Wall Street Stocks End Lower On Sino-US Tensions

Wall Street stocks finished lower on Thursday following a choppy session as markets weighed heightening US-China tensions and another spike in jobless claims.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.4 percent to 24,474.

The broad-based S&P 500 dropped 0.8 percent to 2,949, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 1 percent to 9,285.

The pullback extended the week's pattern of volatility after a big rally day Monday was followed by a pullback Tuesday and then more gains Wednesday.

"Every other day is another direction," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities.

Markets are trying to assess whether states reopening their economies were seeing significant coronavirus outbreaks and also weighing announcements about pharmaceutical developments that could combat Covid-19.

"We're as glued to the coronavirus news as much as the economic news and that's going to cause a lot of volatility," Hogan said.

The Labour Department reported that another 2.43 million US workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, bringing the total since the coronavirus shutdowns began in mid-March to a massive 38.6 million.

Investors also increasingly view tensions between Washington and Beijing as a risk to stocks in the coming months, with US President Donald Trump loudly blaming China for the outbreak that has claimed more than 90,000 American lives.

Retailers were mixed following earnings announcements, with Best Buy sliding 4.4 percent, TJX gaining 6.8 percent and Macy's advancing 5.9 percent. (AFP)

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