The Dow Jones Index (^DJI) was up 187.62 (0.38%) points today to 49,582.78, while Dow Futures (YM=F) was up 182.00 (0.37%) points. The market was primarily driven by a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down President Trump's sweeping emergency tariffs, providing a significant legal reprieve for global trade. This news effectively offset a weak U.S. GDP report, which showed growth slowing to 1.4% in the fourth quarter—well below the 2.5% estimate—largely due to the lingering effects of a month-long government shutdown.
Amazon (AMZN) led the gainers with a 2.40% increase as it addressed recent AI-linked cloud outages and moved forward with a massive $200 billion capital expenditure plan for 2026. Other major components like Procter & Gamble (PG) and Apple (AAPL) were up 1.29% and 1.27%, respectively, as the tariff ruling boosted sentiment for multinational corporations. Verizon (VZ) also performed well, up 1.16%, while Honeywell (HON) added 1.01% as industrial sectors benefited from the sudden removal of trade uncertainty.
On the downside, Walmart (WMT) was down 2.63% after providing a cautious FY 2027 outlook that failed to justify its high valuation, despite a strong holiday earnings beat. Consumer and healthcare stocks faced similar pressure, with Nike (NKE) down 1.74% and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) down 1.30%. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) was down 0.83%, and Walt Disney (DIS) fell 0.61%, as investors recalibrated portfolios in response to the mixed bag of strong legal developments and slowing domestic economic growth.
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.