U.S. stocks took a step back from their recent record highs as global financial markets paused after significant movements. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 slipped by 0.2%, following a day where it had hit a new all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also experienced a decrease of 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite remained relatively unchanged.
Meanwhile, Treasury yields in the bond market increased after a previous decline attributed to a disappointing report on consumer confidence. Chinese stocks, which had seen a significant surge the day before due to enthusiasm over new stimulus measures, continued their upward trend on Wednesday but later retreated from their peak levels.
Specifically, the closing numbers for Wednesday were as follows: the S&P 500 dropped by 10.67 points to 5,722.26, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 293.47 points to 41,914.75, the Nasdaq composite saw a minor increase of 7.68 points to 18,082.21, and the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies decreased by 26.54 points to 2,197.45.
In terms of weekly performance, the S&P 500 has gained 19.71 points (0.3%), the Dow has lost 148.61 points (0.4%), the Nasdaq has risen by 133.88 points (0.7%), and the Russell 2000 has dropped by 30.43 points (1.4%). Looking at the year-to-date figures, the S&P 500 has increased by 952.43 points (20%), the Dow has climbed by 4,225.21 points (11.2%), the Nasdaq has grown by 3,070.85 points (20.5%), and the Russell 2000 has advanced by 170.38 points (8.4%).
Overall, the market showed some mixed movements as investors reacted to various economic indicators and global developments, resulting in a slight pullback from the recent market highs.