S&P 500 closes at record high, Dow Jones drops 400 points

The S&P 500 closed at a fresh record on Tuesday, as investors awaited earnings results from major technology companies later this week, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid amid weakness in the healthcare sector.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.83%, or 408 points, to close at 49,003.

In contrast, the broader S&P 500 index rose 0.41%, or 28 points, to 6,978, marking a record close, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.91%, or 215 points, to end at 23,817.

Dow’s decline was driven by losses in the healthcare sector, as shares of UnitedHealth plunged 19.61% to $282.70, following an announcement by US President Donald Trump of a proposal that includes modest price increases for the Medicare Advantage insurance program.

Across the Atlantic, the Stoxx Europe 600 advanced 0.58% to 613.11 points, supported by gains across most sectors and major exchanges.

France’s CAC 40 rose 0.27% to 8,152 points, while Britain’s FTSE 100 climbed 0.58% to 10,207 points. Germany’s DAX, however, slipped 0.15% to 24,894 points.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 added 0.85% to 53,333 points, while the broader Topix index gained 0.30% to close at 3,563 points.

In commodities, Brent crude futures for March delivery jumped 3%, or $1.98, to $67.57 per barrel.

US Nymex crude futures for March delivery rose 2.90%, or $1.76, to $62.39 per barrel.

Gold futures for February delivery were steady at $5,082.60 per ounce, maintaining gains of 17% since the beginning of the year.

The mixed performance in equities came as investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision due tomorrow, amid ongoing trade and geopolitical uncertainty. However, a strong focus on earnings from major technology companies helped ease market tensions.