Xin Hua Cai Jing·2026-02-06 06:17Market Overview - The New York stock market experienced a decline on February 5, with all three major indices closing lower due to weak employment data and continued tech stock sell-offs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 592.58 points to 48,908.72, a decrease of 1.20%. The S&P 500 dropped by 84.32 points to 6,798.4, down 1.23%. The Nasdaq Composite decreased by 363.993 points to 22,540.586, a decline of 1.59% [1]. Employment Data - Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that U.S. employers laid off 108,100 workers in January, significantly higher than the previous month's 35,500, marking the highest level since October 2025 and the highest January layoffs since 2009 [1][2]. - The U.S. Department of Labor's JOLTS report indicated that job openings in December 2025 were 6.542 million, below the consensus estimate of 7.245 million, and the previous month's figure was revised down from 7.15 million to 6.928 million [2]. - Initial jobless claims for the previous week were reported at 231,000, exceeding the consensus estimate of 212,000 and the prior week's 209,000 [2]. Company Performance - Alphabet Inc. reported quarterly earnings that exceeded market expectations but projected capital expenditures for 2026 to be between $175 billion and $185 billion, which is more than double the 2025 figure. The market reacted negatively, leading to a 0.6% decline in its stock price on February 5 [3]. - Qualcomm also reported quarterly earnings above market expectations; however, its guidance for the current quarter fell short of market predictions, resulting in a significant stock price drop of 8.46% to $136.3 per share [3].