Wall Street traded lower on the final session of the month, heading for its third consecutive monthly loss as economic data began reflecting the impact of Trump tariffs.
U.S. GDP shrank by 0.3% in the last quarter, marking the first economic contraction since 2022 and missing forecasts for a 0.4% expansion. The decline was driven by a surge in imports and reduced government spending.
Labor market data also disappointed. The ADP National Employment Report showed private employers added just 62,000 jobs in April—the weakest gain in nine months and well below the expected 108,000.
By midday in New York, the S&P 500 was down 1% to 5,500, on pace to end a six-day winning streak. Tech stocks in the Nasdaq 100 lagged ahead of earnings from industry titans Microsoft Corp. (NYSE:MSFT) and Meta Platforms Inc.
Nine of the S&P 500’s eleven sectors were in the red, with only consumer staples and health care posting modest gains. Energy and consumer discretionary led the losses, falling 3.3% and 2.7%, respectively.
Commodities were broadly lower. Oil tumbled 3.7% to $58 a barrel, approaching its lowest close since March 2021. Copper—often seen as a gauge of global growth—plunged 5.2% to $4.60 per pound. Natural gas declined 2.5% to $3.17 per million British thermal units.
Bond markets were steady, with the 10-year Treasury yield hovering at 4.17%. Gold dipped 0.3% to $3,330 per ounce, while the U.S. dollar index (DXY) strengthened by the same margin.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) showed resilience, holding steady at …