Today’s Market ActionMajor Indexes Hold Steady in Midday Market Update
The major U.S. stock indexes showed modest movement in Tuesday’s midday market update as investors closely monitored the second day of high-level trade talks between the United States and China in London.
As of 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) edged up 0.22% to 6,019.20, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) gained 0.21% to 19,631.96. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) hovered near the flatline, up just 0.06% at 42,786.91.
The cautious market sentiment comes as U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters that the trade discussions are “going well” and that officials are “spending lots of time together,” with talks expected to continue throughout the day.
“The market is too sensitive,” Fu Shifeng, investment director at Cheng Zhou Investment, told Bloomberg. “People seem to be speculating that the talks didn’t go well.” This sensitivity was reflected in Chinese stocks, which experienced sudden slides earlier in the day.
Investors Await Critical Economic Data
Market participants are now counting down to Wednesday’s release of the May Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which will offer fresh insight into inflation amid evolving trade policies. Analysts expect price pressures to have accelerated last month, with core CPI projected to rise 0.3%.
Today’s economic data showed the NFIB Business Optimism Index for May came in at 98.8, higher than the previous reading of 95.8 and above the consensus forecast of 95.9. This marks the first rise in small-business optimism since September, though concerns about President Trump’s tax-and-spending policies continue to create uncertainty about the economic outlook.
Notable Stock Movers in Today’s Stock Market Live Action
In the technology sector, shares of Apple (AAPL) rose 1.33% to $204.14 ahead of CEO Tim Cook’s highly anticipated keynote speech at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference this afternoon.
Nvidia (NVDA), currently the world’s largest company by market capitalization at $3.5 trillion, traded slightly lower by 0.15% at $142.41. Despite the dip, analysts remain bullish on the AI chip giant, with many projecting it could become the first $5 trillion company due to continued strong demand for its products in data center buildouts.
Tesla (TSLA) shares climbed 2.39% to $315.94, continuing to recover from last week’s volatility following a public disagreement between CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump.
Microsoft (MSFT) dipped 0.73% to $469.29 after reaching record highs last week. The company remains part of the exclusive $3 trillion market cap club alongside Apple and Nvidia.
Among the day’s biggest gainers, Insmed Incorporated (INSM) surged 26.55% and Casey’s General Stores (CASY) jumped 14.18% following strong earnings results. On the downside, United Therapeutics (UTHR) plunged 15.68% and J.M. Smucker Company (SJM) fell 12.69%.
What’s Next for Markets Today?
The S&P 500 entered the day just 2.3% away from its record closing high, having recovered dramatically from being down as much as 15% in early April when tariff fears roiled financial markets.
“I think most people are assuming that some conversation is better than nothing, that we’re making progress,” said Adam Parker, founder of Trivariate Research. “Because of that, people aren’t wanting to sell stocks.”
Looking ahead, investors will be watching for the results of today’s 3-Year Note Auction and tomorrow’s crucial CPI report. Additionally, the weekly crude oil inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute will be released later today.
In the cryptocurrency space, Bitcoin continues its upward trajectory, hovering above $109,000 per token, while Ethereum (ETH-USD) has gained 8.45% in the past 24 hours.
As the midday market update shows, investors remain cautiously optimistic about trade negotiations while positioning themselves for tomorrow’s inflation data, which could significantly impact Federal Reserve policy expectations for the remainder of 2025.