Wall Street Review: Stocks Sell Off Amid Confusion Over Economic Data and Fed Policy

Analysts expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates ‘as soon as this fall.’
Wall Street Review: Stocks Sell Off Amid Confusion Over Economic Data and Fed Policy
Stock market numbers are displayed on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during afternoon trading on Aug. 1, 2025. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
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After racing to all-time highs for a couple of weeks, U.S. equities retreated this week on profit-taking and confusion over the direction of the U.S. economy and monetary policy.

Solid earnings from technology giants such as Microsoft, Meta, and Apple failed to sustain the rally, as traders and investors chose to lock in profits rather than add to their positions. Meanwhile, mixed headlines on trade deals added to market volatility, as market sentiment switched from positive at the start of the week to negative by the end.

Panos Mourdoukoutas
Panos Mourdoukoutas
Author
Panos Mourdoukoutas is a professor of economics at Long Island University in New York City. He also teaches security analysis at Columbia University. He’s been published in professional journals and magazines, including Forbes, Investopedia, Barron's, IBT, and Journal of Financial Research. He’s also the author of many books, including “Business Strategy in a Semiglobal Economy” and “China's Challenge.”