The U.S. stock market experienced another challenging session today, Tuesday, November 18, 2025, extending its recent losing streak as investors continued to dial back on tech exposure amid concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) valuations and a looming wave of economic data releases. All three major indexes closed lower for the second consecutive day, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 marking their fourth straight session of declines.
Market Performance Recap
Major market indexes faced significant headwinds throughout the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell 1.1% on Tuesday, following a 1.2% decline on Monday, which saw it close at 46,590.24 points. Similarly, the S&P 500 (SPX) slid 0.8% today, after a 0.9% drop on Monday, when it finished at 6,672.41 points. Early in Tuesday's session, the S&P 500 had already fallen 78 points, or 1.2%, to 6,594. The US500, a key stock market index, also fell to 6610 points, losing 0.93% from the previous session. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) bore the brunt of the sell-off, tumbling 1.2% on Tuesday, adding to its 0.8% decline from Monday, when it closed at 22,708.08 points. The Nasdaq 100 Index (IUXX) was down by -1.57% today.
The broader market sentiment remained downbeat, with decliners significantly outnumbering advancers on both the NYSE and Nasdaq on Monday, a trend that largely continued into Tuesday. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), often referred to as the "fear gauge," surged 12.86% to 22.38 on Monday, reflecting heightened investor anxiety. Tech, materials, financials, and energy sectors were notable underperformers on Monday, with ten of the eleven S&P 500 sectors ending in negative territory. The weakness in technology stocks continued to be a primary drag on the overall market today.
Major Stock News and Movements
The spotlight remained firmly on artificial intelligence (AI) bellwether Nvidia (NVDA), which continued its downward trend. The chipmaker saw its shares decline a further 3.2% today, bringing its loss for the month to nearly 11% and pushing it into "correction" territory. Nvidia's immense size and influence mean its performance can "almost single-handedly steer the direction of the S&P 500." Investors are eagerly anticipating Nvidia's fiscal third-quarter earnings report, scheduled for Wednesday after market close, with analysts expecting strong results driven by robust AI demand. Ahead of the report, Stifel raised its price target on Nvidia to $250 from $212, while BofA Securities also increased its EPS estimates and reiterated a Buy rating with a $275 price target.
Home improvement giant Home Depot (HD) also made headlines, with its shares sliding nearly 4% today. The company reported weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings and subsequently trimmed its full-year profit outlook, attributing the performance to a sluggish housing market and a lack of storm-related demand. Home Depot's Q3 comparable sales rose a modest +0.2%, falling short of the consensus estimate of +1.36%.
Other significant corporate news included downgrades for tech heavyweights Amazon.com (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT), both of which were down more than 1% today after Rothschild & Co Redburn revised their ratings. Interestingly, Nvidia recently announced strategic partnerships with Microsoft and Claude AI developer Anthropic, with Anthropic committing to buy $30 billion worth of Azure compute capacity. Cloudflare (NET) also experienced a notable drop of over 3% today, following reports of global network issues that impacted services like ChatGPT. Honeywell International (HON) saw its stock fall more than 2% after Bank of America Global Research double-downgraded the stock to underperform from buy. In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin briefly dipped below $90,000 on Monday, a significant drop from its nearly $125,000 level last month, though it was trading around $92,800 at 4 p.m. ET today.
Upcoming Market Events
The remainder of the week is packed with crucial market events that could significantly influence investor sentiment. The most anticipated event is Nvidia's (NVDA) fiscal Q3 2026 earnings report, scheduled for release after market close on Wednesday, November 19. This report is expected to provide key insights into the ongoing demand for AI infrastructure.
This week is also pivotal for retail earnings, with several major players set to announce their results. Walmart Inc. (WMT) and Target Corporation (TGT) are both slated to release their Q3 earnings on Wednesday, November 19. Other significant retail earnings expected on Wednesday include The TJX Companies (TJX), Lowe's Companies Inc. (LOW), and Williams-Sonoma (WSM). These reports will offer critical insights into consumer spending patterns as the holiday shopping season approaches.
On the economic front, a "deluge of delayed economic reports" is expected this week due to a recent government shutdown. A key highlight will be the September jobs report, originally due in early October, which is now scheduled for release on Thursday, November 20. This report is highly anticipated by investors for clues on the labor market's health and its potential impact on Federal Reserve policy. Additionally, the minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) October meeting are due on Wednesday, November 19, which could shed light on the Fed's stance on interest rates. Other economic data releases this week include MBA weekly mortgage applications and August trade balance on Wednesday, followed by weekly unemployment claims, the Philadelphia Fed report, and October existing home sales on Thursday. Richmond Fed President Barkin's speech today highlighted concerns about above-target inflation (with headline and core CPI at 3% through September) and slowing employment growth.
After today's market close, several companies reported earnings, including Dolby Laboratories (DLB), Powell Industries (POWL), Great Elm Capital Corp (GBDC), QFIN, Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM), Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK), La-Z-Boy Incorporated (LZB), Varex Imaging Corporation (VREX), and China Communication Construction International Holdings Limited (CCIF). These reports will be closely scrutinized by investors as they assess corporate performance in the current economic climate.
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.