The S&P 500 ended slightly lower on Tuesday as Wall Street awaited a pivotal Federal Reserve decision and reacted to a warning from JPMorgan that pressured the broader market. Investors expect the Fed to deliver a quarter-point interest rate cut this week, but many anticipate a more cautious, hawkish tone given inflation’s persistence above the central bank’s 2% target.
The Fed began its two-day policy meeting Tuesday, and while traders see an 87% chance of a 25-basis-point cut, uncertainty remains about the path ahead. Recent comments from Fed officials have been mixed, with some warning that inflation could reaccelerate while others express growing concern about labor market softening. Fresh data added to the ambiguity: U.S. job openings inched higher in October even as hiring stayed slow, and a separate NFIB survey showed more small businesses planning to add workers.
Jeff Schulze of ClearBridge said the rise in job openings could prompt the Fed to sound “modestly less dovish,” increasing expectations of a possible pause after this week’s cut.
U.S. Treasury yields also climbed, weighing on equities as the 10-year yield rose to 4.18%, marking its fourth straight day of gains. That backdrop helped stall the recent stock rally ahead of Wednesday’s Fed announcement.
The Dow fell 0.38%, the S&P 500 slipped 0.09%, and the Nasdaq edged up 0.13%. The Russell 2000 touched a record high before closing up 0.2%. Bank stocks were volatile, with the S&P 500 bank index reversing early gains to fall 2% after JPMorgan said expenses could reach $105 billion in 2026. JPMorgan shares tumbled 4.7%, their steepest drop since April.
Technology stocks also saw choppy trading after President Donald Trump said Nvidia could ship H200 AI chips to China with a 25% export fee, even as new reports suggested potential restrictions from Beijing.
Nvidia dipped 0.3%, and the semiconductor index slipped 0.04%. Investors also monitored upcoming earnings from Oracle and Broadcom, key players in AI infrastructure spending.
In corporate news, Warner Bros. gained 3.8% amid a bidding war involving Paramount, Skydance, and Netflix. Campbell Soup slid 5.2% after raising select product prices, while AutoZone sank 7.2% following weaker-than-expected quarterly results. JPMorgan, Campbell, and AutoZone were the S&P 500’s biggest decliners.
Market breadth remained slightly positive, with advancing stocks outnumbering decliners on both the NYSE and Nasdaq. Trading volume totaled 14.50 billion shares, below the recent 20-day average.


BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures
Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details
Trump and Iran Sign Framework Peace Deal in France Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry
Asian Currencies Stabilize as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High After Fed Hawkish Signal
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade
US Stock Futures Jump on Reports of Preliminary US-Iran Peace Deal Despite Fed’s Hawkish Outlook
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare
German Auto Suppliers Turn Bearish as Investment and Jobs Shift Overseas
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 



