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Stock Market Today, Aug. 17: Markets Inch Lower and Treasury Yields Rise as Investors Wait for Retail Earnings
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The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) fell 0.50% to 7,747, the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) slipped 0.31% to 26,647, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI) lost 0.51% to 53,460 as indices drifted near record levels ahead of pivotal retail corporate earnings reports.

Gold prices rose 0.80% to $4,472.90 as of U.S. market close, and the 10-Year Treasury yield climbed 0.05% to 4.68% while Industrials led sector gainers, Communication Services finished as the primary laggard, and Utilities also fell.

Today's biggest moves

Space Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ:SPCX) shares rebounded 4.5% on new positive notes from analysts, while Carvana (NYSE:CVNA) was today's biggest loser on the S&P 500, dropping 7.3%.

Sandisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) gained 9% as memory chipmakers showed strength, though Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) faced selling pressure amid broader communications sector weakness.

What this means for investors

It was a largely unspectacular day for the market, as investors mostly seemed curious to see how earnings from retailers like Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT), Home Depot (NYSE:HD), and Target (NYSE:TGT) will turn out this week. In this sense, it seemed like a "risk-off" day as the market took a wait-and-see approach on further buying.

The U.S. 30-year Treasury yield hit 5.3% -- its highest mark since 2007 -- highlighting this cautious stance. As bond yields rise alongside the potential for rising interest rates from the Fed, it will be interesting to see how growth stocks fare -- especially those tied to the AI realm.

Really, there was no single major event that caused the market to dip today. With U.S. markets still near an all-time high, today's breather is nothing to panic over one way or the other.

Josh Kohn-Lindquist has positions in Space Exploration Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Home Depot, Meta Platforms, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer:This article represents the opinion of the author only. It does not represent the opinion of Webull, nor should it be viewed as an indication that Webull either agrees with or confirms the truthfulness or accuracy of the information. It should not be considered as investment advice from Webull or anyone else, nor should it be used as the basis of any investment decision.
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