Stock Market Today Updates: Traded mixed as the Dow jumped nearly 200 points to 50,330, led by Disney and financials. The S&P 500 inched up 0.04%, Nasdaq slipped 0.06%. Gold hovered near $5,000 while bitcoin held above $69,000 amid data-driven rate cut bets.
Stock Market Today Updates (Photo: File)
Stock Market Today Updates: U.S. stocks traded higher on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average adding about 200 points or 0.39% and rising to 50,330, continuing its record run. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 marginally rose by 0.04%, while the Nasdaq fell by about 0.06%, amid disappointing retail figures, earnings reports and shifts in rate cuts' view.
| Index | Level | Change | % Move |
| Dow Jones | 50,330.53 | +194.66 | +0.39% |
| S&P 500 | 6,967.71 | +2.89 | +0.04% |
| Nasdaq | 23,224.96 | -13.70 | -0.06% |
The Dow continued its upward move, gaining 200 points as the top-tier stocks saw fresh demand. Disney, American Express and Microsoft propelled upside momentum for the Dow index, building on its recent breakout from the week above the major round figure of 50,000.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq was unchanged while the gains of the software companies were trimmed with still, the likes of Alphabet and Nvidia were bracing the gains. Investors were seemingly selective this time around, preferring mid-cap technology stocks to the well-trodden large-cap names.
The S&P 500 nudged a bit higher, remaining above key technical markers. Its move back above both the 50-day and 100-day averages gave traders confidence that last week's drop wasn't the start of a larger trend reversal.
Market breadth in the NYSE was boosted by the fact that the number of rising stocks was greater than the falling ones. Value sectors such as the financial and industrial sectors helped to calm the markets as mixed economic data was reported.
Growth in the Dow indicates that the earnings visibility and balance sheet quality for these companies have improved. The rotation into these companies came as the release of retail sales data for the month of December showed zero growth, fuelling hopes that the interest rates will be cut midterm.
Wells Fargo had marked Walmart as vulnerable before its earnings announcement, despite maintaining an overweight rating. Walmart has gained approximately 24% over the past year, trading at 44 times its earnings and results may have difficulties supporting any further price increase.
The price of gold surged enormously, rising by more than 1.4% to position itself well above the mark of $5,050 per ounce due to the high number of investors seeking to secure their investments in the market jitters. Bitcoin, however, lost about 2% to trade at around $69,000 compared to other leading cryptocurrencies that declined in the market.
Skydance, led by Paramount, has further stepped up its tactics on its rival Discovery-WB with an offer to pay Netflix $2.8 billion to walk away, in addition to a ticking fee of $650 million on a quarterly basis where the aggressive maneuver marks an increase in urgency due to rising regulatory concerns.
Shares of Coca Cola fell by about 4% after the company provided a conservative forecast regarding its performance in the year 2026. This happened despite the fact that the organic revenue improved by about 5% in the last quarter while the forecast clearly suggests that the performance will slow down, thus disappointing the shareholders.
Why did the Dow outperform today?
Gains in financials and entertainment stocks helped offset weakness in retail and tech.
Is consumer spending slowing?
Yes. December retail sales were flat, missing expectations of a 0.4% increase.
What data are investors watching next?
The January jobs report and Friday’s CPI inflation data.
Why did Coca-Cola shares fall?
Its forward growth outlook disappointed investors despite stable demand trends.
What’s driving gold higher?
Rate-cut expectations and economic uncertainty boosted safe-haven demand.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. The Sunday Guardian suggests that readers consult with a certified financial advisor before making any investment or money-related decisions. The stock market involves significant risk.
