Stocks Fall On Tariffs Fears, Dollar Hits 6-Month Peak, Yen Tumbles: What’s Driving Markets Tuesday?

Wall Street saw the first surge in risk aversion after Donald Trump‘s election victory last week, as concerns grew over potential tariffs and trade policy shifts spurred by the incoming administration’s key appointments.

Trump is reportedly considering Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of state and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) for national security advisor. Both are vocal hawks on China and NATO, raising concerns of a tougher U.S. stance that could strain key geopolitical and trade relationships.

Adding to the cautious sentiment, investors are bracing for Wednesday’s key inflation data release, with economists forecasting the annual rate to hit 2.6% in October.

As of midday trading in New York, none of the major U.S. equity indices posted gains, while small caps underperformed, with the Russell 2000 down 1.5%. Ten out of 11 S&P 500 sectors traded in the red, with consumer staples the …

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