Dow, S&P 500 end down as US interest-rate worries mount, bank shares slip

All three indexes were on an almost continuous decline all day though at least the Nasdaq was in the black most of the session but closed near zero. The Dow and S&P were in the red most of the day, especially the Dow which closed 3-digits down (and how they call this “slightly lower” is beyond me.)  The S&P downgrading the regional banks again didn’t help at all but the real concern is the fear of more rate hikes as investors hope for clarity from Powell on Friday. 

Also dampening stocks were Treasury yields which hit 16-year highs overnight. There were even jitters over Nvidia which fell 2.8% after gaining 8.5% yesterday. Another damper was Macy’s warning of weak consumer spending for the rest of the year, which brought the whole retail index down.  But it’s really wait-and-see on Powell which was reflected in the considerably below average volume of 9.38 billion.   

Dow, S&P 500 end down as US interest-rate worries mount, bank shares slip

By Caroline Valetkevitch

Tue August 22, 2023  4:38 PM

DJ: 34,463.69  -36.97         NAS: 13,497.59  +206.81        S&P: 4,399.77  +30.06     8/21

DJ: 34,288.83  -174.86       NAS: 13,505.87  +8.28            S&P: 4,387.55  -12.22      8/22

NEW YORK, Aug 22 (Reuters) - The Dow and S&P 500 ended slightly lower on Tuesday as investors stayed worried the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer and as banks shares eased.  The Nasdaq finished barely in the green.  The financial sector <.SPBK> fell 0.9% and was the biggest drag on the S&P 500. An S&P downgrade of credit ratings of multiple regional U.S. lenders weighed on banks shares, with the KBW regional banking index (.KRX) sliding 2.7% and the S&P 500 banks index (.SPXBK) falling 2.4%.  Investors hope for clarity on the rate outlook when Fed Chair Jerome Powell speaks at a meeting of central bankers on Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

"Rates have backed up pretty good again, so that's kind of putting somewhat of a damper on stocks," said Peter Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel in Charlottesville, Virginia.  The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield hit almost 16-year highs overnight on the view the Fed could keep rates higher for longer. Higher borrowing costs can slow spending by businesses and consumers.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 174.86 points, or 0.51%, to 34,288.83, the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 12.22 points, or 0.28%, to 4,387.55 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 8.28 points, or 0.06%, to 13,505.87. 

Investors also eagerly awaited results and a forecast from chip heavyweight Nvidia (NVDA.O) due after the bell on Wednesday. Nvidia surprised investors with its strong forecast in May, fueling a rally in its own and other tech stocks amid artificial intelligence hopes.  Shares of Nvidia hit an all-time high of $481.87 early but were down 2.8% on the day.  Department stores were among the day's biggest decliners. Macy's (M.N) sank 14.1% after the chain warned of weak consumer spending through the crucial holiday shopping season. Shares of Kohl's Corp. (KSS.N) were down 10.3% while Nordstrom Inc (JWN.N) was down 9.8%. 

Volume on U.S. exchanges was 9.38 billion shares, compared with the 10.97 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.

Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.43-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.43-to-1 ratio favored decliners.  The S&P 500 posted 4 new 52-week highs and 13 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 39 new highs and 221 new lows.