S&P 500 rises as health care, tech gain to overshadow Fed independence concerns
* Wall Street unchanged, after Europe, China end higher
* Dollar index down slightly
* U.S. yield curve flattens after data shows inflation
pressure
* GRAPHIC-World FX rates in 2019: http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
(Updates prices to U.S. close, adds commentary)
By Sinéad Carew
NEW YORK, June 11 (Reuters) - Wall Street's indexes ended
Tuesday's session virtually unchanged after investors turned
their focus to U.S.-China trade tensions as euphoria from
Friday's U.S.-Mexico deal faded.
An uptick in U.S. inflation and strong results from a $38
billion Treasury auction drove short-dated yields higher,
flattening the yield curve. A U.S.-Mexico trade and immigration agreement announced late
on Friday had prompted a Monday rally that carried over to
Tuesday morning in part because it prompted investor hopes that
U.S. President Donald Trump might also reach a deal with China.
But the mood soured later in the day after Trump said had no
interest in moving ahead with a U.S.-China trade deal unless
Beijing agreed to four or five "major points" that he did not
specify. China vowed a tough response if the United States kept
escalating tensions during talks. Trump has said he would meet with China's President Xi
Jinping at a Group of 20 summit later this month. "Trade sentiment is driving everything. When Trump comes out
and says he's holding up the China deal personally that shakes
confidence in how things will work out later this month," said
Chris Zaccarelli, Chief Investment Officer at Independent
Advisor Alliance in Charlotte, North Carolina, adding that it
wasn't clear if Trump and Xi would even end up meeting.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 14.17 points,
or 0.05%, to 26,048.51, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 1.01 points, or
0.03%, to 2,885.72 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 0.60
points, or 0.01%, to 7,822.57.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX rose 0.69% and
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS gained
0.32%. Europe rose due to a surge in Frankfurt's DAX after the
German and Swiss market holiday on Monday.
Emerging market stocks rose 1.03%. MSCI's broadest index of
Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS closed 1.06%
higher, while Japan's Nikkei .N225 rose 0.33%. The Shanghai
composite index .SSEC had closed up 2.6%.
FLATTER YIELD CURVE
Underlying U.S. producer prices increased solidly for a
second straight month in May, boosted by a surge in the cost of
hotel accommodation and gains in portfolio management service
fees. An increase in prices could temper bets for rate cuts as the
U.S. Federal Reserve uses rate hikes to contain inflation.
Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last fell 1/32 in price
to yield 2.1448%, from 2.141% late on Monday.
Gold prices dipped as investors booked profits following
robust gains over the past weeks, and demand for safe-haven bets
waned due to hopes for a U.S.-China trade deal.
Spot gold XAU= dropped 0.1% to $1,326.69 an ounce.
In currency markets, the U.S. dollar index was flat as
investors focused on U.S.-China trade and economic data for
signals of growth and whether the Fed is likely to cut rates in
the coming months. The dollar index .DXY fell 0.07%, with the euro EUR= up
0.14% to $1.1328.
In commodities trading, oil futures ended their session flat
as concerns a global economic slowdown could dent crude demand
weighed against expectations that OPEC and its allies would
extend supply curbs.
U.S. crude settled up 1 cent at $53.27 while Brent was
unchanged at $62.29.