Markets

Stocks close the day flat but S&P 500 notches its best month since 2023

Stocks were mixed Friday after President Donald Trump accused China of violating its preliminary trade agreement, rekindling fears of a prolonged trade war.

The S&P 500 closed flat, the Nasdaq fell 0.32%, and the Russell 2000 was down 0.41%. Still, all three indexes ended May firmly in the green, with the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 logging their best month since 2023. It was also the S&P 500’s best May since 1990.

Consumer staples led sector gains, driven by Ulta Beauty, which surged nearly 12% after posting blowout Q1 results and raising its full-year outlook. Discount retailer Costco also jumped 3% after reporting solid earnings.

Gap shares plunged 20% after the Y2K-era retailer beat on Q1 earnings but warned that new tariffs could take a $150 million bite out of its bottom line.

Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth sank over 23% after posting disappointing top- and bottom-line results, citing sluggish growth domestically.

EV names Lucid and Rivian dropped 7% and 3%, respectively, as Trump’s proposed “big beautiful bill” threatened to slash EV subsidies, tax credits, and charger network funding.

Drugmakers Regeneron and Sanofi also dipped after seeing mixed results from key trials of their experimental “smoker’s lung” treatment.

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SpaceX gets a wave of bullish ratings from Wall Street analysts

SpaceX received more than a dozen positive analyst calls on Tuesday — including from major Wall Street banks — as they initiate coverage on Elon Musk’s space and AI company.

SpaceX went public on June 12 at a $2.2 trillion valuation, the largest debut in history. While the company hasn’t yet posted a profit, it seems to have convinced Wall Street that it will get there and grow its valuation on the way.

Of the at least 17 analysts that gave a rating on Tuesday, all but one gave it a “buy” or “outperform” rating. MoffettNathanson was "neutral."

The ratings come as SpaceX joined the Nasdaq 100 index, a benchmark tech-heavy basket of companies that underpins millions of portfolios. The inclusion adds built-in demand for the stock from index funds and ETFs.

Still, SpaceX fell more than 5% on Tuesday amid a broader sell-off, and is currently effectively flat from its opening price of $150 a share.

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Nike sinks to lowest level since 2014 after warning of “challenged” sales environment in Q4 report

Did Nike do it?

Investors had a mixed reaction after the global sports apparel company reported its fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell. Shares initially rose 5% as Nike beat out Wall Street expectations amid a hefty tariff refund bonus. However, the stock then sank to its lowest level since August 2014 in postmarket trading.

Here are the Q4 numbers:

  • Revenue of $11.0 billion (estimate: $10.8 billion).

  • Adjusted earnings per share of $0.20 (estimate: $0.12).

Ahead of this report, Nike warned that results would be flattered by a one-time tariff refund (now estimated at roughly $0.52 per share for the bottom line). That gave the company an extra cushion in snapping its streak of seven quarters of year-over-year profit declines.

Over the past year, the company had been punished by tariffs on imported goods, stagnant consumer spending, and increasing competition from other footwear brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Hoka.

Outgoing CFO Matthew Friend deemed it an “increasingly challenging operating environment, where sell-through remains challenged.”

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