U.S. stocks closed sharply lower Wednesday, led by steep losses in tech and auto stocks as investors grew wary ahead of a potential announcement on U.S. auto tariffs. President Donald Trump is expected to unveil reciprocal tariffs targeting the car industry, raising concerns about inflation and global trade tensions.
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) tumbled nearly 6%, while Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) slid 5.6%. General Motors (NYSE:GM) dropped 3.1% as the market braced for potential supply chain disruptions and rising production costs. "Markets hate the tariff uncertainty, especially when it pertains to autos," noted Jamie Cox of Harris Financial Group.
Chip stocks also took a hit, with Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) down 5%, dragging the PHLX chip index 3.3% lower. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 2.04% to 17,899.02, the S&P 500 slipped 1.12% to 5,712.20, and the Dow Jones dipped 0.31% to 42,454.79.
Six of the 11 S&P 500 sectors declined, led by a 2.46% drop in information technology and 2.04% in communication services. Despite some companies rallying—like Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR), up 3.1% on news of a $1 billion Family Dollar sale, and GameStop (NYSE:GME), which surged 12% after announcing bitcoin as a treasury asset—market sentiment remained cautious.
Barclays cut its S&P 500 year-end forecast to 5,900 from 6,600 amid slowing momentum. The index is down 3% year-to-date, while the Nasdaq has lost over 7%.
Investors now await Friday’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari warned tariffs could fuel price hikes, possibly justifying rate increases. Trading volume was light, with 15.5 billion shares exchanged, below the 20-session average.


Oil Prices Slip in Asia as 2026 Supply Glut Fears and Russia-Ukraine Talks Weigh on Markets
RBA Unlikely to Cut Interest Rates in 2026 as Inflation Pressures Persist, Says Westpac
South Korea Warns Weak Won Could Push Inflation Higher in 2025
Japan Exports to U.S. Rebound in November as Tariff Impact Eases, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Expectations
Dollar Struggles as Markets Eye Key Central Bank Decisions and Global Rate Outlooks
Bank of Japan Poised for Historic Rate Hike as Inflation Pressures Persist
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets
Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns
Asian Stocks Slide as Central Bank Decisions and Key Data Keep Investors Cautious
Gold and Silver Prices Dip as Markets Await Key U.S. Economic Data
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand
Chinese Robotaxi Stocks Rally as Tesla Boosts Autonomous Driving Optimism
Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Strengthens; Indian Rupee Rebounds on Intervention Hopes
Oil Prices Rebound as Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Tankers
Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing
U.S. Dollar Slips Near Two-Month Low as Markets Await Key Jobs Data and Central Bank Decisions 



