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markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window.)
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Indexes up: Dow 0.12%, S&P 500 0.27%, Nasdaq up 0.51%
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Fed's Barr: tariffs to boost inflation, slow growth this
year
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Insulet ( PODD ) jumps after quarterly profit beats estimates
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Expedia ( EXPE ) falls after soft US travel demand leads to revenue
miss
(Updates to after markets open)
By Purvi Agarwal and Johann M Cherian
May 9 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes rose on
Friday, marking their third straight day of gains, as investors
assessed fresh comments from President Donald Trump regarding
tariffs on China ahead of a key weekend meeting between the two
countries.
Futures had moved lower briefly earlier in the day after
Trump said Beijing should open its market to the United States
and that 80% tariffs on Chinese goods "seems right." The levies
are currently at 145%.
Representatives from the world's two biggest economies
are scheduled to meet in Switzerland over the weekend to discuss
tariffs, with investors hoping the talks will salve a bruising
trade war that has raised concerns over global economic growth
and left markets, companies and the U.S. Federal Reserve in
wait-and-watch mode.
"Anyone who thinks the deal is getting done at 80% is not
seeing things clearly. You're going to see that they'll come to
something more reasonable over time, but this was a step in the
right direction," said Thomas Hayes, chairman at Great Hill
Capital.
On Thursday, Wall Street's main indexes closed higher as
investors cheered a trade deal struck between Britain and the
U.S. - the first of its kind since Trump paused his initial
tariffs last month.
Reuters reported India had offered to slash its tariff gap
with the U.S. to less than 4% from nearly 13% now, in exchange
for an exemption from Trump's tariffs, according to sources.
"We're going to see multiple deals with major nations and
that's going to allow CEOs to get some more confidence that they
can start to plan and possibly invest all that has been on
hold," said Hayes.
At 09:45 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average
rose 50.37 points, or 0.12%, to 41,418.82, the S&P 500
gained 15.49 points, or 0.27%, to 5,679.43 and the Nasdaq
Composite gained 91.47 points, or 0.51%, to 18,019.61.
Energy, up 0.8%, led gains among the 11 S&P 500
sectors. Funds tracking consumer discretionary stocks
outperformed in the week ended Wednesday, while financials were
hit the most, according to data compiled by LSEG.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq are set for marginal declines
this week, but are hovering near levels seen in late March,
having recouped all the losses incurred in the aftermath of
Trump's "Liberation day" tariff announcement last month.
Days after the Federal Reserve left interest rates
unchanged, Governor Michael Barr said Trump's trade policies
will likely lift inflation, lower growth, and raise unemployment
later this year.
With the peak of the earnings season behind, about 76%
of S&P 500 companies have surpassed profit expectations. But
many have withdrawn their annual forecasts citing an uncertain
trade environment.
Expedia ( EXPE ) slipped 8.8% after the online travel
platform missed quarterly revenue estimates.
Trade Desk ( TTD ) shares jumped 23.2% after the ad firm
posted first-quarter revenue and profit above Wall Street
estimates. Insulin delivery device maker Insulet ( PODD ) jumped
18% after beating estimates for first-quarter profit on Thursday
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.68-to-1 ratio
on the NYSE and by a 2.01-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P 500 posted three new 52-week highs and one new
low while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 25 new highs and 39 new
lows.