Live Nasdaq Composite: Tech, Steel Bright Spots in Tariff-Ridden Markets

By Gerelyn Terzo Updated Jun 2, 3:46PM EDT · Published Jun 2, 9:48AM EDT

Key Points

The markets are mixed out of the gate, with the Nasdaq Composite making its way higher while the Dow and S&P remain under pressure.
Trade war uncertainty continues to hold back stocks as Washington, D.C. and Beijing trade jabs.

Live Updates

JPMorgan's Stock Picks

Jun 2, 2025 at 3:47 PM EDT | Gerelyn Terzo

Wall Street firm JPMorgan has added a couple of companies to its top stocks list, coinciding with the final month of trading for Q2 2025. The stocks reportedly include Take-Two Interactive (Nasdaq: TTWO | TTWO Price Prediction) and Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX), joining a group that extends to McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) and Boeing (NYSE: BA). The Nasdaq Composite is up 0.62% at last check.

Winners & Losers

Jun 2, 2025 at 12:57 PM EDT | Gerelyn Terzo

Steel Dynamics (Nasdaq: STLD) is leading the charge with a 9.5% advance.

Fellow steelmaker Nucor (NYSE: NUE) is up 8.7% this afternoon.

Newmont (NYSE: NEM) is gaining 5.6% as the gold price rallies.

GM (NYSE: GM) and Ford (NYSE: F) are down 4% and 3%, respectively, on the Trump administration’s steel import tariff threat.

The Nasdaq Composite is currently higher by 0.30%.

Manufacturing Slows Yet Again

Jun 2, 2025 at 11:02 AM EDT | Gerelyn Terzo

U.S. manufacturing activity slowed for the third straight month in May, with the Manufacturing PMI coming in at 48.5%, down from 48.7% in the prior month. PMI is a reflection of status of the manufacturing and services sector. Within the broader index, the imports segment sunk to its lowest level in nearly two decades. Stocks remain under pressure, including a 1.2% drop in Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW), while the gold price is soaring, up 2.5% to over $3,400 per ounce as investors hunt a safe haven from signs of an economic slowdown.

Economic Data Could Move Markets

Jun 2, 2025 at 9:50 AM EDT | Gerelyn Terzo

Manufacturing data is due out later this morning. Wells Fargo economists are looking for an improvement over the past couple of months but expect the factory sector is not out of the woods yet. On Friday, May’s all-important employment report will be released, offering the Fed the latest read on the health of the labor market. Wells Fargo economists expect the unemployment rate to continue to hover at 4.2% in May.

This article will be updated throughout the day, so check back often for more daily updates.

The markets are kicking off the month of June as a mixed bag, with technology stocks moving higher while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average remain under pressure. Traders and investors are feeling tariff-war uncertainty after Washington, D.C. and Beijing blamed one another for breaking a tariff pause agreement, sending stocks lower. In response, Treasury yields moved higher, including a 2-basis-point jump in the 10-year Treasury yield to 4.4%.

With all the stock market volatility, it’s easy to overlook last month’s gains. In May, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed over 9% higher while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 6% and 4%, respectively. Technology stocks fueled the stock market recovery, including strong performances from Big Tech leaders like Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT).

Here’s a look at the performance as of morning trading:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 148.45 (-0.35%)
Nasdaq Composite: Up 47.80 (+0.20%)
S&P 500: Down 10.52 (-0.18%)

Market Movers

Steel stocks are a bright spot after President Trump revealed a doubling of tariffs on steel imports to 50%, benefiting U.S. steelmakers. Cleveland-Cliffs is soaring over 22%, Steel Dynamics (Nasdaq: STLD) is gaining 13.4%, and Nucor (NYSE: NUE) is up 11.7%. The steel stock rally is buoying the VanEck Steel ETF up by 3% today.

Shifting to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, analysts believe Dow component Boeing (NYSE: BA) has some tariff-related tailwinds that could benefit the stock. Bank of America upgraded BA shares to “buy” with a $260 price target, up from $185 previously. BofA analysts expect the Trump administration to harness Boeing’s jetliners as a negotiating tool in the trade deals. BA stock is gaining 1.7% today.

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About the Author Gerelyn Terzo →

Gerelyn Terzo is the author of dividend investing handbook "Dividend Investing Strategies: How to Have Your Cake & Eat It Too." A veteran financial journalist, she covers agri-finance for outlets like Global AgInvesting and the broader stock market and personal finance for 24/7 Wall Street. She began at CNBC and later helped launch Fox Business in New York. Gerelyn currently resides in Woodland Park, Colorado and dabbles in nature photography as a hobby.