Stocks Fall Ahead of Earnings as Bitcoin Sinks to Post-Election Low

Market Overview - Stocks opened higher but experienced a significant plunge, ultimately closing down with the S&P 500 down about 0.9% and the Nasdaq down about 1.4% [6][7] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average also closed down about 0.4% while the Russell 2000 managed to close positive, up 0.3% [7] Sector Performance - The information technology sector was the biggest underperformer, down more than 2%, despite strong performance from companies like Palantir [8] - The energy sector saw a rise of more than 3% due to an increase in crude prices [9] Company Highlights - Palantir was a notable gainer, finishing the day up about 6.8% after a revenue forecast for fiscal 2026 that exceeded Wall Street expectations, projecting a 61% annual revenue increase [10] - Amgen reported a fourth-quarter adjusted EPS of $5.29, beating estimates of $4.71, indicating strong performance from its top drugs [12] - Walmart's stock closed up about 3%, marking a 14% increase year-to-date, attributed to its digital transformation and technology integration [14][15] Homebuilders - Homebuilders' stocks rose nearly 6% in the session, with the homebuilding index up about 2.5%, as they seek to develop affordable housing solutions [16] Notable Decliners - PayPal shares fell more than 20% following the announcement of a new CEO after a failed turnaround plan [17] - Novo Nordisk shares dropped over 14% after the company projected a sales decline of 5% to 13%, exceeding analyst expectations of a 1.4% decline [19] Earnings Reports - Silicon Labs stock surged about 39% in aftermarket trading due to reports of advanced talks with Texas Instruments [21] - Chubb's fourth-quarter net premiums came in at $13.13 billion, slightly above street estimates, while its combined ratio was 81.2%, below the expected 84% [27][28]