Market Roundup: Indices Close Week Flat to Lower on Trade Fears

The U.S. Markets started out the week on a mixed note on continuing trade tensions between the U.S. and China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 Index shed some points while the NASDAQ Composite ended fractionally positive. West Texas Intermediate crude oil increased, settling at $65.85 a barrel, and Energy stocks stepped up as a result. Indices closed in the red zone on Tuesday, amid continuing trade tensions. In housing news, starts rose 5% in May to an annual pace of 1.35 million, exceeding estimates of 1.31 million. Results were again mixed mid-week, with the Dow closing slightly in the red zone, the S&P 500 rebounding, and the NASDAQ traded to a new record level. China trade tensions continued to weigh heavily on the market Thursday, despite Department of Labor reports showing new jobless claims fell by 3,000 to 218,000 in the week ended June 16. Indices were mixed again Friday, with the Dow and S&P 500 stepping up while the NASDAQ shed some points. Oil prices jumped up after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reached an agreement to increase output. For the session, West Texas Intermediate crude added 4.58% to settle at $68.78 a barrel.