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U.S. STOCKS END DOWN AS TRUMP'S AUTO TARIFFS WEIGH

All three major U.S. stock indexes ended with losses on Thursday, with shares of auto makers down after U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday his plan to implement 25% tariffs on imported cars and light trucks effective next week.

Shares of General Motors GM.N fell 7.4% and shares of Ford Motor F.N dropped 3.9%.

Tesla TSLA.O ended up 0.4%. Some analysts said Tesla's supply chain and financial performance may not be affected by the wide-ranging levies that will hit global shipments of both cars and car parts to the United States.

Tariffs on auto parts are expected to begin from May 3.

The news increased trade war fears, as governments from Ottawa to Paris threatened retaliation on Thursday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that he would respond with unspecified trade actions if Trump imposes new auto tariffs.

Also declining were shares of Jefferies Financial Group JEF.N. The stock fell 9.9% after the company late Wednesday reported a first-quarter profit that missed Wall Street estimates, with bond trading weakening and stock market deals stalling due to uncertainty sparked by shifting U.S. trade policy and geopolitical turmoil.

Profits from current production increased $204.7 billion last quarter, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said on Thursday. But an uncertain economic outlook due to tariffs is creating a challenging environment for businesses in the first quarter.

Here is the closing market snapshot:

(Caroline Valetkevitch)

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FOR THURSDAY'S EARLIER LIVE MARKETS POSTS:

INVESTMENT ADVISOR SENTIMENT: HAS THE WORST OF THE STORM PASSED? - CLICK HERE

GAVI FUNDING CUTS LOOM, BUT BERNSTEIN ANALYSTS URGE CALM - CLICK HERE

PRELUDE TO PCE: GDP, JOBLESS CLAIMS, PENDING HOME SALES, ET AL - CLICK HERE

U.S. STOCKS DIP WITH CARMAKERS AFTER TRUMP TARIFF PLAN - CLICK HERE

JEFFERIES' WEAK Q1 RESULTS STOKE FEARS FOR WALL STREET'S INVESTMENT BANKS - CLICK HERE

GROWTH OFF TO A ROUGH START VS VALUE - CLICK HERE

CHINESE ANIMATED FILM NE ZHA PARTLY BEHIND SENTIMENT BOOST - BOFA - CLICK HERE

UBS REFRESHES TOP PICKS IN "DEEPLY UNDERVALUED" UK SMALL AND MID CAP SPACE - CLICK HERE

TARIFF MAN BRUISES EUROPEAN STOCKS - CLICK HERE

EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: WATCH AUTO STOCKS - CLICK HERE

MORNING BID: DAS AUTO CAUGHT IN THE TARIFF CROSSHAIRS - CLICK HERE