US Stocks Pause Advance as Earnings Season Looms
US stocks experienced a mixed session Tuesday, halting a recent climb as investors cautiously eyed the approaching earnings season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.03%, while the S&P 500 dipped 0.22% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.57%. A notable exception was Salesforce, which rose 3.1% following its september sales report.
The market’s hesitancy reflects a broader anticipation of corporate earnings reports, which will offer a crucial assessment of the economy’s health and company performance. This earnings season is especially significant given ongoing concerns about inflation, interest rates, and potential economic slowdown. Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on both major exchanges, with a 2.91-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and 1.75-to-1 on the Nasdaq, signaling increased investor apprehension.
Trading volume reached 20.44 billion shares across US exchanges, exceeding the 20-day average of 19.75 billion shares, indicating heightened activity amid the uncertainty.
