U.S. markets reversed early losses Monday, the first trading day of the third quarter, despite concerns over trade policies.
"We're in this scenario where the underlying economic drivers of the market look very, very good," said Rick Wedell, CIO of RFG Advisory Group. "And that's all being offset by continuing talk around trade, tensions around tariffs, which are incredibly hard to model. You don't know which sector might get hit, you don't know which sector might be a target."
Over the weekend, tariffs from Canada ー on everything from ketchup to whiskey to maple syrup ー kicked in, and the U.S.'s largest business group criticized the Trump administration for moves it says could spark a global trade war.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has historically been a supporter of the Republican party and its policies, launched a campaign Monday, presenting a state-by-state analysis of where the impact would be most felt. Texas, for example, could see $3.9 billion worth of exports hit with in-kind tariffs; South Carolina could face $3 billion.
Monday's sell-off comes after weeks of tariff threats and announcements from the White House, aimed both at adversaries like China and allies like Canada and Europe. Canada's parry went into effect on Sunday, and China is expected to start levying a 25 percent tax on soybeans later this week. while Mexico will begin to charge pork imports.
In a statement to Reuters the president of the Chamber of Commerce said, “The administration is threatening to undermine the economic progress it worked so hard to achieve. We should seek free and fair trade, but this is just not the way to do it.”
While the Dow was down nearly 200 points at its lows of the day, it managed to eke out a gain of 34 points. The S&P 500 was up about 0.3 percent.
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Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
