US stocks were mixed on Tuesday as investors assessed China’s instant retaliation to US President Donald Trump’s additional tariffs amid worries about the risk of a trade war.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) edged down roughly 0.1%, while the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) opened just around the flatline. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) rose about 0.2% on the heels of a losing day for stocks.
Beijing reacted swiftly on Tuesday to Trump’s additional 10% levies on Chinese imports going into effect at midnight. China slapped tariffs of 15% on US coal and liquified natural gas, starting Feb. 10, alongside 10% duties on imports of crude oil, farm equipment, and some autos.
The tit-for-tat measures raise the risk of an escalation into trade war that would damage both of the world’s top two economies. But some on Wall Street see the Chinese response as showing restraint that opens the door to compromise, as seen in the US tariff postponement deals with Mexico and Canada.
Giving more cause for optimism, Trump brought forward talks with China’s President Xi Jinping. He said on Monday they would take place “probably over the next 24 hours,” rather than later in the week.
The US dollar index (DX-Y.NYB) fell slightly, down 0.6% as worries eased somewhat.
Meanwhile, China opened an antitrust investigation into Alphabet’s (GOOG, GOOGL) Google and added Calvin Klein owner PVH (PVH) and biotech company Illumina (ILMN) to its “unreliable entities list.”
Alphabet shares were up over 1% in early trading, as investors wait for the tech megacap’s fourth quarter results due after the bell. The focus is on insights into the tech giant’s efforts to turn its massive AI investments into new revenue streams and its response to Chinese startup DeepSeek’s cheaper AI models.
A big week of earnings reports is underway, with reports from Spotify (SPOT), PayPal (PYPL), AMD (AMD), and Chipotle (CMG) also highlights on Tuesday’s docket. Less than halfway through the season, the S&P 500’s earnings growth is on track to outpace last year’s fourth quarter.
Palantir (PLTR) brought some upbeat news to Wall Street after the bell on Monday, as the intelligence software company’s first quarter and annual revenue forecasts both exceeded expectations. Palantir shares rocketed up 18%.
On the data front, a reading on job openings in December is due later, laying the groundwork for Friday’s crucial monthly jobs report.
LIVE 10 updates
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Job openings fall more than expected in December
Job openings declined more than expected in December as investors continue to watch closely for any signs of cooling in the labor market.
New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Tuesday showed there were 7.6 million jobs open at the end of December, a decrease from from the 8.15 million seen in November.
The November figure was revised higher from the 8.01 million open jobs initially reported. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected Tuesday’s report to show eight million openings in November.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) also showed 5.46 million hires were made during the month, down from the 5.37 million made during November. The hiring rate was flat at 3.4% for the third-straight month. Also in Tuesday’s report, the quits rate, a sign of confidence among workers, was 2% in December, unchanged from the month prior.
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Stocks open mixed
US stocks opened mixed on Tuesday as investors continued to assess back-and-forth tariff developments, with China responding to President Trump’s 10% tariffs with its own duties on US goods.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) edged down roughly 0.1%, while the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) opened just around the flatline. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) rose about 0.2% on the heels of a losing day for stocks.
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Google shares shrug off China move ahead of earnings
Google is facing a new antitrust probe in China, as Beijing responds to Trump’s “first salvo” of tariffs with a warning shot showing where it thinks it can hit the US hard.
But shares in Google owner Alphabet’s (GOOG, GOOGL) inched higher in pre-market, rising almost 1%, even as Big Tech eyes a potential hit from Trump’s tariffs itself.
Investors may well be holding fire for the megacap tech’s fourth quarter results, due after the bell, to get a steer on whether its massive AI spending is about to pay off. China has already brought one challenge to Alphabet, in the shape of Chinese start-up DeepSeek’s cheaper AI models.
At the same time, some on Wall Street see the Google parent as more insulated than its peers from tariff risk, given its cloud and ad strength stand to offset AI stumbles. Though there is a chance that the market is underpricing tariff risk — or is just baffled as to what Trump will do next, as Yahoo Finance’s Josh Schafer reports.
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Spotify stock jumps after company turns first full year of profit
Shares of Spotify (SPOT) climbed over 9% before the bell on the heels of upbeat quarterly results. The stock has already surged roughly 150% over the past year, as of Monday’s close.
Yahoo Finance’s Alexandra Canal reports:
Spotify Technology posted fiscal fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday that beat revenue expectations, as it reported its first full-year profit.
The audio giant also posted another strong quarter of subscriber gains, as levels of churn remain low despite recent price increases.
The results follow an intense business overhaul, which has included everything from mass layoffs and C-suite shakeups to a major strategic shift away from podcasts — an area it had aggressively pursued. Those efforts allowed the stock to stage a comeback from the record lows it faced in 2022.
Read more here.
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Europe stocks mark time with eyes on Trump
Europe’s stock markets trod water on Tuesday, as investors eyed the US-China exchange of tariff fire for clues to what duties Trump might hit the EU with.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 (^STOXX) wavered below the flat line as a series of corporate earnings shifted the mood. Germany’s DAX (^GDAXI) retraced deeper morning losses to trade little changed, while the CAC 40 (^FCHI) in Paris was more upbeat, with a 0.3% gain. The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) in London trended lower.
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Not feeling these PepsiCo numbers
Overall, I’m not liking these earnings from PepsiCo.
The food giant’s 2025 sales and EPS guidance were relatively in line with consensus. The Street may have some concern about the company hitting those targets, judging by how the fourth quarter played out. Pressure was on the top and bottom lines in the company’s two most important segments: Frito Lay and North America beverages.
PepsiCo continues to see heightened competition in its categories and low-income consumers spending cautiously, given years of price increases.
Its shares are off by 2.5% in the pre-market.
I am talking to PepsiCo (PEP) chair and CEO Ramon Laguarta ahead of his earnings call today at around 7:45 a.m. ET, so I will jump back in here with more insights.
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Good morning. Here’s what’s happening today.
Economic data: Job openings (December); factory orders (December); durable and capital goods orders (December final)
Earnings: Alphabet (GOOGL,GOOG), AMD (AMD), Amgen (AMGN), Apollo (APO), Chipotle (CMG), Electronic Arts (EA), Enphase (ENPH), Estée Lauder (EL), Ferrari (RACE), Juniper Networks (JNPR), Merck (MRK), PayPal (PYPL), PepsiCo (PEP), Pfizer (PFE), Snap (SNAP), Spotify (SPOT)
Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning:
China hits back with tariffs on US goods after Trump imposes new levies
‘There is no forecast’: Wall Street still doesn’t know what to make of Trump’s tariff plans
Palantir stock soars after outlook beat citing ‘untamed’ AI demand
Trump’s 10% tariffs on China could hit Big Tech hard
Google hit with antitrust probe by China
Fed’s Goolsbee: Trump policies could slow rate cuts
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Palantir rips pre-market
Want to be amused by an earnings call? Listen to Palantir (PLTR) CEO Alex Karp on his quarterly calls.
The guy is a real hoot (and just an interesting character in tech more broadly).
I think Karp gave the type of earnings call we will begin to hear from this new crop of tech players during the Trump administration. Antagonistic. Hype filled. Boastful. But he also has the numbers to back up the smoke-blowing, in part because of 1) a strong enterprise-tech spending cycle; 2) optimism on critical infrastructure spending by Trump.
The company beat analysts’ sales estimates by an impressive $59 million.
“We believe Palantir is the best story in all of software,” said DA Davidson analyst Gil Luria in a note this morning.
Shares are up 18% pre-market. The ticker page is the most active on the Yahoo Finance platform.
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China investigates American companies including Google over monopoly measures
China announced on Tuesday that it has launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Alphabet’s Google (GOOG) and placed two U.S. companies on its “unreliable entity list.” This move concurred with the U.S. implementing new tariffs on Chinese goods.
Alongside the regulatory body exploring American firms, China imposed of tariffs on some U.S. products, including coal and oil, in retaliation to the fresh U.S. duties. This marks the first retaliation in the ongoing trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
In addition to Google, China’s Commerce Ministry added PVH Corp (parent company of brands like Calvin Klein) and U.S. biotech firm Illumina to its “unreliable entity” list of companies that have taken actions that cause “damage” to Chinese companies and interests.
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Gold (GC=F) rose toward a record high as President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and delays boost demand for a stable asset.
Spot gold rose to $2,850 an ounce before dropping back from an all-time high as Trump said he would enact a 30-day pause on tariffs of 25% against Canada and Mexico. The switch in plans saw the dollar retreat from the highest level in more than two years, making the precious metal cheaper for US buyers.
Markets remain unsettled about the future, boosting gold’s appeal as a safe haven. From Tuesday, Washington is set to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, though Trump has indicated he plans to discuss the proposed tariffs with Beijing “in the next 24 hours“
Key concerns revolve around how the US economy will fare in the face of a potential trade war, as well as the broader implications for monetary policy if tariffs spark inflation. The Federal Reserve opted to pause rate cuts last month, taking a “wait-and-see” stance on the new administration’s policies.
