Stocks Slip as Tariff Threats Collide With Earnings Surprises

Stocks Slip as Tariff Threats Collide With Earnings Surprises

U.S. stocks slipped by midday Tuesday after an early surge, as fresh tariff threats injected volatility into the session. The president signaled a potential 35% tariff on goods from the European Union and “substantially” higher levies on India than the previously floated 25%. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF was down 0.33% and the Nasdaq-tracking QQQ fell 0.45% at the time of writing.

Top movers at midday:
– Palantir Technologies (PLTR): Shares jumped nearly 7% after a strong second-quarter showing that marked the company’s first billion-dollar quarter, with both earnings and revenue exceeding expectations. The stock also drew bullish commentary from market voices who called it dramatically undervalued. PLTR is up 127% year-to-date.
– Pfizer (PFE): Gained more than 4% after topping estimates with EPS of $0.78 on $14.7 billion in revenue versus forecasts of $0.58 on $13.56 billion. PFE is down 8% year-to-date.
– Hims & Hers Health (HIMS): Fell over 9% after Q2 revenue of $545 million missed a $552 million estimate, reflecting GLP-1 subscriber losses and a regulatory-driven shift away from mass compounding. HIMS is up 137% year-to-date.
– Intel (INTC): Rose more than 4% after signals that new semiconductor import tariffs could be announced next week. Intel, alongside TSMC, is among companies tied to the U.S. Chips and Science Act. INTC is up 1% year-to-date.
– UnitedHealth Group (UNH): Added 4% as investors weighed results across managed care, including peers in the space. Industry analysis suggests insurers are preparing to scale back benefits and streamline plan offerings, which bolstered sentiment. UNH is down 51% year-to-date.

Additional context and logical takeaways:
– Tariff talk tends to spark knee‑jerk volatility, especially for globally exposed sectors such as industrials, autos, and select tech hardware. Until details are published, markets often trade the headline risk more than the underlying fundamentals. A concrete policy outline could reduce uncertainty and help investors parse sector winners and losers.
– Potential semiconductor tariffs would likely aim to fortify domestic supply chains, a theme aligned with the Chips and Science Act. In the near term, that can be supportive for U.S.-based manufacturers while introducing cost and sourcing questions for downstream electronics and equipment makers.
– Health insurers’ move to recalibrate benefits reflects an effort to stabilize margins after periods of elevated medical cost trends. Tightening plan designs can improve predictability, though regulators and upcoming enrollment cycles will be pivotal to the trajectory.
– The dispersion in year-to-date stock performance—strong gains in select tech and consumer health names alongside weakness elsewhere—underscores a market rewarding execution and guidance. That breadth, coupled with ongoing beats in earnings, hints at underlying resilience even amid policy noise.

Hopeful angle:
Despite tariff headlines weighing on the indices, notable beats from large, widely followed companies and strong single‑stock reactions point to earnings still doing heavy lifting. If policy clarity improves, the market’s focus can return to fundamentals, where leadership remains intact in several areas.

Summary:
Stocks eased at midday after renewed tariff threats against the EU and India, with SPY down 0.33% and QQQ off 0.45%. Palantir and Pfizer rallied on earnings beats, Intel advanced on tariff speculation tied to semiconductors, while Hims & Hers slid on a revenue miss tied to GLP‑1 churn and regulatory shifts. Managed care outperformed as insurers signaled tighter plan designs, and overall market action reflected policy uncertainty tempered by resilient corporate results.

Popular Categories


Search the website