Dow Tumbles 450 Points As Walmart Shares Plunge: Investor Sentiment Declines, Fear & Greed Index In 'Neutral' Zone

Market Sentiment - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in overall market sentiment, remaining in the "Neutral" zone with a current reading of 45.1, down from 46.7 [5] - U.S. stocks settled lower, with the Dow Jones index falling around 450 points during the session, closing at 44,176.65 [4] Company Performance - Walmart Inc. (WMT) shares fell approximately 6.5% following the release of quarterly results, with first-quarter FY26 sales growth projected at 3% – 4% in constant currency (CC) and adjusted EPS of $0.57 –$0.58, below the estimate of $0.64 [2] - For FY26, Walmart expects sales growth of 3$2.50 – $2.60, which is below the$2.76 estimate [2] Economic Data - Initial jobless claims increased by 5,000 to 219,000 for the week ending February 15, compared to estimates of 215,000 [3] - The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index fell to 18.1 in February from 44.3 in the previous month [3] Sector Performance - Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed negatively, with financial, consumer discretionary, and consumer staples stocks recording losses [3] - Energy and real estate stocks closed higher, bucking the overall market trend [3]