The Dow Jones Futures (YM=F) was down 318.00 (-0.5973%) points today, Tuesday, September 1st, 2026, as investors reacted to a cooling economic outlook. The primary narrative driving the market lower was the release of ISM Manufacturing PMI data, which signaled a sharper-than-expected contraction in industrial activity. This disappointing economic data sparked concerns regarding the resilience of the US economy heading into the final quarter of the year, overshadowing recent optimism regarding interest rate stability.
Leading the few gainers in the blue-chip index was 3M (MMM), which was up 3.70% to $148.62 following a favorable legal settlement update. Technology heavyweight Nvidia (NVDA) also showed strength, rising 1.77% to $225.01, while Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) climbed 1.61% to $227.63. Other notable performers included Cisco (CSCO), up 1.33%, and UnitedHealth Group (UNH), which gained 1.00% to reach $399.64.
Conversely, the manufacturing slowdown hit industrial and consumer-facing stocks hard. IBM (IBM) was down 2.42% to $213.40, making it one of the session's steepest decliners. Home Depot (HD) also struggled, falling 2.14% to $303.85, as investors worried about consumer spending on big-ticket home improvements. Salesforce (CRM) was down 1.64%, Sherwin-Williams (SHW) dropped 1.36%, and American Express (AXP) shed 1.27% to $310.29. Heavy machinery giant Caterpillar (CAT) also felt the pressure of the PMI report, trading down 1.22% at $901.99.
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.