Stocks rose Tuesday as traders looked to recover following a rough day on Wall Street, as President Donald Trump’s latest criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hurt sentiment.
Tuesday’s action comes on the heels of a sharp sell-off. The Dow dropped more than 970 points in the regular session, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both slid more than 2%. Monday marked the fourth straight losing session for the Dow and Nasdaq.
Investors grew increasingly uncertain after Trump posted on Truth Social that the economy would slow if the Fed did not cut interest rates. In the latest of multiple recent posts calling out Powell by name, he called the Fed chief “Mr. Too Late” and a “major loser.”
Trump hinted at Powell’s “termination” last week, an unprecedented action that White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said the president’s team was currently studying. Powell has said he cannot be fired under law and intends to serve through the end of his term in May 2026.
Monday’s steep sell-off comes amid a turbulent period for stocks since Trump’s initial announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs rocked financial markets. The three major indexes have all tumbled more than 9% since Trump first unveiled his plan for levies on April 2.
“There’s just so much uncertainty right now with the tariff cycle and with the economy,” said Larry Tentarelli, founder of the Blue Chip Daily Trend Report. “Adding one more layer of uncertainty with Jerome Powell just adds more volatility to the markets overall.”
Investors will watch Tuesday morning for manufacturing survey results from the Richmond Fed. Several Fed officials including Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari and Fed Governor Adriana Kugler are expected to give speeches throughout the day.
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.