S&P 500, Nasdaq Slip After Hitting Fresh Record Highs; Two-Day Fed Meeting Begins; August Retail Sales Rise More Than Expected

S&P 500 Up by Similar Percentage After 164 Sessions During Trump 2.0 as During First Administration

21 minutes ago

Bespoke Investment Group noted a statistical oddity about the S&P 500 through Monday’s close: It was up by almost the exact same percentage 164 sessions into President Donald Trump’s second administration as it was after the same duration in his first.

Through Monday, the S&P 500 had advanced 10.32% in Trump’s second term, while it had risen 10.37% through 164 sessions in his first, back in 2017.

However, while the S&P 500 declined 17% at its low this time around, it never turned negative during the first 164 trading days of Trump’s first administration.

Novo Nordisk Stock Rises on Trial Results for Cagrilintide Obesity Treatment

58 minutes ago

U.S.-listed shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) gained after the drugmaker reported positive results from a late-stage study of a weight-loss drug that works differently than traditional GLP-1 inhibitors.

The company said the Phase 3 trial of cagrilintide found patients taking it over 68 weeks had an average weight loss of 12.5 kilograms (27.6 pounds), or 11.8% body weight reduction, compared to 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) or 2.3% body weight reduction with placebo.

Cagrilintide is being studied as a weekly subcutaneous injectable treatment for adults who are overweight or obese and not diabetic. Novo Nordisk has been looking at alternative weight-loss treatments as its current drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, have been losing market share to rivals’ alternatives. 

The data provided was a sub-analysis of cagrilintide, and Novo Nordisk explained that because of the outcome, it would be moving the medicine into a dedicated Phase 3 clinical program later this year. 

Despite today’s 2% gain in morning trading, U.S.-listed shares of Novo Nordisk remain down more than 30% year-to-date.

–Bill McColl

Jobs Are Weak And Prices Are High, But Consumers Kept Spending in August

1 hr 15 min ago

U.S. retail sales were up 0.6% in the Census Bureau’s report, while economists expected sales to slow in August.

The report also showed that sales in July were better than first reported.

The positive sales report follows negative news out of the labor market, where job growth has slowed and unemployment has ticked higher. The results come as economists are watching for impacts from President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, especially as inflation has remained persistently high. 

“It’s a weird macro environment right now,” wrote Bret Kenwell, an eToro U.S. investment analyst. “Inflation continues to edge higher, while labor market measures — like payrolls, unemployment, layoffs, and job openings — are moving in the wrong direction. Despite all this, consumers remain resilient and continue to spend.”

The data showed that some items subject to tariffs were still selling, including motor vehicles, electronics, appliances, clothing and sporting goods. Online sellers like Amazon recorded a big monthly gain of 2%.

“The spending was rather broad-based as consumers even spent generously on discretionary goods such as those related to hobbies and recreation and restaurants and bars,” wrote Nationwide Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic.

–Terry Lane

Dave & Buster’s Stock Dives After Q2 Results

1 hr 39 min ago

Shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) plunged in morning trading when the game-themed restaurant posted worse-than-expected results as comparable store sales declined and it warned that inflation and tariffs might hurt future demand.

The operator of Dave & Buster’s and Main Event locations reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $0.40, less than half of what analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for. Revenue was basically flat at $557.4 million, also short of estimates. Comparable store sales fell 3.0% compared to a year earlier. 

The company noted that big jumps in inflation, “whether due to imposed tariffs or standard economic conditions, could affect the United States or global economies and have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operation.” It added that if its other expenses rise at the same time, “we may not be able to adjust prices to sufficiently offset the effect of the various cost increases without negatively impacting consumer demand.”

CEO Tarun Lal, who took over in July, said that his “immediate focus is clear: reinforce our guest-first culture, deliver memorable experiences, and drive meaningful growth in sales, cash flow and shareholder value.”

Shares were down more than 15% soon after the opening bell. Prior to today’s session, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment shares had lost about 18% this year.

–Bill McColl

Steel Dynamics Stock Pops on Improving Profit Outlook

1 hr 57 min ago

Steel Dynamics (STLD) was the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 after the company issued improving profit guidance for its fiscal third quarter.

The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based firm anticipates current-quarter earnings per share of $2.60 to $2.64, up from $2.01 per share in the second quarter and $2.05 in Q3 2024. Analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha are calling for $2.60 per share.

Steel Dynamics is slated to release Q3 results after the market closes Oct. 20.

Webtoon Stock Jumps 30% on Disney Investment, Collaboration

2 hr 32 min ago

Shares of Webtoon Entertainment (WBTN) soared 30% in premarket trading as the digital comic platform said that Walt Disney (DIS) would be taking a stake in the firm as they collaborate in creating a new outlet for Disney’s comic franchises.

Webtoon said the companies have agreed on a “non-binding term sheet for the development of an all-new digital comics platform that will feature current comic book runs and include decades of past comics from across Disney’s portfolio including Marvel, ‘Star Wars,’ 20th Century Studios and more.” The comics “will be available in a single digital comics service with one convenient subscription, adding more stories than ever before in one location,” Webtoon said.

As part of the deal, Disney will acquire a 2% equity interest in Webtoon. Both the Disney investment and collaboration agreement are still to be finalized.

Webtoon Founder and CEO Junkoo Kim called the partnership “a powerful next step for our growing global business, and a strong foundation for even greater collaboration with Disney in the years ahead.” 

Webtoon Entertainment shares spent most of 2025 in negative territory before spiking last month after announcing another collaboration with Disney.

 Shares of Walt Disney are also higher year-to-date.

–Bill McColl

Rocket Lab Shares Fall on Stock Sale Plan

2 hr 44 min ago

Shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) fell 4% about 30 minutes before the opening bell after it said in a regulatory filing late Monday that it plans to sell up to $750 million worth of stock.

The Long Beach, Calif.-based firm said it terminated its sales agreement of March 11 to sell up to $500 million worth of shares.

Rocket Lab shares entered Tuesday having more than doubled this year.

Oracle Stock Surges as Tech Giant Seen Involved in US-China TikTok Deal

3 hr 34 min ago

Oracle (ORCL) shares are surging in premarket trading Tuesday on a report that the software firm is among a consortium of companies that would let Chinese-owned TikTok to continue operating in the U.S.—if a “framework deal” between Beijing and Washington is finalized.

According to CBS, which cited sources with knowledge of the negotiations, the final deal over TikTok will include multiple companies. It wasn’t immediately clear who will control TikTok’s recommendation algorithm or what role parent company ByteDance will play, the report said.

Oracle shares, which entered Tuesday up 80%, are rising 5% in premarket trading. TikTok parent ByteDance has until Wednesday to agree to sell the social media platform to a U.S.-based owner or be banned in the country, unless President Donald Trump extends the deadline. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has close ties to Trump and his software firm has frequently been reported as a potential bidder for the social media app.

The CBS report comes a day after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. has reached a “framework for a TikTok deal” following two days of trade talks between Beijing and Washington in Madrid. Trump also suggested a deal had been reached on Monday.

Oracle shares soared earlier this month after it reported a substantial backlog that suggested the AI spending boom has legs. The surge lifted Ellison’s net worth above that of Elon Musk, according to Bloomberg, for a while making the 81-year-old database pioneer the richest person in the world.

–Nisha Gopalan

US Stock Futures Edge Mostly Higher as Fed Meeting Begins

4 hr 5 min ago

Futures contracts connected to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were little changed early Tuesday.

S&P 500 futures advanced 0.2%.

Nasdaq 100 contracts were up 0.3%.