Wall Street closes lower, pausing record-setting rally as earnings approach
The Economic Times·2025-10-10 01:46

Market Overview - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq retreated from record highs, while the Dow experienced the largest percentage decline [1][8] - The current bull market is nearing its third anniversary, with the S&P 500 having risen nearly 90% since its low on October 12, 2022 [1][8] - Concerns about a potential market bubble are emerging, particularly driven by the rise of artificial intelligence technology [1] Economic Data and Earnings Season - The U.S. government shutdown has lasted nine days, resulting in a lack of essential economic data for market participants [2][8] - The third-quarter earnings season is approaching, with analysts predicting an 8.8% year-on-year growth for the S&P 500, down from 13.8% in the previous quarter [6][8] - Major banks including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo are set to report quarterly results next week [8] Sector Performance - Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, materials saw the largest decline, while consumer staples were the only sector to gain [5][8] - Housing and homebuilding sectors underperformed, both dropping over 2% due to margin and demand concerns [5][8] Stock Movements - Delta Air Lines reported stronger-than-expected earnings, leading to a 4.3% increase in its shares, while the S&P 1500 Airlines index rose by 1.9% [8] - Costco Wholesale shares increased by 3.1% following positive September sales data [8] - Albemarle's shares rose by 5.3% after a price target increase from TD Cowen and due to China's tightening of export controls on rare earths [9] Market Sentiment - Financial markets are pricing in a 94.6% likelihood of a 25 basis-point interest rate cut by the Fed at the end of October [4][8] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 243.36 points (0.52%), the S&P 500 lost 18.61 points (0.28%), and the Nasdaq Composite decreased by 18.75 points (0.08%) [4][8]