The US markets were confused by the mixed messages from Trump’s administration regarding investment restrictions on foreign companies. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin tweeted saying that the statement regarding foreign investment on tech companies “will be out not specific to China, but to all countries that are trying to steal our technology. DOW dropped nearly -500 pts after the message
But later White House trade adviser Peter Navarro tried to talked down the idea of restrictions on all foreign investments. He said “there’s no plans to impose investment restrictions on any countries that are interfering in any way with our country. This is not the plan.: Navarro added that “the whole idea that we’re putting investment restrictions on the world — please discount that.”
DOW pared pack some losses after reaching as low as 24084.39. It closed down -1.33% or -328.09 pts at 24252.80. S&P 500 lose -1.37% or -37.81pts to close at 2717.07. NASDAQ suffered the worst decline, losing -2.09% or -160.91 pts to 7532.01.