Stocks hit a bit of a wall today. After a Monday that felt like one long victory lap—with the S&P 500 and the Dow both hitting fresh all-time records—Tuesday brought everyone back to reality. It wasn’t a crash. Not even close. But it was definitely a "take a breath" kind of day.
Basically, the today's stock market results chart shows a classic case of the market digesting a massive meal of data. We had the December Consumer Price Index (CPI) drop this morning, which is basically the government’s way of telling us how much more expensive life got last month. Then, the big banks started reporting their earnings, which is always the unofficial kickoff to "confession season" on Wall Street.
The Numbers That Mattered
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was the clear loser of the bunch, shedding about 400 points, or 0.8%. When you see the Dow drop like that while other indexes barely budge, it usually means a few big-name stocks had a rough afternoon. The S&P 500 followed suit but much more quietly, dipping just 0.2%. Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq was nearly flat, down a tiny 0.1%.
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Honestly, the real story wasn't just the red numbers; it was why they were red.
Why the S&P 500 and Dow Pulled Back
You’ve probably heard people talking about "sticky" inflation. Well, the CPI data today was the definition of it. The headline inflation number came in at 2.7% year-over-year. That’s exactly what economists expected, which you’d think would be good news. But in the stock market, "meeting expectations" sometimes feels like a participation trophy.
Investors were really looking for a reason to keep the record-breaking rally going, and a "just okay" inflation report didn't provide enough fuel.
Then you had the JPMorgan situation. As the biggest bank in the country, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) usually sets the tone. Even though they beat profit expectations, their revenue was a bit light, and the stock tumbled more than 4%. When the "gold standard" of banking takes a hit, it drags the whole Dow down with it.
The AI Trade Is Still the Only Game in Town
If you look at the Nasdaq, you’ll see it held up way better than the rest. Why? Because the world is still obsessed with chips.
Intel (INTC) and AMD were the absolute stars today. Intel jumped over 7% after KeyBanc analysts basically told everyone that the company has already sold out of its server CPU capacity for the entire year. Let that sink in. It’s only mid-January, and they’re already "out of stock" for 2026.
AMD wasn't far behind, gaining 6.4%. It’s pretty clear that while the rest of the economy is worrying about interest rate caps and inflation, the companies building the guts of the AI revolution are playing by a different set of rules.
Sectors That Got Bruised
It wasn't just banks feeling the heat.
- Airlines: Delta Air Lines (DAL) dropped 2.5% because their outlook for the rest of the year looked a little thin.
- Credit Cards: Visa and Mastercard got hammered, dropping 4.5% and 3.8% respectively. This is a direct reaction to President Trump’s recent suggestion to cap credit card interest rates at 10%.
- Software: Salesforce (CRM) was actually the worst performer in the Dow, falling 7%. Apparently, an update to their Slackbot feature didn't go over well with investors.
What the Bond Market Is Telling Us
While we’re all looking at the today's stock market results chart, the "smart money" is usually looking at the 10-year Treasury yield. It stayed pretty steady at 4.18%. This tells us that despite the slightly "meh" inflation data, bond traders aren't panicking. They still think the Federal Reserve might throw us a bone with some rate cuts later this year.
Gold also took a breather, pulling back slightly from its record highs to around $4,590 an ounce. People usually buy gold when they’re scared, so a small drop might actually be a sign that the market isn't as nervous as the Dow's 400-point drop suggests.
What Really Happened with Biotech?
You can't talk about today without mentioning Moderna (MRNA). They were the single best performer in the S&P 500, skyrocketing 17%. They got some great news regarding a hybrid vaccine for both Covid and the flu. It’s a reminder that even when the broad market is moving sideways or down, specific companies with massive "wins" can still defy gravity.
What Most People Get Wrong About Today
A lot of people see a 400-point drop in the Dow and think the sky is falling. You've got to remember where we started. We are coming off a massive run. A 0.2% drop in the S&P 500 is barely a rounding error in the grand scheme of things.
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The market is currently in a "show me" phase. Investors have bid prices up to record levels based on the hope of high earnings and low inflation. Now, companies actually have to deliver those profits. If JPMorgan—the king of banks—struggles to impress, it makes people wonder if other giants might stumble too.
Actionable Steps for Your Portfolio
So, what do you actually do with this information?
- Watch the PPI tomorrow: We got consumer inflation today, but tomorrow we get the Producer Price Index. This shows what businesses are paying. If that’s high, it eventually gets passed to us.
- Rebalance, don't react: If your tech stocks (like Intel) have surged while your banks (like JPM) have dipped, your portfolio might be lopsided. Don't panic sell, but maybe look at taking some profits from the winners to shore up your cash reserves.
- Pay attention to the 10% cap talk: If the talk about credit card interest rate caps gains steam, the financial sector could be in for a bumpy ride for more than just a few days.
- Keep an eye on the rest of the banks: Citigroup and Bank of America report tomorrow. If they look better than JPMorgan, today’s dip might be forgotten by lunch.
Today's stock market results chart is really just a snapshot of a market that's trying to find its footing after a very long climb. It’s not a signal to run for the hills, but it’s definitely a reminder that even in a bull market, not every day can be a record-breaker. Keep your eyes on the earnings reports coming out later this week; they’ll tell us if this is a temporary pause or the start of a deeper correction.