U.S. stocks fell Tuesday to kick off a historically difficult month for markets, as AI darling Nvidia (NVDA) and chip stocks dragged technology stocks lower. Meanwhile, attention turned to a week of data on the economy and the labor market highlighted by a crucial monthly employment report.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 1%, or more than 400 points. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell 1.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIQUE) fell by 2.4%.
Stocks are pulling back from near-peak highs as Wall Street retreats after a turbulent August, with the prospect of a potentially stormy September ahead. Investors are weighing the risk of statistical shocks or surprises in the presidential race in a month that generally terrible for traders.
Early trading on Tuesday didn’t exactly offer a rosy outlook. Nvidia (NVDA) fell more than 7% on Tuesday as investors continued to pull back after a disappointing earnings report and lingering questions about the future of the AI sector. Other chip stocks fell at the same time, including Broadcom (AVGO), Qualcomm (QCOM) and Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing company (TSM) all down more than 5%.
The August jobs report, due out Friday, is also likely to be in focus. It could influence how much the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates at its meeting later this month. With inflation falling, policymakers are on alert for the labor market to recover.
For investors, the focus is on whether Signs of slowdown in July jobs report The Fed’s forecasts were either overblown or an early warning of a broader slowdown. Any sign of stress should put pressure on the Fed to cut rates more. On Tuesday, traders were pricing in a 31% chance of a 50 basis point cut instead of a 25 basis point cut. according to the CME FedWatch tool.
The U.S. manufacturing activity index edged up last month, according to the latest figures from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). But the indicator reflects a slowdown in industrial activity, with the reading below the threshold suggesting a contraction in manufacturing.
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