US stocks fell on Tuesday, retreating further from record highs, as uncertainty over interest rate cuts and continued strength in technology stocks sparked market caution.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell about 0.4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell about 0.3% after a losing start to the week. Futures on the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell roughly 0.8% as declines in Apple (AAPL) and Tesla (TSLA) continue to weigh on stocks more broadly.
The debate is now over whether the technology gains behind the recent record stock rally have peaked, as downbeat news saps the “FOMO” – fear of missing out – that is seen as keeping investors engaged.
In early trading, Apple came under pressure after a report that iPhone sales fell 24% in China, adding to Monday's loss in the wake of a $2 billion EU antitrust fine. Tesla continued its decline, as the closure of its massive factory in Berlin heightened concerns about falling shipments and a Chinese price war.
Meanwhile, confidence in the Fed's upcoming easing took a hit after policymaker Rafael Bostic's comments. The head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta said he expects only one rate cut this year, set for the third quarter.
Investors are now more focused on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's testimony before Congress on Wednesday. His words will be closely watched for any change in the mantra that policymakers need to be convinced that inflation has been beaten before they can act.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC-USD) reached a new all-time high, briefly surpassing the previous record of $68,789 as of November 2021. It has since retreated to trade around $67,000 per coin.
In companies, Target's (TGT) earnings beat Wall Street expectations, helping shares rise more than 10% in early market trading.
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