Wall Street indexes struggled to rise above the flatline amid a lack of economic updates and corporate news. Defense stocks rallied for the second day in a row in Europe. Tech stocks in China rallied and hovered near five-month highs after Chinese political leaders suspended their hostile attitude to the private sector.
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Fed Chair Powell dodged the question on how the institution plans to deal with the DOGE and its demand to access private information but confirmed that the institution will serve people better if it remains independent. Consumer price inflation accelerated in January, supporting the Fed's case of keeping higher rates for longer.
The Trump administration's weak resolve to carry out its threat of tariffs has shaken global investors confidence in the newly appointed president and his top staff. Global financial markets are shifting attention away from Trump's hollow proclamations that seem to be increasingly not followed through.