US markets: S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones open mix ahead of consumer confidence data; all eyes on Nvidia earnings
The broader market remained largely unchanged, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.3%. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed, adding 155 points, or 0.4%.
US stocks were trading in the mix at open on Tuesday, February 25, with the S&P 500 gaining a marginal 0.1 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also gained around 0.4 percent while the Nasdaq Composite opened in the red, lower by 0.3 percent.
Nvidia, set to report earnings on Wednesday after the bell, saw its stock dip 0.6 percent on Tuesday, extending its 2025 decline to 3.5 percent. Wall Street shifted focus to key earnings reports, with Home Depot rallying 2 percent after posting stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results.
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Tempus AI was one of the biggest movers on Tuesday, crashing over 10 percent to $62 per share. This comes after the healthcare technology stock posted weaker-than-expected earnings. As a result, JP Morgan downgraded shares of the healthcare technology stock to neutral from overweight.
Bitcoin slipped below $90,000, hitting its lowest level in three months. The flagship cryptocurrency is now trading nearly 20 percent below its all-time high, which was reached on President Donald Trump’s inauguration day.
On Monday, a decline in major tech stocks weighed on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, pushing both into the red for the session. The slump also dragged the Nasdaq into negative territory for the year.
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Investors await the latest U.S. consumer confidence data, set for release at 10 a.m. ET. Economists expect a February reading of 102.3, down from 104.1 in January. The report precedes key economic data later in the week, including the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the PCE index, on Friday.
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European markets gained on Tuesday as investors tracked corporate earnings and geopolitical developments. The Stoxx 600 rose 0.5 percent by mid-afternoon in London, with major indices trading in positive territory. Germany’s DAX continued its upward momentum following the federal election outcome.
Asian markets tumble
Asia-Pacific markets declined on Tuesday as investors reacted to Wall Street’s overnight drop and renewed U.S. tariff threats from President Donald Trump, while also weighing the Bank of Korea’s rate decision.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 led regional losses, slipping over 1 percent to close at 38,237.79, while the Topix shed 0.43 percent to 2,724.7. However, Japan’s major trading houses saw strong gains after Warren Buffett signalled plans to increase Berkshire Hathaway’s stake in the conglomerates. In South Korea, the Kospi fell 0.57 percent to 2,630.29, while the small-cap Kosdaq declined 0.50 percent to 769.43.
Indian markets get much-needed relief
Sensex snapped its five-day losing streak to close slightly higher on February 25, driven by gains in financials and telecom stocks. However, oil & gas and IT stocks remained under pressure. Nifty IT struggled for direction and ended flat. The indices had opened on a cautious note as investors weighed renewed global uncertainty over U.S. tariffs.
At close, the Sensex had edged up 147 points, or 0.2 percent, to 74,602, while the Nifty fell 27 points, or 0.1 percent, to 22,526. Despite the rebound, both indices remain nearly 14 percent below their record highs from late September and are on course for their fifth consecutive month of losses—the longest such streak since 1996. On the NSE, 958 stocks advanced and 1,642 declined.