Benzingaยท2025-08-15 17:46Market Overview - Major tech-heavy indices experienced declines, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 down 0.3% and 0.6% respectively, influenced by cautious investor sentiment ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting and a dip in consumer confidence [1] - The Dow Jones outperformed, rising 0.2% to surpass the 45,000-point mark, driven by a rally in pharmaceutical stocks [2] Company Performance - Intel Corp. (INTC) saw a significant increase of 7% as reports emerged that the U.S. administration is considering taking a stake in the company to enhance domestic chip manufacturing, marking a 26% rise for the week, the largest weekly gain since January 1975 [2] - UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) was the standout performer, surging 14% after Berkshire Hathaway disclosed its purchase of shares, recovering from a previous decline of over 40% year-to-date [3][10] - The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) outperformed the market, increasing by 1.88%, with notable gains in pharmaceutical stocks such as Centene Corp. (CNC) up 6.2%, Moderna Inc. (MRNA) up 6.63%, and Molina Healthcare Inc. (MOH) up 4.88% [10] Economic Indicators - Retail sales for July increased by 0.5% month-over-month, aligning with forecasts, but consumer sentiment dropped to 58.6 in August from 61.7 in July, missing expectations [4] - Inflation expectations rose, with the one-year outlook increasing to 4.9% from 4.5% and the five-year measure rising to 3.9% from 3.4% [4]