Market Snapshot for Tuesday September 16th, 2025
S&P 500 – 6,606.76 (-0.13%)
Dow Jones – 45,757.90 (-0.27%)
NASDAQ – 22,333.96 (-0.066%)
Market Performance
US Stocks Slip Ahead of Fed Rate Decision, Tesla and Oracle Lead Movers
US stocks pulled back from record levels on Tuesday as the Federal Reserve kicked off its September policy meeting. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq dipped about 0.1%, while the Dow Jones fell 0.3%.
Retail sales for August surprised on the upside, rising 0.6% versus the expected 0.2%, signaling resilient consumer spending despite sticky inflation and a weakening labor market.
Tesla shares rose 2% after rebounding from year-to-date losses following CEO Elon Musk’s recent stock purchase. Oracle also gained as CBS News reported the company is part of a US-China consortium poised to finalize a TikTok deal, with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to discuss the agreement on Friday.
Investors are now focused on Wednesday’s Fed announcement, with markets pricing in a 96% chance of a 25-basis-point rate cut amid labor market slowdown and persistent inflation. Meanwhile, the Senate narrowly confirmed Trump’s Fed nominee Stephen Miran in a 48-47 vote, positioning him to weigh in on interest rates while raising questions about Fed independence.
Economic Takeaways –
- Bond markets saw a moderate sell-off in longer-dated maturities globally, but U.S. Treasuries were stable, with the 10-year yield flat at the open.
- The U.S. dollar weakened against a basket of major currencies.
- After slowing to about 1% annualized growth in the first half of 2025—down from roughly 3% in 2024—U.S. household consumption appears to be stabilizing. This morning’s retail sales report marked a third consecutive monthly gain: headline sales rose 0.6% month over month, while the control group increased 0.7%. July figures were revised higher as well.
- The Senate narrowly confirmed Stephen Miran, President Trump’s nominee to the Federal Reserve, in a 48-47 vote Monday evening — just a day before the central bank’s policy meeting begins Tuesday. His confirmation positions him to participate in a key vote on the direction of interest rates.
Gold –
- Gold continued to climb to new records, it surpassed $3,700 an ounce for the first time Tuesday after the asset saw an all-time high of around $3,685 an ounce Monday.
Oil –
- Oil prices surged roughly 1% Tuesday as markets weighed the potential disruption to Russian energy supplies following Ukrainian drone strikes on key refineries.
- West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures climbed above $64 per barrel, while Brent crude topped $68 per barrel.
- The intensified Ukrainian attacks on Russian ports and energy infrastructure stoked concerns over supply constraints, even as investors considered how a potential Federal Reserve rate cut might influence global demand.Top of Form
- Despite a recent rise in oil prices, WTI and Brent are down about 9% and 8% respectively, year to date.
Crypto –
- The United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) are reportedly poised to unveil a significant agreement aimed at fostering closer collaboration on cryptocurrencies, as disclosed on Tuesday by the Financial Times.
- Bitcoin and Ethereum prices remain steady as traders brace for Fed rate cut.
US Retail Sales Stay Strong in August, But Shoppers Remain Deal-Hunters
US retail sales exceeded expectations in August, rising 0.6% versus the 0.2% forecast, signaling that American consumers remain resilient despite a softening labor market and concerns over tariff-driven inflation. Electronics and appliance stores saw modest gains of 0.3% during the back-to-school shopping period, while clothing, accessories, and sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, and book stores grew 1% and 0.8%, respectively. E-commerce and other nonstore retailers continued to shine, posting a 2% increase in sales.
Best Buy CEO Corie Barry told Yahoo Finance that while overall consumer spending remains steady, shoppers are increasingly focused on finding value. “We see almost everyone looking for value now,” Barry said. “Consumers are willing to spend if they really feel like it’s a great value.”
Trump Pushes TikTok Divestment Deadline to December 16, Avoiding Nationwide Shutdown
President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for ByteDance Ltd., TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell its U.S. operations to Dec. 16, preventing an immediate nationwide shutdown of the popular video-sharing app. The extension follows recent U.S.-China negotiations that produced a framework agreement for the deal.
Trump, departing for a state visit to the U.K., told reporters he had “a deal on TikTok” but did not disclose the companies involved. He is expected to discuss the plan with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the deal closely aligns with commercial terms previously negotiated and includes safeguards for U.S. national security.
Under the proposed arrangement, TikTok’s U.S. operations would be controlled by a consortium including Oracle Corp., Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz, according to the Wall Street Journal. Oracle would retain the TikTok cloud contract, potentially finalizing the framework within 30 to 45 days. Oracle shares surged as much as 5.9% on the news, building on an 85% gain this year driven by its cloud business.
Trump’s executive order marks the fourth extension since the national security law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. business took effect in January. Despite the law allowing only one 90-day extension, Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement, prompting questions about the legality of his approach while effectively keeping the platform operational.
Top Gainers
Several stocks experienced significant gains. Some of the top gainers included:
WEBTOON Entertainment, Inc. (WBTN) +39.04%
QMMM Holdings (QMMM) +22.65%
BigBear.ai Holdings (BBAI) +16.70%
PagSeguro Digital (PAGS) +10.72%
PBF Energy, Inc. (PBF) +9.67%
Top Losers
The top US stock losers today, based on percentage change included:
Next Technology (NXTT) -17.64%
Rocket Lab Corp. (RKLB) -12.57%
Orla Mining, Ltd. (ORLA) -9.94%
Cameco Corp. (CCJ) -7.06%
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) -6.32%
Notables
- Alphabet (GOOG) crossed the $3 trillion market-cap threshold Monday, rallying 4.3% as its AI app Gemini outpaced competitors in downloads. Nvidia (NVDA), Apple (AAPL), and Microsoft (MSFT) also remain above the triple-trillion mark.
- Microsoft announced plans to invest over $30 billion in its UK operations and AI infrastructure over the next four years, ahead of President Trump’s second state visit to Britain. CoreWeave (CRWV) rose after Nvidia placed an order for at least $6.3 billion in cloud-infrastructure technology, with Citizens JMP upgrading the stock to Outperform.
- Tesla (TSLA) climbed after CEO Elon Musk disclosed an insider purchase of nearly $1 billion—his first public stock transaction since 2020—pushing the EV maker into positive territory for the year. Oracle (ORCL) jumped on reports it could play a key role in a potential US-China TikTok deal, joining a consortium that would allow the app to continue operating in the U.S. if the framework is finalized.
- Novo Nordisk (NVO) gained after reporting positive Phase 3 results for its next-generation weight-loss drug. Hershey (HSY) also rose following a Goldman Sachs upgrade to Buy, citing a compelling risk/reward. Seagate Technologies (STX) moved higher on heavy volume after Bank of America raised its price target.
- On the downside, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) fell after TD Cowen and MorningStar downgraded the stock to Hold from Buy. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) tumbled after missing both earnings and revenue expectations, with same-store sales down 3%. Alaska Air (ALK) warned profits would land at the low end of guidance due to rising fuel costs and a July tech outage. Ralph Lauren (RL) shares dropped following a disappointing three-year financial outlook. Live Nation (LYV) dipped in after-hours trading amid news of an FTC investigation into bots on its platform, though shares remain near record highs.
- Klarna (KLAR) rose as much as 4% before trimming gains after Wall Street analysts initiated coverage following its successful NYSE debut, with ratings split between Hold and Buy as investors weigh its growth potential in the U.S. BNPL market.
What to Watch Ahead
Investors expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by at least 25 basis points on Wednesday following its two-day policy meeting, potentially spurring demand from increased economic activity.
Tomorrow we will also see August housing starts and building permits and expected earnings from General Mills (GIS) and Cracker Barrel (CBRL).
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