Market Opens Lower Amid Fed Independence Concerns; Walmart Rises on NASDAQ-100 Inclusion

Key TakeawaysUS equity markets opened lower on Monday, January 12, 2026, with the Dow Jones down 0.62%, the S&P 500 falling 0.43%, and the Nasdaq dropping 0.39%, as investor sentiment was weighed down by concerns over Federal Reserve independence.Fears regarding the prosecution of Fed Chair Powell by the Justice Department, which Powell claims is a pretext to influence monetary policy, led to a rise in long-term Treasury yields and a weaker dollar, with analysts suggesting a potential boost to hawkish monet ...