U.S. stocks ended sharply lower on Monday, dragged down once again by tech stocks, as investors awaited the key September jobs report and quarterly results from semiconductor giant NVIDIA later this week. All three major indexes ended in negative territory.
How Did The Benchmarks Perform?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) declined 1.2% or 557.24 points, to close at 46,590.24 points.
The S&P 500 slid 0.9%, or 61.70 points, to finish at 6,672.41 points. Tech, materials, financials and energy stocks were the biggest laggards.
The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) fell 1.6%, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) declined 1.8%. The Financials Select Sector SPDR (XLF) lost 1.9%, while the Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) fell 1.5%. Ten of the 11 sectors of the benchmark index ended in negative territory.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbled 0.8%, or 192.51 points, to end at 22,708.08 points.
The fear gauge, CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), was up 12.86% to 22.38. Decliners outnumbered advancers on the NYSE by a 4.03-to-1 ratio. On the Nasdaq, a 3.06-to-1 ratio favored declining issues. A total of 19.06 billion shares were traded on Monday, lower than the last 20-session average of 20. billion.
On the Nasdaq, there were 1,168 new highs and 3,577 new lows. On the NYSE, there were 90 new highs and 248 new lows.
Tech Bloodbath Continues
Tech stocks have lately come under pressure, particularly those focused on artificial intelligence (AI). On Monday, tech stocks came under pressure in the afternoon session, with all three major indexes dropping below their 50-day moving average.
Sky-high valuations and robust capex plans for AI stocks have raised concerns among investors, weighing on tech stocks. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) declined 1.9% ahead of its earnings on Wednesday after market close. NVIDIA carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Market participants are being plagued by a spate of concerns, including the Federal Reserve’s next move with interest rate cuts. Investors are also waiting for the key September jobs report and the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s October FOMC meeting.
The reports will be the first major releases after the government shutdown and are likely to give investors some idea about the Federal Reserve’s plans for a rate cut in December.
The earnings season is coming to an end. However, this is a big week for retail earnings before the season wraps. Big retailers such as Walmart, Inc. (WMT), Target Corporation (TGT) and The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) are scheduled to report their quarterly results this week.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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