why when I execute a select it works and when I execute an update the script blocks?

when I try to execute a query of type update the script hangs and the sql console stays still. This command executes all queries in the script: res=$(mysql --defaults-file=conf_file --skip-column-names -e "$query") In case I run the following select, it works without any problem and gives me the correct result query="SELECT field FROM table WHERE id=1 and id_ext=1;" but if I execute this update the sql console remains without going on as if I had not put the ; at the end query="UPDATE field SET data=2 WHERE id=1 and id_ext=1;"