Stocks Struggled to Advance Amid Loan Worries Compounded By Tariff Uncertainty

Barry Adams
17 Oct, 2025
New York City

Investors shied away from high-growth and riskier stocks after worries about the regional bank's loan practices resurfaced. 

The S&P 500 index decreased 0.8%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped 1% amid growing worries about the health of the regional banks. 

Regional banks dropped after Zions Bank and Western Alliance reported a rise in bad loans, sparking worries about the financial health of mid-sized banks. 

Market volatility reached the level last seen in April on Thursday, and gold prices rose to new record highs as investors sought safe haven assets amid Trump's tariff whiplash and constantly changing trade policy. 

The federal government shutdown entered its third week, resulting in an indefinite delay in the release of crucial economic data covering the labor market, consumer spending, and international trade. 

 

U.S. Stock Movers 

CSX Corp. increased 2.1% to $36.75, and the railroad operator's third-quarter results surpassed market expectations. 

Revenue decreased 1% to $3.6 billion, net income plunged 22% to $694 million from $894 million, and diluted earnings per share dropped to 37 cents from 46 cents a year ago. 

"Volumes totaled 1.6 million units in the quarter, as the effects of the lower export coal prices and a decline in merchandise volume were partially offset by an increase in other revenue, higher pricing in merchandise, and intermodal volume growth," the company said in a statement to investors. 

During the quarter, the company repurchased three million of its own shares at an average price of $33.07, resulting in a total of $112 million. 

Over the nine months, the railroad company acquired a total of 41 million shares for $1.26 billion, averaging $30.61 per share. 

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. decreased 4.1% to $65.71, despite the global brokerage firm reporting better-than-expected third-quarter results. 

Total net revenue increased to $1.65 billion from $1.36 billion, net income attributable to common stockholders advanced to $263 million from $184 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to 59 cents from 42 cents a year ago. 

Customer accounts increased 32% to 4.13 million, margin loans soared 39% to $77.3 billion, and customer credits increased 33% to $154.8 billion, driving the net interest income higher by 21% to $967 million.