Tuesday’s opening on Wall Street had its moments of cheer: the Dow Jones edged up around 0.1%, buoyed by a bump in Home Depot shares after the home improvement giant stood firm on its annual guidance. With investor eyes locked on a wave of retail earnings ahead, the mood was hopeful yet measured.
Meanwhile, the broader market tread more cautiously. The S&P 500 slipped slightly, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell just under a percent. It’s clear the markets are biding their time—record gains from recent weeks are under scrutiny as all-feedback turns toward this week’s big event: the Fed’s conference.
Retailers have become the market’s early-warning system for consumer behavior, and with spending accounting for so much of U.S. output, Home Depot’s steady tone provided some relief—suggesting households might still be in good shape for now. At the same time, investors are preparing for more high-profile reports from Lowe’s, Walmart, and Target.
All told, it’s a quiet but significant open: optimistic on the strength of a retail mainstay, yet tempered by the waiting game for more data—and a central bank that could change the narrative as soon as later this week.
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