United States equity markets ended lower today as the Standard and Poor’s Five Hundred slipped fifteen point five nine points, or about zero point two percent, to finish at six thousand three hundred ninety-five point seven eight United States dollars. The Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to edge up sixteen point zero four points, just zero point zero four percent, closing at forty-four thousand nine hundred thirty-eight point three one United States dollars. Leading declines, the Nasdaq Composite dropped one hundred forty-two point one zero points, or zero point seven percent, to close at twenty-one thousand one hundred seventy-two point eight six United States dollars. These moves were shaped by renewed selling in large technology and discretionary stocks, while investors rotated toward defensive sectors like healthcare, energy, and consumer staples, reflecting growing anxiety over high valuations in artificial intelligence-related shares and caution ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks at the Jackson Hole conference, as reported by Nasdaq.

Among sector standouts, energy, consumer staples, and healthcare led the gains, each up between a half and almost one percent, while consumer discretionary stocks lagged behind, declining by about one percent. Seven of the eleven Standard and Poor’s sectors closed in positive territory, showing the defensive tilt as investors recalibrated risk ahead of major policy signals. Most actively traded names today included the biggest technology giants and recent artificial intelligence favorites, several of which came under pressure. Palantir’s stock, for example, staged a partial rebound, recovering about ten percent after steep losses in recent days following comments about overvaluation and reports of artificial intelligence profit challenges, as noted in today’s update from eOption.

On the economic front, the United States Conference Board said its Leading Economic Index edged down zero point one percent in July to ninety-eight point seven—its sixth straight monthly decline—while new unemployment claims came in lower than last month, continuing to support labor market optimism. Still, the Board warned that persistent tariffs and slower new orders could weigh on growth during the second half of the year. Manufacturing activity and services sector surveys were also closely watched, with purchasing manager’s index readings pointing to a slight loss of momentum but ongoing expansion.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, all eyes are on the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole symposium, where Chair Jerome Powell’s speech is expected to offer crucial clues on the central bank’s approach to future interest rate cuts or pauses. Pre-market futures are indicating a cautious start with modest declines following today’s volatility. Listeners should also watch for key retail earnings and developing macro headlines, particularly those related to tariffs and consumer confidence, which may serve as important market catalysts in the coming sessions.

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