New York (CNN) — After months of steadily climbing higher, stocks are bouncing around as investors process renewed US-China trade tensions .

Stocks were mixed on Tuesday in volatile trading: The Dow gained 203 points, or 0.44%, after falling as much as 615 points earlier. The S&P 500 fell 0.16%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed 0.72% lower after sinking as much as 2.1% in the session.

Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have reignited with tit-for-tat punitive measures. The prospect of a trade war has injected uncertainty into global markets, sending tech and chip stocks lower and weighing on investors’ outlook.

As traders try to assess whether the trade spat will escalate, stocks are fluctuating and pausing their months-long ascent .

“Market participants had been hopin

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