U.S. equities and stock exchange traded funds slipped Tuesday but moderately pared losses by mid-day, as investors shied away from risk assets and turned to safe-haven bets amidst mounting geopolitical concerns.
The S&P 500 Index, along with related funds including the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEArca: SPY), iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEArca: IVV) and Vanguard 500 Index (NYSEArca: VOO), were down 0.3% Tuesday.
Geopolitical developments across the world added to the market concerns as the U.S. considers further military action in Syria and North Korea rattles its saber in face of speculation of a pre-emptive U.S. military strike.
Observers were concerned of escalated tensions after President Donald Trump said on Twitter that “North Korea is looking for trouble,” and that the U.S. would “solve the problem,” Bloomberg reports.