NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks tread water on Friday with the Standard and Poor's 500 and Nasdaq Composite drifting lower, while the Dow Jones, inspired by a large lift in United Health, on the back of purchases by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, finished with a reasonable gain.

A disappointing University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey kept buyers at bay Friday. "Consumer sentiment fell back about 5 percent in August, declining for the first time in four months. This deterioration largely stems from rising worries about inflation," Surveyors of Consumers Director at Michigan University Joanne Hsu said in a statement Friday. 

"Buying conditions for durables plunged 14 percent, its lowest reading in a year, on the basis of high prices. Current personal finances declined modestly amid growing concerns about purchasing power. In contrast, expected personal finances inched up a touch along with a slight firming in income expectations, which remain subdued," oversal  Hsu said. "Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April when reciprocal tariffs were announced and then paused. However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a modest gain, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite edged lower. 

Major Index Closings – Friday

• S&P 500 closed at 6,449.80, falling 18.74 points, or 0.29 percent, amid broad-based weakness in technology and consumer discretionary sectors. The index was under pressure as investors rotated out of growth stocks following mixed earnings reports.

• Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at 44,946.12, up 34.86 points, or 0.08 percent, supported by gains in industrials and financials. The Dow showed resilience as blue-chip stocks continued to benefit from stable economic outlooks and strong dividend appeal.

• NASDAQ Composite finished the day at 21,622.98, dropping 87.69 points, or 0.40 percent, reflecting a decline in high-growth tech shares. Investors appeared cautious ahead of upcoming chipmaker earnings and regulatory developments in the AI sector

Investor Focus Shifts to Fed and Global Data

With earnings season winding down, traders are now turning their attention to upcoming U.S. economic indicators and Federal Reserve speeches for hints on interest rate direction. Globally, attention remains on China's economic outlook and geopolitical tensions that could shape risk appetite heading into the new week.

Global Currency Markets Mixed as Euro Rises, Yen Strengthens Against Dollar

Currency markets saw the U.S. dollar weaken on Friday, with the euro making notable gains, while the Japanese yen also strengthened. Traders digested economic data and central bank commentary amid growing speculation around interest rate paths across key economies.

Key FX Pairs – Friday's Closing Quotes:

• EUR/USD (Euro / US Dollar) rose to 1.1701, marking a 0.47 percent gain on the day. The euro found support amid improving eurozone inflation expectations and a weaker dollar tone heading into the weekend.

• USD/JPY (U.S. Dollar / Japanese Yen) declined to 147.23, down 0.35 percent, as the yen rebounded on safe-haven demand and speculation the Bank of Japan may consider policy adjustments later this quarter.

• USD/CAD (U.S. Dollar / Canadian Dollar) edged slightly lower to 1.3810, a 0.04 percent decline. The loonie remained range-bound amid stable crude oil prices and cautious investor sentiment.

• GBP/USD (British Pound / U.S. Dollar) rose to 1.3551, climbing 0.18 percent. The pound gained modestly on strong UK retail sales data, though political uncertainty limited broader upside.

• USD/CHF (U.S. Dollar / Swiss Franc) slipped to 0.8062, down 0.14 percent, as the franc appreciated in line with broader eurozone strength and modest risk-off flows.

• AUD/USD (Australian Dollar / U.S. Dollar) moved up to 0.6507, a 0.23 percent gain. The Aussie dollar was buoyed by positive labor market figures and rising commodity prices.

• NZD/USD (New Zealand Dollar / U.S. Dollar) closed at 0.5924, gaining 0.15 percent, supported by a firmer tone in risk assets and expectations for steady monetary policy in Wellington.

Market Outlook

Traders continue to monitor signals from the U.S. Federal Reserve and other major central banks for clues on rate trajectory as inflation pressures cool in several economies. Volatility may increase in the coming sessions as markets respond to upcoming economic releases and geopolitical developments.

Global Equity Markets Roundup – Friday's Closings

Canada UK

• S&P/TSX Composite Index (Canada) settled at 27,905.49, down 10.50 points, or 0.04 percent. The Canadian market remained relatively flat, weighed down by energy and materials, even as financials offered some offsetting strength.

UK

• FTSE 100: closed at 9,138.90, down 38.34, a decline of 0.42 percent.

Germany

• DAX Performance‑Index (DAX P): finished at 24,359.30, a decrease of 18.20, down 0.07 percent.

France

• CAC 40: ended at 7,923.45, up 53.11, a gain of 0.67 percent.

Eurozone

• EURO STOXX 50: closed at 5,448.61, rising 13.91, up 0.26 percent.

• Euronext‑100: ended at 1,612.80, increased by 5.17, or 0.32 percent.

Belgium

• BEL 20: wrapped up at 4,774.31, down 4.82, a drop of 0.10 percent.

China (Shanghai)

• SSE Composite Index (000001.SS): ended at 3,696.77, up 30.33, a gain of 0.83 percent (volume: 3.428 billion).

Japan

• Nikkei 225: closed at 43,378.31, up 729.05, a strong advance of 1.71 percent.

Hong Kong

• Hang Seng Index: finished at 25,270.07, lower by 249.25, down 0.98 percent.

Singapore

• STI Index: closed at 4,230.53, fell 25.99, a decrease of 0.61 percent.

Australia

• S&P/ASX 200: ended at 8,938.60, up 64.80, a gain of 0.73 percent.

• All Ordinaries: closed at 9,212.10, higher by 63.00, up 0.69 percent.

India

• S&P BSE Sensex: finished at 80,597.66, rising 57.75, a slight gain of 0.07 percent.

Indonesia

• IDX Composite (Jakarta): ended at 7,898.38, down by 32.88, a drop of 0.41 percent.

Malaysia

• FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (approx.): closed at 1,576.34, down 4.71, a decline of 0.30 percent.

New Zealand

• S&P/NZX 50 (Gross): ended at 12,889.38, up 55.30, or 0.43 percent.

South Korea

• KOSPI Composite Index: finished at 3,225.66, gaining 1.29, a mild rise of 0.04 percent (volume: 441,468).

Taiwan

• TWSE Capitalization‑Weighted Index (TWII): closed at 24,334.48, up 96.38, a gain of 0.40 percent.

South Africa

• Unlabeled, but likely the JSE All‑Share Index or JSE Top‑40: closed at 5,779.79, rising 6.53, up 0.11 percent.

Regional Highlights & Insights

• Asia led the charge, with Japan's Nikkei 225 showing the strongest surge—up 1.71 percent—suggesting solid investor confidence possibly fueled by earlier economic data or corporate earnings.

• China's Shanghai Composite also turned in a robust performance, gaining 0.83 percent.

• In Australia and New Zealand, markets ended notably higher, each posting gains around 0.7 percent, reflecting continued regional momentum.

• By contrast, Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined nearly 1 percent—the most significant drop among major indices—act as a reminder of lingering volatility in Chinese markets.

• European indices showed mixed results: while France's CAC 40 and Euro STOXX 50 posted moderate gains, the UK's FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX trimmed slightly.

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