Stocks Fall as Hawkish Warsh Boosts Fed Rate Hike Chances

Stocks experienced a decline on Friday, as hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Warsh increased the likelihood of a rate hike next month. The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq 100 all closed lower, with the Nasdaq 100 suffering the steepest drop. Bond yields rose in response to Warsh's optimistic assessment of the economy, which now carries a 57% chance of a Fed rate hike in September, up from 36% prior to his speech.

The 10-year Treasury note yield increased by 5 basis points to 4.72%. Chipmakers and AI-infrastructure stocks, including Marvell Technology, were among the biggest losers, with Marvell's stock falling 10% after the company reported adjusted gross margin below expectations. The S&P 500's earnings growth for Q2 is projected at almost 32%, outpacing forecasts and the average growth rate since 2013.

However, AI spending is expected to drive most of the earnings, accounting for nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth. Overseas markets showed mixed results, with the Euro Stoxx 50, China's Shanghai Composite, and Japan's Nikkei-225 all experiencing slight gains or losses.