The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.1 percent to 44,514.97 while the broad-based S&P 500 Index lost 0.1 percent to 6,254.40.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 0.5 percent to 20,516.29.
The movements came after Trump this week postponed a crucial deadline for dozens of economies to face tariff hikes — including the European Union and Japan — but started sending letters setting out the duties they would face from August 1.
As of Wednesday, Trump had published more than 20 letters although the tariff levels were mostly similar to those he initially threatened on the same economies in April.
For now, US markets are looking for positive news while “taking a breath of relief that the tariff situation didn’t get worse after yesterday’s deadline,” said Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investments.He said he expects that markets will only move based on concrete actions by the Trump administration, rather than more rhetoric.Meanwhile, higher costs associated with tariffs have yet to pass through widely to inflation, as central bankers cautiously monitor incoming data.
Among individual companies, AI giant Nvidia’s shares were down 0.1 percent a day after it became the first company to touch $4 trillion in market value on Wednesday.
Shares in US cereal giant WK Kellogg rocketed more than 30 percent on news that chocolate maker Ferrero planned its purchase for $3.1 billion.
