US stocks end higher as traders assess economic data

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - US stocks ended higher Monday as investors weighed mixed economic data and continued to monitor the effects of tariffs on the economy.

Stocks rose despite retail sales data coming in below expectations.

Retail sales in the US rose by 0.2% on month in February to $722.7 billion, according to the US Census Bureau.

The manufacturing index announced by the New York branch of the US Fed also fell below market expectations with minus 20 in March, pointing to a contraction in sector activities.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) lowered its global economic growth forecast and warned that tariff increases would reduce growth and increase inflation in Canada, Mexico and the US.

US President Donald Trump is reportedly not considering an exemption to the 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports that came into force last week.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said there is no guarantee that the country will not enter a recession.

With these developments, the VIX Index, also known as the “fear index,” dropped by 5.79% to 20.51.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.85%, or 353.44 points, to end the day at 41,841.63.

The S&P 500 went up by 0.64%, or 36.18 points, to 5,675.12, and the Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.31%, or 54.58 points, to 17,808.66.