the biggest decliners in the 30-company Dow 
average.

   Losses in banks, energy and technology companies outweighed gains by 
internet and consumer-goods stocks. A sharp sell-off in Chinese and other 
global markets set the stage for the volatile day on Wall Street.

   Bond prices rose, sending the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 
3.17 percent from 3.19 percent late Monday.

   Computer-driven trading, which uses algorithms to guide buying and selling, 
likely drove the gradual, partial rebound toward the end of the day, said 
Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial.

   "On the downside and the upside the algorithms are going to kick in and they 
really push the market in one direction or another," Krosby said.

   A big drop in oil prices weighed on energy stocks Tuesday. Marathon Oil 
dropped 4.8 percent to $19.48.

   Truck maker Paccar fell 5.1 percent to $57.40, while engine manufacturer 
Cummins slid 3.8 percent to $134.64.

   Communications stocks were among the biggest gainers. Verizon Communications 
climbed 4.1 percent to $57.21

   Traders also bid up shares in McDonald's after the fast-food chain reported 
third-quarter results that topped analysts' forecasts. The stock gained 6.3 
percent to $177.15.

   Close to 17 percent of companies on the broad S&P 500 index have reported 
earnings for the third quarter, and over half of them did better than expected.

   "They're coming in ahead of expectations, generally, but the degree to which 
they're beating expectations is less than what it has been in previous 
quarters," Delwiche said. "That's why there's some concern there."

   Tesla was among the big gainers Tuesday. The stock vaulted 12.7 percent to 
$294.14 after Citron Research, a company that for years had bet against the 
stock, reversed its position and put out a note saying it would be a long-term 
investor in the electric car and solar panel company.

   U.S. crude fell 4.2 percent to settle at $66.43 per barrel. Brent crude, 
used to price international oils, dropped 4.2 percent to close at $76.44 per 
barrel. Heating oil slid 3 percent to $2.25 a gallon. Wholesale gasoline lost 
3.7 percent to $1.84 a gallon. Natural gas gained 2.4 percent to $3.21 per 
1,000 cubic feet.

   The dollar weakened to 112.47 yen from 112.82 yen on Monday. The euro rose 
to $1.1467 from $1.1466.

   Gold rose 1 percent to $1,236.80 an ounce. Silver gained 1.4 percent to 
$14.79 an ounce. Copper dropped 1 percent to $2.76 a pound.

   In Europe, the focus was on Italy's dispute with the European Union over its 
plan to ramp up public spending. The European Union has rejected Italy's 
budget, a first for an EU member.

   Germany's DAX slid 2.2 percent and France's CAC 40 fell 1.7 percent. 
Britain's FTSE 100 lost 1.2 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 2.7 percent 
and the Kospi in South Korea tumbled 2.6 percent.


(BE)