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Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq slip as earnings roll in, Fed decision looms
US stocks gave up earlier gains on Tuesday as investors digested a wave of corporate earnings and economic data, while bracing for the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision due Wednesday. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) slipped about 0.2% after narrowly notching a sixth straight record close, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell by a similar margin. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped roughly 0.3%, or over 150 points. Markets are poised for a high-stakes week as the Federal Reserve kicked off its two-day policy meeting on Tuesday, alongside a busy slate of economic data. While the Fed is expected to hold rates steady, investors remain on edge for any signs of economic weakness that could justify cuts later this year. Job openings and hirings both fell in June, the Bureau of Labor's JOLTS update showed, setting the stage for the all-important monthly US nonfarm payrolls report on Friday. Meanwhile, consumer confidence saw an uptick in July, but worries about job availability intensified, according to official figures. Also in focus, the US goods trade deficit hit a two-year low in June, as imports tumbled and businesses looked to get ahead of tariffs. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs Looming large is President Trump's Friday deadline for trading partners to strike deals or face blanket tariff rates. Hopes for an extension to the US-China trade truce are buoying the likes of AI chipmaker Nvidia's (NVDA) stock, although shares fell modestly on Tuesday. At the same time, the US dollar ( continued to rally as markets grow confident that the tariff impact will be contained. Earnings took center stage, with Boeing (BA) posting better-than-expected quarterly results. But weaker reports from from Spotify (SPOT), Merck (MRK), and UnitedHealth (UNH) weighed on sentiment. After the bell, all eyes turn to Starbucks (SBUX) for signs of progress on its turnaround efforts. Read more: Full earnings coverage in our live blog One reason the roaring stock market rally has more room to run Several strategists in the fifth volume of the Yahoo Finance Chartbook help explain why the S&P 500's rally could continue. While trades like meme stocks have begun bubbling up once more, Goldman Sachs senior equity strategist Ben Snider told us their equity sentiment index is still reading "neutral." Goldman's equity sentiment indicator combines nine measures of positioning in US stocks across investor groups including hedge funds, mutual funds, and retail investors. In other words, this isn't a sentiment index based on vibes. It's based on where money actually is in the market. As Snider's chart below shows, at a current reading of 0, investor sentiment could certainly have plenty of room to move higher. "While valuation multiples sit at elevated levels relative to history, constrained positioning indicates room for the recent equity rally to continue," Snider told us. Deutsche Bank chief global strategist Binky Chadha made a similar point with his Chartbook submission. "Equity positioning tends to align with earnings growth but is currently still below what we expect for Q2 and we look for a typical earnings season rally," Chadha said. "Our outlook out to year end sees a rise in equity positioning as one of the drivers of further upside for equity prices." To see Chadha's chart and 34 more that help explain the state of markets and the US economy right now, read the full Yahoo Finance Chartbook here. Starbucks set to report 6th straight US sales decline as CEO Brian Niccol continues turnaround efforts Starbucks (SBUX) is set to report results for its fiscal third quarter after the market close on Tuesday as CEO Brian Niccol continues turnaround efforts and the company is expected to extend its US sales slump while facing an uncertain consumer environment, Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports. DiPalma writes: Read more about the coffee chain's upcoming earnings results and stock here. UPS stock drops as it declines to provide 2025 sales outlook United Parcel Service (UPS) stock sank more than 9% as the company declined to provide a financial outlook for the upcoming quarter or full year. "For our sector, this remains a very unsettling time," CEO Carol Tome said on a call with analysts Tuesday morning following UPS' second quarter earnings. "Changes in trade policy have not been cemented and the impact on customer demand and the overall economy is unknown." UPS also declined to provide guidance in its first quarter. For the second quarter, the company reported earnings per share roughly in line with Wall Street's projections and sales ahead of estimates, according to Bloomberg consensus data, despite declining from the prior year. Stellantis to absorb $1.7 billion in tariff costs in 2025 Stellantis (STLA) shares fell 2% after the Big Three automaker updated its financial results for the first half of the year, after releasing preliminary figures last week. The company said President Trump's tariffs will cost it 1.5 billion euros ($1.73 billion) in 2025, reports Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian. Subramanian writes: Read the full story here. Consumer confidence ticks higher in July, but job concerns persist Consumer confidence saw an uptick in July, with many Americans adjusting their expectations following a rebound from the lows triggered by President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements. However, confidence still lags the elevated levels observed last year, and labor market concerns remain top of mind, according to new data released Tuesday morning. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for July rose to 97.2, surpassing both June's revised figure of 95.2 and the 96.0 reading anticipated by economists. "In July, pessimism about the future receded somewhat, leading to a slight improvement in overall confidence," Stephanie Guichard, senior economist of global indicators at The Conference Board, said in the release. The "Present Situation Index," which measures consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions, fell 1.5 points to 131.5 in July. The "Expectations Index," which tracks consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, rose to 74.4 in February from 69.9 last month. Historically, a reading below 80 in that category signals a recession in the coming year. Notably, Americans' appraisal of current job availability weakened for the seventh consecutive month, reaching its lowest point since March 2021. In July, 18.9% of consumers reported that jobs were hard to get, up from 14.5% in January. According to Guichard, consumers' write-in responses highlighted that tariffs remained a significant concern, with many associating them with fears of rising prices. References to high prices and inflation also increased in July, even as consumers' average 12-month inflation expectations eased slightly to 5.8%, down from 5.9% in June and a peak of 7% in April. Job openings slide in June, as hiring rate hits 7-month low Job openings declined in June while hiring also decreased, according to government data released Tuesday. The report comes as investors closely watch for any signs of slowing in the labor market amid a debate over when the Federal Reserve could start to cut interest rates again. New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 7.44 million jobs open at the end of June, a decrease from the 7.71 million seen the month prior. May's report had the highest number of job openings since November 2024. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that 5.2 million hires were made in June, down from the 5.47 million in May. The hiring rate ticked lower to 3.3% from the 3.4% seen the month prior and stood at its lowest level since November 2024. In one sign that workers remain cautious about labor market conditions, the quits rate — a sign of confidence among workers — hovered at 2%. Both the hiring and quits rates are floating near decade lows, reflecting what economists have described as a labor market in "stasis." Royal Caribbean lifts annual profit forecast on steady cruise demand Royal Caribbean's (RCL) stock fell 8% on Tuesday after the cruise line forecast its current-quarter profit below estimates. The company raised its annual forecast and is banking on resilient demand for its luxury destinations. Reuters reports: Read more here. P&G shares slip as it warns of $1 billion tariff hit Procter & Gamble (PG) stock dipped about 1%, reversing a slight pre-market gain, as the company took a cautious approach with its financial outlook while it navigates uncertain consumer sentiment and Trump's tariffs. Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi reports: Read the full story here. Tech leads stocks higher at the open The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) led US stocks higher at the open on Tuesday morning with a 0.5% gain. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.2% on the heels of notching a sixth all-time closing high in a row on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) opened roughly flat. Investors are digesting a wave of earnings reports and US trade data showing a sharp narrowing in the deficit (as tariffs loom). Meanwhile, they are looking ahead to the JOLTS job openings update for June at 10 a.m. ET. for labor market insight. Major drugmakers trade mixed as financial updates come in Among the top drugmakers reporting earnings on Tuesday, AstraZeneca (AZN, AZN.L) rose almost 2%, and Merck fell nearly 4% before the market open. British drugmaker AstraZeneca reported second quarter revenue ahead of expectations Tuesday, with its cancer drugs helping fuel sales for the period. Meanwhile, fellow pharma giant Merck (MRK) reported earnings below Wall Street's projections, according to Bloomberg consensus data, and revenue from its HPV vaccine Gardasil was also less than expected amid continued headwinds in China. Investors are also bracing for patents for Merck's drug Keytruda (which accounted for roughly half of its second quarter revenue) to expire in 2028. Also on Tuesday, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's (NVO) stock plummeted roughly 20%. The firm cut its 2025 revenue and profit outlook, pointing to lower than expected sales growth of its obesity drug Wegovy in the US, ahead of its second quarter earnings results slated for Aug. 6. Trump's DOJ puts companies on notice: Don't evade tariffs The Justice Department is putting American companies on notice that they could be prosecuted if they chose to evade President Trump's tariffs, even as the legality of the president's "Liberation Day" duties remain unsettled in US courts. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Nvidia leads Mag 7 higher on sign of 'enormous pent-up demand' from China Nvidia (NVDA) led the Big Tech "Magnificent Seven" stocks higher on Tuesday before the market open, climbing 1.4%. The gain came after Reuters reported that the AI chipmaker had ordered 300,000 H20 chips from its contract manufacturer TSMC. "This supports our theory that there is enormous pent-up demand for NVDA chips from China right now," Hedgeye Risk Management analyst Felix Wang wrote in a note to clients. Meanwhile, Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), and Amazon (AMZN) rose fractionally ahead of their quarterly earnings reports later this week. Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), and Tesla (TSLA) traded down less than 1%. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Economic data: S&P CoreLogic 20-city home price index (May); Conference Board consumer confidence, July; Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (June); Dallas Fed services activity (July) Earnings: Boeing (BA), Booking Holdings (BKNG), Caesars (CZR), Cheesecake Factory (CAKE), Merck (MRK), PayPal (PYPL), Procter & Gamble (PG), Spotify (SPOT), Starbucks (SBUX), SoFi (SOFI), UnitedHealth Group (UNH), UPS (UPS), Visa (V) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: The market is finally getting what it wants 35 charts explain markets and the economy right now UnitedHealth stock falls after reporting mixed Q2 earnings Sarepta stock soars as FDA reverses course on gene therapy pause Spotify stock slides after Q2 earnings and revenue miss Trump's DOJ puts companies on notice on tariffs US, EU rush to clinch final details and lock in trade deal Apple to Shutter a Retail Store in China for the First Time Ever Stellantis faces $1.7B hit from US tariffs this year Trending tickers: UPS, Whilepool and Royal Caribbean Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: UPS (UPS) stock fell over 2% before the bell on Tuesday after reporting a drop in second-quarter profit and revenue, as demand took a hit from new "de minimis" tariffs on low-value Chinese shipments and mounting risks from President Donald Trump's trade policies. Whirlpool (WHR) stock fell premarket on Tuesday. after the appliance maker slashed its earnings outlook the day prior. Royal Caribbean (RCL) stock rose 4% before the bell after raising its annual profit forecast on Tuesday, banking on resilient demand for the cruise operator's high-end private island destinations and premium sailings. The market is finally getting what it wants Wall Street's busiest week of the summer is turning out to be an inflection point. Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban explains why in today's Morning Brief: Read more here. Spotify stock sinks after Q2 earnings miss Spotify (SPOT) shares fell as much as 10% in early premarket trading Tuesday after the company missed second quarter earnings and revenue expectations. The results follow a remarkable 120% rally over the past year, as the stock rebounded from 2022 lows on the back of price hikes, cost cuts, and investor enthusiasm for AI and advertising. Spotify hit a record high of $738.45 earlier this month, but shares slid to around $635 immediately following the results. Spotify reported second quarter revenue of €4.19 billion ($4.86 billion), missing analyst expectations of €4.27 billion, though up from €3.81 billion in the same period last year. The company posted an adjusted loss of €0.42 ($0.49) per share, sharply missing forecasts for a profit of €1.97 and down from earnings of €1.33 in Q2 2024. "Outsized currency movements during the quarter impacted reported revenue by €104 million vs. guidance," the company said in the earnings release. Operating income also fell short of expectations in the quarter, though subscriber metrics for both premium and ad-supported tiers came in ahead of estimates. Gross margins of 31.5% came in as expected. Spotify's massive rally heading into the earnings report was fueled by a sweeping business overhaul, including layoffs, leadership changes, and a pullback from costly podcast exclusivity. After spending $1 billion to build out its podcast business, the company has since scaled back and narrowed its focus. Still, it remains committed to the medium, paying over $100 million to creators in Q1 alone, including high-profile names like Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper. Read more here. UnitedHealth stock slips after mixed Q2 results Shares of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) fell nearly 3% after its quarterly results before the bell painted a mixed picture. Yahoo Finance's Anjalee Khemlani reports: Read more here. Sarepta stock rockets higher after FDA greenlight Shares in drugmaker Sarepta (SRPT) rocketed up over 30% in premarket after the embattled company got the FDA's go-ahead to resume shipments of its Elevdis gene therapy. The greenlight comes after Sarepta put a voluntary pause on shipments for some patients while the US regulator reviewed its safety following deaths. The FDA on Monday recommended that the compa lift that halt. Sarepta's stock is poised to build on a 16% gain on Monday, continuing a recent volatile spell triggered by changing fortunes for its best-selling product. AP reports: Read more here. Nvidia orders 300,000 H20 chips from TSMC to satiate Chinese demand Reuters reports: Nvidia placed orders for 300,000 H20 chipsets with contract manufacturer TSMC last week, two sources said, with one of them adding that strong Chinese demand had led the U.S. firm to change its mind about just relying on its existing stockpile. Read more here. Oil maintains gains with tariffs and OPEC+ supply in sight Oil maintained gains following Trump putting pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine with economic sanctions against Putin's government on the table. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. One reason the roaring stock market rally has more room to run Several strategists in the fifth volume of the Yahoo Finance Chartbook help explain why the S&P 500's rally could continue. While trades like meme stocks have begun bubbling up once more, Goldman Sachs senior equity strategist Ben Snider told us their equity sentiment index is still reading "neutral." Goldman's equity sentiment indicator combines nine measures of positioning in US stocks across investor groups including hedge funds, mutual funds, and retail investors. In other words, this isn't a sentiment index based on vibes. It's based on where money actually is in the market. As Snider's chart below shows, at a current reading of 0, investor sentiment could certainly have plenty of room to move higher. "While valuation multiples sit at elevated levels relative to history, constrained positioning indicates room for the recent equity rally to continue," Snider told us. Deutsche Bank chief global strategist Binky Chadha made a similar point with his Chartbook submission. "Equity positioning tends to align with earnings growth but is currently still below what we expect for Q2 and we look for a typical earnings season rally," Chadha said. "Our outlook out to year end sees a rise in equity positioning as one of the drivers of further upside for equity prices." To see Chadha's chart and 34 more that help explain the state of markets and the US economy right now, read the full Yahoo Finance Chartbook here. Several strategists in the fifth volume of the Yahoo Finance Chartbook help explain why the S&P 500's rally could continue. While trades like meme stocks have begun bubbling up once more, Goldman Sachs senior equity strategist Ben Snider told us their equity sentiment index is still reading "neutral." Goldman's equity sentiment indicator combines nine measures of positioning in US stocks across investor groups including hedge funds, mutual funds, and retail investors. In other words, this isn't a sentiment index based on vibes. It's based on where money actually is in the market. As Snider's chart below shows, at a current reading of 0, investor sentiment could certainly have plenty of room to move higher. "While valuation multiples sit at elevated levels relative to history, constrained positioning indicates room for the recent equity rally to continue," Snider told us. Deutsche Bank chief global strategist Binky Chadha made a similar point with his Chartbook submission. "Equity positioning tends to align with earnings growth but is currently still below what we expect for Q2 and we look for a typical earnings season rally," Chadha said. "Our outlook out to year end sees a rise in equity positioning as one of the drivers of further upside for equity prices." To see Chadha's chart and 34 more that help explain the state of markets and the US economy right now, read the full Yahoo Finance Chartbook here. Starbucks set to report 6th straight US sales decline as CEO Brian Niccol continues turnaround efforts Starbucks (SBUX) is set to report results for its fiscal third quarter after the market close on Tuesday as CEO Brian Niccol continues turnaround efforts and the company is expected to extend its US sales slump while facing an uncertain consumer environment, Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports. DiPalma writes: Read more about the coffee chain's upcoming earnings results and stock here. Starbucks (SBUX) is set to report results for its fiscal third quarter after the market close on Tuesday as CEO Brian Niccol continues turnaround efforts and the company is expected to extend its US sales slump while facing an uncertain consumer environment, Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports. DiPalma writes: Read more about the coffee chain's upcoming earnings results and stock here. UPS stock drops as it declines to provide 2025 sales outlook United Parcel Service (UPS) stock sank more than 9% as the company declined to provide a financial outlook for the upcoming quarter or full year. "For our sector, this remains a very unsettling time," CEO Carol Tome said on a call with analysts Tuesday morning following UPS' second quarter earnings. "Changes in trade policy have not been cemented and the impact on customer demand and the overall economy is unknown." UPS also declined to provide guidance in its first quarter. For the second quarter, the company reported earnings per share roughly in line with Wall Street's projections and sales ahead of estimates, according to Bloomberg consensus data, despite declining from the prior year. United Parcel Service (UPS) stock sank more than 9% as the company declined to provide a financial outlook for the upcoming quarter or full year. "For our sector, this remains a very unsettling time," CEO Carol Tome said on a call with analysts Tuesday morning following UPS' second quarter earnings. "Changes in trade policy have not been cemented and the impact on customer demand and the overall economy is unknown." UPS also declined to provide guidance in its first quarter. For the second quarter, the company reported earnings per share roughly in line with Wall Street's projections and sales ahead of estimates, according to Bloomberg consensus data, despite declining from the prior year. Stellantis to absorb $1.7 billion in tariff costs in 2025 Stellantis (STLA) shares fell 2% after the Big Three automaker updated its financial results for the first half of the year, after releasing preliminary figures last week. The company said President Trump's tariffs will cost it 1.5 billion euros ($1.73 billion) in 2025, reports Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian. Subramanian writes: Read the full story here. Stellantis (STLA) shares fell 2% after the Big Three automaker updated its financial results for the first half of the year, after releasing preliminary figures last week. The company said President Trump's tariffs will cost it 1.5 billion euros ($1.73 billion) in 2025, reports Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian. Subramanian writes: Read the full story here. Consumer confidence ticks higher in July, but job concerns persist Consumer confidence saw an uptick in July, with many Americans adjusting their expectations following a rebound from the lows triggered by President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements. However, confidence still lags the elevated levels observed last year, and labor market concerns remain top of mind, according to new data released Tuesday morning. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for July rose to 97.2, surpassing both June's revised figure of 95.2 and the 96.0 reading anticipated by economists. "In July, pessimism about the future receded somewhat, leading to a slight improvement in overall confidence," Stephanie Guichard, senior economist of global indicators at The Conference Board, said in the release. The "Present Situation Index," which measures consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions, fell 1.5 points to 131.5 in July. The "Expectations Index," which tracks consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, rose to 74.4 in February from 69.9 last month. Historically, a reading below 80 in that category signals a recession in the coming year. Notably, Americans' appraisal of current job availability weakened for the seventh consecutive month, reaching its lowest point since March 2021. In July, 18.9% of consumers reported that jobs were hard to get, up from 14.5% in January. According to Guichard, consumers' write-in responses highlighted that tariffs remained a significant concern, with many associating them with fears of rising prices. References to high prices and inflation also increased in July, even as consumers' average 12-month inflation expectations eased slightly to 5.8%, down from 5.9% in June and a peak of 7% in April. Consumer confidence saw an uptick in July, with many Americans adjusting their expectations following a rebound from the lows triggered by President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements. However, confidence still lags the elevated levels observed last year, and labor market concerns remain top of mind, according to new data released Tuesday morning. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for July rose to 97.2, surpassing both June's revised figure of 95.2 and the 96.0 reading anticipated by economists. "In July, pessimism about the future receded somewhat, leading to a slight improvement in overall confidence," Stephanie Guichard, senior economist of global indicators at The Conference Board, said in the release. The "Present Situation Index," which measures consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions, fell 1.5 points to 131.5 in July. The "Expectations Index," which tracks consumers' short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, rose to 74.4 in February from 69.9 last month. Historically, a reading below 80 in that category signals a recession in the coming year. Notably, Americans' appraisal of current job availability weakened for the seventh consecutive month, reaching its lowest point since March 2021. In July, 18.9% of consumers reported that jobs were hard to get, up from 14.5% in January. According to Guichard, consumers' write-in responses highlighted that tariffs remained a significant concern, with many associating them with fears of rising prices. References to high prices and inflation also increased in July, even as consumers' average 12-month inflation expectations eased slightly to 5.8%, down from 5.9% in June and a peak of 7% in April. Job openings slide in June, as hiring rate hits 7-month low Job openings declined in June while hiring also decreased, according to government data released Tuesday. The report comes as investors closely watch for any signs of slowing in the labor market amid a debate over when the Federal Reserve could start to cut interest rates again. New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 7.44 million jobs open at the end of June, a decrease from the 7.71 million seen the month prior. May's report had the highest number of job openings since November 2024. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that 5.2 million hires were made in June, down from the 5.47 million in May. The hiring rate ticked lower to 3.3% from the 3.4% seen the month prior and stood at its lowest level since November 2024. In one sign that workers remain cautious about labor market conditions, the quits rate — a sign of confidence among workers — hovered at 2%. Both the hiring and quits rates are floating near decade lows, reflecting what economists have described as a labor market in "stasis." Job openings declined in June while hiring also decreased, according to government data released Tuesday. The report comes as investors closely watch for any signs of slowing in the labor market amid a debate over when the Federal Reserve could start to cut interest rates again. New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 7.44 million jobs open at the end of June, a decrease from the 7.71 million seen the month prior. May's report had the highest number of job openings since November 2024. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that 5.2 million hires were made in June, down from the 5.47 million in May. The hiring rate ticked lower to 3.3% from the 3.4% seen the month prior and stood at its lowest level since November 2024. In one sign that workers remain cautious about labor market conditions, the quits rate — a sign of confidence among workers — hovered at 2%. Both the hiring and quits rates are floating near decade lows, reflecting what economists have described as a labor market in "stasis." Royal Caribbean lifts annual profit forecast on steady cruise demand Royal Caribbean's (RCL) stock fell 8% on Tuesday after the cruise line forecast its current-quarter profit below estimates. The company raised its annual forecast and is banking on resilient demand for its luxury destinations. Reuters reports: Read more here. Royal Caribbean's (RCL) stock fell 8% on Tuesday after the cruise line forecast its current-quarter profit below estimates. The company raised its annual forecast and is banking on resilient demand for its luxury destinations. Reuters reports: Read more here. P&G shares slip as it warns of $1 billion tariff hit Procter & Gamble (PG) stock dipped about 1%, reversing a slight pre-market gain, as the company took a cautious approach with its financial outlook while it navigates uncertain consumer sentiment and Trump's tariffs. Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi reports: Read the full story here. Procter & Gamble (PG) stock dipped about 1%, reversing a slight pre-market gain, as the company took a cautious approach with its financial outlook while it navigates uncertain consumer sentiment and Trump's tariffs. Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi reports: Read the full story here. Tech leads stocks higher at the open The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) led US stocks higher at the open on Tuesday morning with a 0.5% gain. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.2% on the heels of notching a sixth all-time closing high in a row on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) opened roughly flat. Investors are digesting a wave of earnings reports and US trade data showing a sharp narrowing in the deficit (as tariffs loom). Meanwhile, they are looking ahead to the JOLTS job openings update for June at 10 a.m. ET. for labor market insight. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) led US stocks higher at the open on Tuesday morning with a 0.5% gain. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.2% on the heels of notching a sixth all-time closing high in a row on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) opened roughly flat. Investors are digesting a wave of earnings reports and US trade data showing a sharp narrowing in the deficit (as tariffs loom). Meanwhile, they are looking ahead to the JOLTS job openings update for June at 10 a.m. ET. for labor market insight. Major drugmakers trade mixed as financial updates come in Among the top drugmakers reporting earnings on Tuesday, AstraZeneca (AZN, AZN.L) rose almost 2%, and Merck fell nearly 4% before the market open. British drugmaker AstraZeneca reported second quarter revenue ahead of expectations Tuesday, with its cancer drugs helping fuel sales for the period. Meanwhile, fellow pharma giant Merck (MRK) reported earnings below Wall Street's projections, according to Bloomberg consensus data, and revenue from its HPV vaccine Gardasil was also less than expected amid continued headwinds in China. Investors are also bracing for patents for Merck's drug Keytruda (which accounted for roughly half of its second quarter revenue) to expire in 2028. Also on Tuesday, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's (NVO) stock plummeted roughly 20%. The firm cut its 2025 revenue and profit outlook, pointing to lower than expected sales growth of its obesity drug Wegovy in the US, ahead of its second quarter earnings results slated for Aug. 6. Among the top drugmakers reporting earnings on Tuesday, AstraZeneca (AZN, AZN.L) rose almost 2%, and Merck fell nearly 4% before the market open. British drugmaker AstraZeneca reported second quarter revenue ahead of expectations Tuesday, with its cancer drugs helping fuel sales for the period. Meanwhile, fellow pharma giant Merck (MRK) reported earnings below Wall Street's projections, according to Bloomberg consensus data, and revenue from its HPV vaccine Gardasil was also less than expected amid continued headwinds in China. Investors are also bracing for patents for Merck's drug Keytruda (which accounted for roughly half of its second quarter revenue) to expire in 2028. Also on Tuesday, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's (NVO) stock plummeted roughly 20%. The firm cut its 2025 revenue and profit outlook, pointing to lower than expected sales growth of its obesity drug Wegovy in the US, ahead of its second quarter earnings results slated for Aug. 6. Trump's DOJ puts companies on notice: Don't evade tariffs The Justice Department is putting American companies on notice that they could be prosecuted if they chose to evade President Trump's tariffs, even as the legality of the president's "Liberation Day" duties remain unsettled in US courts. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. The Justice Department is putting American companies on notice that they could be prosecuted if they chose to evade President Trump's tariffs, even as the legality of the president's "Liberation Day" duties remain unsettled in US courts. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Nvidia leads Mag 7 higher on sign of 'enormous pent-up demand' from China Nvidia (NVDA) led the Big Tech "Magnificent Seven" stocks higher on Tuesday before the market open, climbing 1.4%. The gain came after Reuters reported that the AI chipmaker had ordered 300,000 H20 chips from its contract manufacturer TSMC. "This supports our theory that there is enormous pent-up demand for NVDA chips from China right now," Hedgeye Risk Management analyst Felix Wang wrote in a note to clients. Meanwhile, Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), and Amazon (AMZN) rose fractionally ahead of their quarterly earnings reports later this week. Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), and Tesla (TSLA) traded down less than 1%. Nvidia (NVDA) led the Big Tech "Magnificent Seven" stocks higher on Tuesday before the market open, climbing 1.4%. The gain came after Reuters reported that the AI chipmaker had ordered 300,000 H20 chips from its contract manufacturer TSMC. "This supports our theory that there is enormous pent-up demand for NVDA chips from China right now," Hedgeye Risk Management analyst Felix Wang wrote in a note to clients. Meanwhile, Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), and Amazon (AMZN) rose fractionally ahead of their quarterly earnings reports later this week. Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), and Tesla (TSLA) traded down less than 1%. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Economic data: S&P CoreLogic 20-city home price index (May); Conference Board consumer confidence, July; Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (June); Dallas Fed services activity (July) Earnings: Boeing (BA), Booking Holdings (BKNG), Caesars (CZR), Cheesecake Factory (CAKE), Merck (MRK), PayPal (PYPL), Procter & Gamble (PG), Spotify (SPOT), Starbucks (SBUX), SoFi (SOFI), UnitedHealth Group (UNH), UPS (UPS), Visa (V) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: The market is finally getting what it wants 35 charts explain markets and the economy right now UnitedHealth stock falls after reporting mixed Q2 earnings Sarepta stock soars as FDA reverses course on gene therapy pause Spotify stock slides after Q2 earnings and revenue miss Trump's DOJ puts companies on notice on tariffs US, EU rush to clinch final details and lock in trade deal Apple to Shutter a Retail Store in China for the First Time Ever Stellantis faces $1.7B hit from US tariffs this year Economic data: S&P CoreLogic 20-city home price index (May); Conference Board consumer confidence, July; Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (June); Dallas Fed services activity (July) Earnings: Boeing (BA), Booking Holdings (BKNG), Caesars (CZR), Cheesecake Factory (CAKE), Merck (MRK), PayPal (PYPL), Procter & Gamble (PG), Spotify (SPOT), Starbucks (SBUX), SoFi (SOFI), UnitedHealth Group (UNH), UPS (UPS), Visa (V) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: The market is finally getting what it wants 35 charts explain markets and the economy right now UnitedHealth stock falls after reporting mixed Q2 earnings Sarepta stock soars as FDA reverses course on gene therapy pause Spotify stock slides after Q2 earnings and revenue miss Trump's DOJ puts companies on notice on tariffs US, EU rush to clinch final details and lock in trade deal Apple to Shutter a Retail Store in China for the First Time Ever Stellantis faces $1.7B hit from US tariffs this year Trending tickers: UPS, Whilepool and Royal Caribbean Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: UPS (UPS) stock fell over 2% before the bell on Tuesday after reporting a drop in second-quarter profit and revenue, as demand took a hit from new "de minimis" tariffs on low-value Chinese shipments and mounting risks from President Donald Trump's trade policies. Whirlpool (WHR) stock fell premarket on Tuesday. after the appliance maker slashed its earnings outlook the day prior. Royal Caribbean (RCL) stock rose 4% before the bell after raising its annual profit forecast on Tuesday, banking on resilient demand for the cruise operator's high-end private island destinations and premium sailings. Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: UPS (UPS) stock fell over 2% before the bell on Tuesday after reporting a drop in second-quarter profit and revenue, as demand took a hit from new "de minimis" tariffs on low-value Chinese shipments and mounting risks from President Donald Trump's trade policies. Whirlpool (WHR) stock fell premarket on Tuesday. after the appliance maker slashed its earnings outlook the day prior. Royal Caribbean (RCL) stock rose 4% before the bell after raising its annual profit forecast on Tuesday, banking on resilient demand for the cruise operator's high-end private island destinations and premium sailings. The market is finally getting what it wants Wall Street's busiest week of the summer is turning out to be an inflection point. Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban explains why in today's Morning Brief: Read more here. Wall Street's busiest week of the summer is turning out to be an inflection point. Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban explains why in today's Morning Brief: Read more here. Spotify stock sinks after Q2 earnings miss Spotify (SPOT) shares fell as much as 10% in early premarket trading Tuesday after the company missed second quarter earnings and revenue expectations. The results follow a remarkable 120% rally over the past year, as the stock rebounded from 2022 lows on the back of price hikes, cost cuts, and investor enthusiasm for AI and advertising. Spotify hit a record high of $738.45 earlier this month, but shares slid to around $635 immediately following the results. Spotify reported second quarter revenue of €4.19 billion ($4.86 billion), missing analyst expectations of €4.27 billion, though up from €3.81 billion in the same period last year. The company posted an adjusted loss of €0.42 ($0.49) per share, sharply missing forecasts for a profit of €1.97 and down from earnings of €1.33 in Q2 2024. "Outsized currency movements during the quarter impacted reported revenue by €104 million vs. guidance," the company said in the earnings release. Operating income also fell short of expectations in the quarter, though subscriber metrics for both premium and ad-supported tiers came in ahead of estimates. Gross margins of 31.5% came in as expected. Spotify's massive rally heading into the earnings report was fueled by a sweeping business overhaul, including layoffs, leadership changes, and a pullback from costly podcast exclusivity. After spending $1 billion to build out its podcast business, the company has since scaled back and narrowed its focus. Still, it remains committed to the medium, paying over $100 million to creators in Q1 alone, including high-profile names like Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper. Read more here. Spotify (SPOT) shares fell as much as 10% in early premarket trading Tuesday after the company missed second quarter earnings and revenue expectations. The results follow a remarkable 120% rally over the past year, as the stock rebounded from 2022 lows on the back of price hikes, cost cuts, and investor enthusiasm for AI and advertising. Spotify hit a record high of $738.45 earlier this month, but shares slid to around $635 immediately following the results. Spotify reported second quarter revenue of €4.19 billion ($4.86 billion), missing analyst expectations of €4.27 billion, though up from €3.81 billion in the same period last year. The company posted an adjusted loss of €0.42 ($0.49) per share, sharply missing forecasts for a profit of €1.97 and down from earnings of €1.33 in Q2 2024. "Outsized currency movements during the quarter impacted reported revenue by €104 million vs. guidance," the company said in the earnings release. Operating income also fell short of expectations in the quarter, though subscriber metrics for both premium and ad-supported tiers came in ahead of estimates. Gross margins of 31.5% came in as expected. Spotify's massive rally heading into the earnings report was fueled by a sweeping business overhaul, including layoffs, leadership changes, and a pullback from costly podcast exclusivity. After spending $1 billion to build out its podcast business, the company has since scaled back and narrowed its focus. Still, it remains committed to the medium, paying over $100 million to creators in Q1 alone, including high-profile names like Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper. Read more here. UnitedHealth stock slips after mixed Q2 results Shares of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) fell nearly 3% after its quarterly results before the bell painted a mixed picture. Yahoo Finance's Anjalee Khemlani reports: Read more here. Shares of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) fell nearly 3% after its quarterly results before the bell painted a mixed picture. Yahoo Finance's Anjalee Khemlani reports: Read more here. Sarepta stock rockets higher after FDA greenlight Shares in drugmaker Sarepta (SRPT) rocketed up over 30% in premarket after the embattled company got the FDA's go-ahead to resume shipments of its Elevdis gene therapy. The greenlight comes after Sarepta put a voluntary pause on shipments for some patients while the US regulator reviewed its safety following deaths. The FDA on Monday recommended that the compa lift that halt. Sarepta's stock is poised to build on a 16% gain on Monday, continuing a recent volatile spell triggered by changing fortunes for its best-selling product. AP reports: Read more here. Shares in drugmaker Sarepta (SRPT) rocketed up over 30% in premarket after the embattled company got the FDA's go-ahead to resume shipments of its Elevdis gene therapy. The greenlight comes after Sarepta put a voluntary pause on shipments for some patients while the US regulator reviewed its safety following deaths. The FDA on Monday recommended that the compa lift that halt. Sarepta's stock is poised to build on a 16% gain on Monday, continuing a recent volatile spell triggered by changing fortunes for its best-selling product. AP reports: Read more here. Nvidia orders 300,000 H20 chips from TSMC to satiate Chinese demand Reuters reports: Nvidia placed orders for 300,000 H20 chipsets with contract manufacturer TSMC last week, two sources said, with one of them adding that strong Chinese demand had led the U.S. firm to change its mind about just relying on its existing stockpile. Read more here. Reuters reports: Nvidia placed orders for 300,000 H20 chipsets with contract manufacturer TSMC last week, two sources said, with one of them adding that strong Chinese demand had led the U.S. firm to change its mind about just relying on its existing stockpile. Read more here. Oil maintains gains with tariffs and OPEC+ supply in sight Oil maintained gains following Trump putting pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine with economic sanctions against Putin's government on the table. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Oil maintained gains following Trump putting pressure on Russia over the war in Ukraine with economic sanctions against Putin's government on the table. Bloomberg reports: Read more here.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Microsoft's access to OpenAI tech is the focus of contract talks
Microsoft Corp. is in advanced talks to land a deal that could give it ongoing access to critical OpenAI technology, an agreement that would remove a major obstacle to the startup's efforts to become a for-profit enterprise. The companies have discussed new terms that would let Microsoft use OpenAI's latest models and other technology even if the startup decides it has reached its goal of building a more powerful form of AI known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), according to two people familiar with the negotiations. Under the current contract, OpenAI attaining AGI is seen as a major milestone at which point Microsoft would lose some rights to OpenAI technology. Negotiators have been meeting regularly, and an agreement could come together in a matter of weeks, according to three people with knowledge of the situation, who requested anonymity to discuss a private matter. OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman and Satya Nadella, his Microsoft counterpart, discussed the restructuring at the Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, earlier this month, two of the people said. While the tone of the talks has been positive, some of the people cautioned that the deal isn't finalized and could hit new roadblocks. Moreover, OpenAI's restructuring plans face other complications, including regulatory scrutiny and a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk, an early backer who split with the company and accused the startup of defrauding investors about its commitment to its charitable mission. (OpenAI has pushed back at Musk's claims and said the billionaire is trying to slow down the company.) Negotiations over OpenAI's future as a profit-company have dragged on for months. Microsoft, which backed OpenAI with some $13.75 billion and has the right to use its intellectual property, is the biggest holdout among the ChatGPT maker's investors, Bloomberg previously reported. At issue is the size of Microsoft's stake in the newly configured company. The talks have since broadened into a renegotiation of their relationship, with the software maker seeking to avoid suddenly losing access to the startup's technology before the end of the current deal, which expires in 2030. Microsoft and OpenAI declined to comment. The partnership between the two companies helped inaugurate the AI age. Microsoft built the supercomputer that OpenAI used to develop the language models behind ChatGPT and, in exchange, won the right to bake the technology into its software offerings. The relationship began to fray when the OpenAI board fired (and then rehired) Altman in November 2023, an episode that shook Microsoft's faith in its partner. The rift only widened when the two companies began competing for the same customers — consumers who use their chatbots at home and corporations that have deployed the AI assistants to boost office productivity. Even as executives publicly touted their close ties, OpenAI sought to loosen its dependance on Microsoft, winning permission to build data centers and other AI infrastructure with rival companies. OpenAI is eager to alter its complicated nonprofit structure, in part to secure additional funding to keep building data centers to power its next-generation AI models. SoftBank Group Corp., which has said it would back OpenAI with tens of billions of dollars, has the option to reduce that outlay if OpenAI's restructuring isn't completed by the end of the year. OpenAI wants a larger slice of the revenue currently shared with Microsoft, and has sought adjustments to Microsoft's access to its intellectual property, two of the people said. Microsoft is looking for continued access to OpenAI technology after the current contract expires in 2030. There are range of concerns for OpenAI. The startup wants to ensure its business is well-positioned with whatever share of revenue and equity Microsoft receives in part to guarantee its nonprofit will be well-resourced with a significant stake in OpenAI, one person said. OpenAI also wants the ability to offer customers distinct products built on top of its models even if Microsoft has access to the same technology, the person said. And OpenAI wants to be able to find a way to provide its services to more customers, including government providers, not all of which are on Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform, the person said. At the same time, OpenAI seeks to guarantee that Microsoft adheres to strict safety standards when deploying OpenAI's technology, especially as it gets closer to AGI, the person said. Reaching agreement on what happens once OpenAI achieves artificial general intelligence has been particularly thorny. It's not clear why the language is in the contract, but it gives OpenAI a built-in way to strike out on its own just as its technology matures. The startup publicly defines AGI as 'highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically valuable work.' The existing contract has separate clauses related to that threshold, which can be triggered by technical or business milestones, according to two people familiar with the matter. OpenAI's board has the right to determine when the company has reached AGI on a technical level. Under that scenario, Microsoft would lose access to technology developed beyond that point, one of the people said. The business milestone would arrive once OpenAI has demonstrated it can reach around $100 billion in total profits for investors including Microsoft — giving it the wherewithal to repay the return Microsoft is entitled to under the existing contract, one person said. In that scenario, Microsoft would lose its rights to OpenAI technology, including products developed before that trigger, another person said. Microsoft has the right to weigh in on the business milestone, but if the two companies end up at odds over the claim, they could wind up in court, two people said. Another provision in the current contract bars Microsoft from pursuing AGI technology itself, some of the people said. Microsoft, for its part, has demonstrated some flexibility in revised contract terms. The company agreed to waive some intellectual property rights related to OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of io, the startup co-founded by iPhone designer Jony Ive, two of the people said. The software giant was less accomodating over OpenAI's proposed acquisition of AI coding startup Windsurf, the people said. That deal fell apart earlier this month, in part because of the tension with Microsoft, Bloomberg reported. Windsurf, which sells coding tools that compete with Microsoft's products, didn't want the tech giant to have access to its intellectual property — a condition that OpenAI was unsuccessful in getting Microsoft's agreement on, people familiar said. Ultimately, Windsurf's co-founders and a small group of staffers agreed to join Alphabet Inc.'s Google in a $2.4 billion deal. In recent weeks, the companies have been negotiating Microsoft's ownership in a restructured OpenAI — with the two sides discussing an equity stake for Microsoft in the low- to mid-30% range, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Financial Times previously reported on the stake talks. But if Microsoft deems the stake and other changes to the contract insufficient, the company is willing to abandon the talks and stick with the current contract terms, another person said. Day , Ghaffary, Bass and Ford write for Bloomberg.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Trump confirms possible China trip, but insists ‘not seeking' Xi summit
President Trump has revealed that he may jet over to China in the near future, but rebuffed suggestions that he is seeking a summit with Beijing counterpart Xi Jinping amid intense trade negotiations between the two economic superpowers. 'The Fake News is reporting that I am SEEKING a 'Summit' with President Xi of China. This is not correct, I am not SEEKING anything!' Trump wrote on Truth Social late Monday from Scotland, where he wrapped up a five-day visit Tuesday. 'I may go to China, but it would only be at the invitation of President Xi, which has been extended. Otherwise, no interest! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' Staffers for Trump and Xi have held discussions about setting up a meeting between the two leaders, potentially on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in South Korea, which takes place Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Reuters reported last week. It is unclear whether any discussions of Trump traveling to China directly have been broached. 3 President Trump confirmed ongoing talks with China about him meeting with leader Xi Jinping. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images 3 President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping's last in-person meeting took place in 2019. XinhuaTrump and Xi last met face-to-face in June 2019 on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan. The US and China have until Aug. 12 to reach a full-fledged trade agreement following a months-long truce that has seen duties temporarily come down from up to 145% on Chinese exports to the US and 125% on American goods. Negotiators from Washington and Beijing are holding a third round of talks this week in Stockholm. 'We have a good relationship with China,' Trump told reporters Monday at his Turnberry club on the west coast of Scotland. 'China's tough.' In 2024, China was the third-largest US trading partner among individual nations — behind only Mexico and Canada — with trade between the two nations amounting to $582.4 billion. Further complicating negotiations is Trump's looming threat to impose secondary tariffs of 100% against countries that trade with Moscow until the Kremlin ends its invasion of Ukraine and agrees a peace deal. China and India, in particular, have continued to purchase energy from Russia throughout the 41-month-old war on Ukraine. China has also been accused of providing Moscow's arms industry with critical supplies. 3 The Trump administration is currently involved in trade negotiations with China. Getty Images Beyond trade tensions, US officials have repeatedly warned about Chinese cyber attacks, such as the Salt Typhoon operation that breached American telecommunications systems. On Monday, the Financial Times reported that the Trump administration blocked Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te from stopping in New York City during a planned diplomatic visit to Central America later this year. China has long claimed sovereignty over the island state of Taiwan, which has its own currency, military and government. The US adheres to the One China Policy on paper, which acknowledges Beijing's claim, but takes no position on it.
