Tuesday's session saw broad-based selling pressure return to Wall Street, with technology and small-cap stocks bearing the brunt of the decline. The Nasdaq led losses, falling 1.01% to close at 23,869.06, while the Russell 2000 dropped 1.17% to 2,728.14 — a sign that risk appetite was fading across the board, not just in mega-cap tech.
The S&P 500 shed 0.49% to settle at 7,124.02, while the Dow Jones held up comparatively well, slipping just 0.08% to 48,832.41. The Dow's resilience was partly owed to defensive and value-oriented names finding buyers even as growth stocks struggled.
Gold continued its remarkable run, closing at $4,607.26 — a level that underscores persistent demand for safe-haven assets. The metal's strength suggests investors remain uneasy about the macro backdrop, whether that's trade policy uncertainty, geopolitical tension, or concerns about the broader growth outlook.
UnitedHealth was a rare bright spot, surging 3.41% to $366.77 and offering some comfort to investors seeking shelter in defensive healthcare. Nvidia, meanwhile, could not escape the tech selloff, closing down 1.59% at $213.17 as the sector faced continued valuation scrutiny.