New York (AFP)

The New York Stock Exchange ended in the red Friday, late in the session by the questions on monetary policy and fears of tensions with Iran even more.

Its leading index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, lost 0.25% to 25,154.20 points and the Nasdaq, strong technological color, 0.74% to 8,146.49 points.

The broad S & P 500 index fell 0.62% to 2,976.61 points.

However, the indexes had started the session on the right foot, driven by the strong progress of the computer giant Microsoft, whose quarterly results exceeded expectations, and the aircraft manufacturer Boeing, who warned that its quarterly profits were going to be heavily affected by the grounding of his flagship aircraft, the 737 MAX, but also suggested that he could revolve by the end of the year.

While Boeing remained up sharply (+ 4.50%), Microsoft gradually lost its lead (+ 0.15%).

Investors were notably cooled by the many speculations around interest rates.

After a speech Thursday by John Williams, the head of the New York Fed, the market players have largely bet on the announcement of a decline of half a percentage point in rates at the next meeting of the institution in July, double what was planned.

But the New York Fed has tried to explain Friday that the comments of Mr. Williams were not in any way an announcement coming but comments on twenty years of research.

- Tensions in the Persian Gulf -

A Wall Street Journal article then said that the institution's officials were preparing for a drop of a quarter of a percentage point.

This has been enough to confuse brokers, who always look favorably on rate cuts as they lower the cost of credit for households, businesses and investors, and thus bring oil in the wheels of the economy.

Investors have also been shaken "by the many rumors surrounding Iran's boarding of a British oil tanker," according to Maris Ogg of Tower Bridge Advisors.

What raise tensions after the destruction of an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

Instead, investors opted for caution, according to Ogg. Especially since "the beginning of the season of the results was not surprising until now, that is to say, without brilliance".

"We will probably not be able to climb to new heights until we have seen the results of other big names, the tech or the industrial sector," she said.

The New York Stock Exchange climbed Monday to new levels before losing a bit of ground. Over the week the Dow Jones lost 0.7%, the Nasdaq 1.2% and the S & P 500 1.2%.

In the bond market, the interest rate on US 10-year debt rose Friday at 20:45 GMT to 2,053% against 2,024% the day before closing.

Among other results of the day, American Express (AmEx) exceeded expectations in the second quarter thanks to an increase in expenses of cardholders and an increase in commissions but the company remained cautious leaving its annual forecasts unchanged. Its stock fell by 2.79%.

BlackRock (-0.40%), the world's largest asset manager, has reported lower-than-expected quarterly results due to lower commissions from customers who prefer to invest in low-cost financial products. management.

© 2019 AFP