04:06 PM EDT, 07/08/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes ended lower Tuesday after US President Donald Trump confirmed there would be no exceptions to the tariffs but showed a mixed stance on the date, and as investors assessed the impact of a 50% tariff on copper imports.

* Traders struggled to interpret Donald Trump's shifting stance on trade policy. On Monday, he delayed the tariff deadline from July 9 to August 1 but later described the new date as "not 100% firm." Trump imposed new tariffs on at least 14 countries on Monday.

* By Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social that there would be no changes or extensions beyond the August 1 deadline. He also announced a new 50% tariff on copper imports the same day. "Since April, markets have moved past fears that tariffs would severely hurt growth, earnings, or inflation," said Bill Merz, head of capital markets research at US Bank Wealth Management. "Investor sentiment has quickly turned more optimistic, as reflected in equity markets nearing all-time highs."

* August West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up $0.53 to settle at $68.46 per barrel, while August Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.69 to $70.27.

* Intel ( INTC ) shares rose 7.3% after the company disclosed in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act filing that it plans to permanently cut about 529 jobs in Oregon.

* Fair Isaac ( FICO ) shares fell 11% despite Oppenheimer increasing its price target to $2,300 from $2,293.