US stocks little changed amid earnings, tariff uncertainty

NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks were little changed early Tuesday as China retaliated against US tariffs and large companies reported mixed earnings.

China said it would impose tariffs on imports of US energy, vehicles and equipment in response to 10 per cent levies on Chinese goods announced by US President Donald Trump over the weekend.

The move keeps Washington’s unpredictable trade policy at the centre of investor focus, likely leading to more volatility. About 10 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1 per cent at 44,361.18.

The broad-based S&P 500 added 0.1 per cent at 6,000.11, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.4 per cent to 19,469.78. Among individual companies, Estee Lauder slumped nearly 10 per cent after announcing plans to cut between 5,800 and 7,000 jobs through the end of 2026 as part of a corporate reorganization.