Markets

US stocks tick higher on positive feedback from trade talks

Stocks cruised higher for the second day in a row as Wall Street looked ahead to the outcome of US-China trade talks. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said discussions were “going really, really well” after another day of negotiations. The S&P 500 rose about 0.5%, closing less than 2% away from its record high, while the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.7%. Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 was up 0.6%.

Energy led sector gains, closing up 1.7%, while industrials was the only sector that finished in the red. J.M. Smucker shares led S&P 500 decliners, slipping over 15% after the Uncrustables maker posted quarterly sales that came in below Wall Street’s estimates. Elsewhere…

Tesla traded up more than 5% on recent company tweets that suggest its long-awaited robotaxi launch is imminent — and on time.

Midwestern gas and convenience chain Casey’s General Stores soared 11% following a strong earnings report posted Monday after the bell, as food continues to drive profits.

Warner Bros. Discovery jumped 5% as investors digested Monday’s announcement that the company will split into two separate publicly traded entities.

Oil names including Schlumberger, ConocoPhillips, and Halliburton all climbed over 3.5% as trade talk momentum lifted hopes for stronger global energy demand.

Paramount shares ticked up over 1% after the legacy media company said it would cut 3% of its workforce as it grapples with shifting audience habits and pressure to cut costs.

Flutter Entertainment shares rose nearly 2% after the FanDuel parent announced a new $0.50 surcharge on bets placed in Illinois to offset the state’s new tax hike. Rival DraftKings popped nearly 4%.

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SpaceX gets a wave of bullish ratings from Wall Street analysts

SpaceX received more than a dozen positive analyst calls on Tuesday — including from major Wall Street banks — as they initiate coverage on Elon Musk’s space and AI company.

SpaceX went public on June 12 at a $2.2 trillion valuation, the largest debut in history. While the company hasn’t yet posted a profit, it seems to have convinced Wall Street that it will get there and grow its valuation on the way.

Of the at least 17 analysts that gave a rating on Tuesday, all but one gave it a “buy” or “outperform” rating. MoffettNathanson was "neutral."

The ratings come as SpaceX joined the Nasdaq 100 index, a benchmark tech-heavy basket of companies that underpins millions of portfolios. The inclusion adds built-in demand for the stock from index funds and ETFs.

Still, SpaceX fell more than 5% on Tuesday amid a broader sell-off, and is currently effectively flat from its opening price of $150 a share.

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Nike sinks to lowest level since 2014 after warning of “challenged” sales environment in Q4 report

Did Nike do it?

Investors had a mixed reaction after the global sports apparel company reported its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell. Shares initially rose 5% as Nike beat out Wall Street expectations amid a hefty tariff refund bonus. However, the stock then sank to its lowest level since August 2014 in postmarket trading.

Here are the Q4 numbers:

  • Revenue of $11.0 billion (estimate: $10.8 billion).

  • Adjusted earnings per share of $0.20 (estimate: $0.12).

Ahead of this report, Nike warned that results would be flattered by a one-time tariff refund (now estimated at roughly $0.52 per share for the bottom line). That gave the company an extra cushion in snapping its streak of seven quarters of year-over-year profit declines.

Over the past year, the company had been punished by tariffs on imported goods, stagnant consumer spending, and increasing competition from other footwear brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Hoka.

Outgoing CFO Matthew Friend deemed it an “increasingly challenging operating environment, where sell-through remains challenged.”

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