US stock markets experienced a significant turnaround on Tuesday, bouncing back from a challenging three-day period that saw major losses. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite led the recovery, each climbing around 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw a boost, rising approximately 0.8%, or about 300 points.
The previous days had been rough, marked by sharp declines due to growing concerns about the US economy and job market. The S&P 500 suffered its worst day since 2022 and faced its toughest start to a month since 2002. It had lost nearly 6% over the past three days, but Tuesday’s rally improved its year-to-date gains to around 10%.
The "fear gauge" of Wall Street, the CBOE Volatility Index, spiked to its highest level since the early COVID-19 days on Monday but retreated to more typical levels on Tuesday.
Big names in the market saw recovery as well. The so-called "Magnificent 7" stocks, which lost over $650 billion in market value on Monday, rebounded on Tuesday. Nvidia, Tesla, Microsoft, and Meta all posted gains, with Nvidia leading with an increase of over 3.5%.
Cryptocurrencies also joined the recovery. Bitcoin surged past the $55,000 mark, and the global market steadied, with Japan’s Nikkei index rising over 10%.
Looking ahead, market watchers are keenly awaiting signals for the future. The Federal Reserve's actions are in the spotlight, with many traders anticipating a 50-basis-point rate cut at its next meeting. This expectation follows recent discussions about whether the Fed’s current policies are too restrictive.
In other market news, Airbnb's stock dropped by 13% after the company’s third-quarter revenue forecast fell short of expectations. Although Airbnb reported revenue that exceeded predictions, it warned that its future guidance was weaker than anticipated. The company highlighted Latin America and Asia Pacific as strong growth areas but noted slower demand from US guests.
On a brighter note, technology stocks saw significant gains on Tuesday. Lumen Technologies saw its shares skyrocket 85% after announcing new business deals, while Uber and Palantir also posted impressive gains following positive earnings reports.
Despite the market’s recent volatility, some strategists view the current dip as an opportunity. They argue that concerns about a recession might be overstated and see value in high-quality stocks amidst the market turbulence.