U.S. stock markets are experiencing a notable pullback on Thursday, September 25, 2025, with major indexes extending their declines for a third consecutive session. This midday downturn follows a "blistering run" that saw the market hit record highs earlier in the week, suggesting investors are taking a pause to digest a flurry of economic data and corporate news. The prevailing sentiment appears to be influenced by stronger-than-expected economic indicators, which are fueling concerns that the Federal Reserve may be less inclined to cut interest rates in the near future.
Market Indexes and Midday Momentum
As of midday trading, the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) was down approximately 0.4%, later slipping to a 0.6% decline, marking its longest losing streak in over a month. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) mirrored this trend, initially falling 0.4% and then extending its losses to 0.9%. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) showed a more modest decline of 0.1% at midday, dropping 99 points later in the session. All three indexes, despite the recent dips, remain near their all-time highs set at the start of the week.
The primary catalyst for today's market momentum appears to be a series of robust economic reports. The final revision to second-quarter GDP revealed a stronger-than-anticipated annual growth rate of 3.8%, an upward revision from the previous 3.3%. Additionally, weekly jobless claims fell to a two-month low of 218,000, indicating a resilient labor market, while August existing home sales remained near flat. Core capital goods new orders also rose by 0.6% month-over-month, exceeding expectations. These positive economic signals, while good for the economy, have simultaneously pushed the 10-year Treasury yield higher to 4.18%, up from 4.15% at Wednesday's close, which tends to undercut stock prices as borrowing costs increase. Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid's comments, suggesting the Fed may not need to lower interest rates again soon due to persistent inflation and a balanced labor market, further solidified these concerns.
Upcoming Market Events
Looking ahead, investors are keenly awaiting tomorrow's release of the August Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, which is the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation. This data will be crucial in shaping expectations for the Fed's future monetary policy decisions. Other significant economic data points released today included durable goods orders.
On the earnings front, several companies reported results today, with some notable movements. Costco Wholesale (COST) is scheduled to release its quarterly results after the closing bell. Prior to market open, CarMax (KMX) tumbled nearly 12% after missing Wall Street's second-quarter profit targets, with sales declining from the same period last year. Accenture plc (ACN), Jabil Inc. (JBL), Synnex Corp. (SNX), BlackBerry Limited (BB), and LuxExperience B.V. (LUXE) were also among the companies expected to report earnings today. THOR Industries Inc. (THO) surged 6.1% after its fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings surpassed analyst estimates. Conversely, Worthington Enterprises Inc. (WOR) plunged 11.6% after reporting first-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings that missed expectations. AAR Corp. (AIR) advanced 4.2% after beating its first-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings estimates, while Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) fell 1.2% after posting a wider-than-expected loss.
Major Stock News and Developments
Individual stock movements are providing significant headlines today. Chipmaker Intel (INTC) continued its impressive climb, surging nearly 7% today after a more than 6% jump on Wednesday. This rally is fueled by reports that Intel has been in discussions with Apple (AAPL) regarding a potential investment or other forms of collaboration. This follows last week's announcement of a $5 billion investment from Nvidia (NVDA) as part of a chip co-development deal, and a 10% equity stake taken by the U.S. government in August.
Meanwhile, IBM (IBM) paced the Dow's positive components, rising over 5% on news of a "positive trial" with HSBC involving quantum computing for algorithmic bond trading. However, several other technology giants faced headwinds. Oracle (ORCL) shares fell 4.7%, marking their third consecutive day of declines. Electric vehicle pioneer Tesla (TSLA) also saw its stock down by 3.5%. Memory-chip maker Micron Technology (MU) dipped 2.7%, adding to a nearly 3% decline yesterday, despite having reported record quarterly sales earlier in the week. Its stock had seen a remarkable 97.7% gain year-to-date, suggesting a potential profit-taking phase. Amazon (AMZN) shares ticked lower after the company agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit concerning allegedly deceptive subscription practices for its Prime memberships. Starbucks (SBUX) also saw its shares slip less than 1% following an announcement of layoffs for 900 corporate employees and the closure of underperforming stores as part of a restructuring effort.
In other notable corporate news, sandal maker Birkenstock (BIRK) jumped close to 5% after pre-announcing strong fourth-quarter results and reaffirming its profit guidance. Miner Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) sank 11.6% after forecasting lower copper and gold sales for the third quarter than previously expected. Conversely, Lithium Americas (LAC) soared an impressive 95.9% amidst reports that the U.S. government is considering taking an ownership stake in the Canadian company, which is developing a significant lithium project in Nevada.
The overall market picture today is one of cautious trading, as investors weigh strong economic data against its potential implications for monetary policy, leading to a rotation out of some high-flying tech stocks and into other sectors. The focus remains squarely on inflation data and the Federal Reserve's next moves.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.