Wall Street Slips as Mixed Earnings, Tesla Decline, and U.S.-China Trade Tensions Weigh on Markets

U.S. stock futures traded slightly lower on Wednesday evening as investors assessed mixed corporate earnings and renewed concerns over U.S.-China trade relations. By 8:18 p.m. ET (00:18 GMT), S&P 500 futures dipped 0.2% to 6,726.25, Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.2% to 24,986.75, and Dow Jones futures slid 0.3% to 46,641.0.

Major indexes ended the regular session in the red, with the S&P 500 down 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite losing 0.9%. Tech stocks were among the biggest drags, led by Tesla’s post-earnings slump. The electric vehicle giant (NASDAQ: TSLA) reported record revenue of $28.1 billion, slightly above expectations. However, net income plunged 37% as higher research spending and tariff-related costs eroded margins. The sales boost came largely from consumers rushing to claim the $7,500 federal EV tax credit before its expiration on September 30. Tesla shares fell 1% during the session and slid another 4% after hours.

General Electric’s spinoff GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV) disappointed investors with weaker-than-expected profits, while IBM (NYSE: IBM) reported earnings that exceeded forecasts but warned of slowing growth in its hybrid-cloud business. IBM shares fell about 5% in extended trading. Meanwhile, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) dropped 1.7% after reports from Nikkei indicated it is sharply cutting production of its iPhone Air model.

Investors now await U.S. consumer inflation data due Friday, which could influence the Federal Reserve’s next policy decision.

Adding to market pressure, Reuters reported that the Trump administration is considering new export restrictions on goods made with U.S. software bound for China. The move, aimed at countering Beijing’s rare earth export curbs, could impact industries from semiconductors to aerospace, signaling a potential escalation in trade tensions ahead of President Trump’s expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.