Stock Market Today: Stocks Gain to Start the Short Week
Stocks struggled for direction Tuesday, though Intel made a beeline higher on M&A buzz.



Stocks were choppy to start the holiday-shortened week, bouncing between positive and negative territory throughout Tuesday's session. But the three main benchmarks managed to close in the green, with the S&P 500 notching a new record close.
Thanks to a late burst of buying power, the S&P 500 closed up 0.2% at 6,129, the Nasdaq Composite added 0.07% to 20,041 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.02% to 44,556.
Intel soars on breakup buzz
Intel (INTC) surged 16.1% after a report in The Wall Street Journal hinted at potential deals with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) and Broadcom (AVGO) that would split the chipmaker in two.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
BofA Securities analyst Vivek Arya cautions against getting too excited about a potential breakup of Intel. No parties have made any statements on the speculation, he says, and any possible split "could be time-consuming and complicated."
Arya maintained an Underperform (Sell) rating on INTC due to its "organic risks," which include the lack of an artificial intelligence (AI) pipeline and high competition.
Constellation Brands gets a Buffett boost
Constellation Brands (STZ) was another notable gainer Tuesday, jumping 4.0% on news it was one of the stocks Warren Buffett bought in Q4. According to a 13-F filing released late Friday, Buffett's holding company purchased 5.6 million shares of STZ between October 1 and December 31, though this new stake accounts for just about 0.5% of the Berkshire Hathaway equity portfolio.
Heading into Tuesday's session, the consumer staples stock was down nearly 26% on a total return basis (price change plus dividends) for the year to date. But UBS Global Research analyst Peter Grom says this reflects the pricing in of uncertainty surrounding the impact of the California wildfires and Trump tariffs.
Over the long term, Grom sees "solid building blocks" to top- and bottom-line growth. While "some patience may be required," the analyst thinks the risk/reward setup is "skewed nearly 2:1 to the upside."
Other stocks on the move
Nike (NKE) was the best Dow Jones stock on Tuesday, gaining 6.2% after the athletic apparel and footwear maker disclosed a new partnership with Kim Kardashian's Skims.
Meta Platforms (META) slumped 2.8% to snap its 20-day-long winning streak – the lengthiest on record for the Facebook parent.
Medtronic (MDT) fell 7.3% after the medical supplies maker reported lower-than-anticipated fiscal third-quarter revenue.
Fed minutes on tap
In economic news, data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) showed builder sentiment fell 5 points from January to February to 42 – the lowest reading in five months.
"Uncertainty on the tariff front helped push builders' expectations for future sales volume down to the lowest level since December 2023," says Carl Harris, NAHB chairman and a custom home builder from Wichita, Kansas.
Harris adds that incentives could be weakening as a sales tactic "as elevated interest rates reduce the pool of eligible home buyers."
Looking ahead to Wednesday's economic calendar, Wall Street will watch for the mid-afternoon release of the minutes from the Federal Reserve's January meeting. The central bank held rates steady last month and Fed Chair Jerome Powell hinted that a March rate cut could also be off the table.
BofA Securities economists will be focused on two things in particular: (1) does the Fed believe the rate-cutting cycle is over, and (2) what the central bank is thinking regarding the Trump administration's policy agenda.
During last week's congressional testimony, Fed Chair Powell said that it's not the central bank's "job to make or comment on tariff policy."
Related content
- What Is the Federal Funds Rate?
- Stock Market Holidays in 2025
- How Amazon Stock Became a Member of the 100,000% Return Club
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

With over a decade of experience writing about the stock market, Karee Venema is the senior investing editor at Kiplinger.com. She joined the publication in April 2021 after 10 years of working as an investing writer and columnist at a local investment research firm. In her previous role, Karee focused primarily on options trading, as well as technical, fundamental and sentiment analysis.
-
Here's Why Walmart Deals are Better Than Amazon Prime Day
With sales for Walmart Deals and Amazon Prime Day running comparable on price, one factor separates them.
-
How to Get Rid of the Things Your Kids Don't Want While Downsizing
Whether moving by necessity or choice, downsizing means deciding what to do with your stuff. Here's what to do if the kids and grandkids don't want it all.
-
Five Things You Can Learn From Jimmy Buffett's Estate Dispute
The dispute over Jimmy Buffett's estate highlights crucial lessons for the rest of us on trust creation, including the importance of co-trustee selection, proactive communication and options for conflict resolution.
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: For True Diversification, Think Beyond the Basic Stock-Bond Portfolio
Amid rising uncertainty and inflation, effective portfolio diversification needs to extend beyond just stocks and bonds to truly manage risk.
-
I'm a Retirement Psychologist: Money Won't Buy You Happiness in Your Life After Work
While financial security is crucial for retirement, the true 'retirement crisis' is often an emotional, psychological and social one. You need a plan beyond just money that includes purpose, structure and social connection.
-
Recent Market Volatility Offers Valuable Lessons for Investors
Stocks will always rise and fall, but strategic investors can benefit through dollar-cost averaging, rebalancing in down markets and taking the long view.
-
Retiring Early? This Strategy Cuts Your Income Tax to Zero
When retiring early, married couples can use this little-known (and legitimate) strategy to take a six-figure income every year — tax-free.
-
Ditch the Golf Shoes: Your Retirement Needs a Side Gig
A side gig in retirement can help combat boredom, loneliness and the threat of inflation eroding your savings. And the earlier you start planning, the better.
-
The Best Aerospace and Defense ETFs to Buy
The best aerospace and defense ETFs can help investors capitalize on higher government defense spending or hedge against the potential of a large-scale conflict.
-
Roth IRA Conversions in the Summer? Why Now May Be the Sweet Spot
Converting now would enable you to spread a possible tax hit over more than one payment while reducing future taxes.