Dow and S&P 500 Notch Sixth Consecutive Gain Amid Strong Earnings and Tariff Relief

U.S. equities closed higher for the sixth straight session on Tuesday as investors welcomed upbeat earnings reports and encouraging developments on trade policy.

• Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.8% to 40,527.6

• S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to 5,560.8

• Nasdaq Composite added 0.6% to 17,461.3

All sectors advanced except energy, with financials and materials leading the charge.

? Top Market Movers: Winners

• Honeywell International (HON) surged 5.4%, making it the top gainer on the Dow and one of the biggest on the S&P 500. Despite global demand uncertainties, the company posted strong Q1 earnings and adjusted its full-year outlook.

• Sherwin-Williams (SHW) climbed 4.8%, ranking as the second-best Dow performer, after reaffirming its full-year adjusted earnings forecast and delivering a quarterly bottom-line beat.

• Pfizer (PFE) rose 3.2% after reporting a surprise year-over-year earnings increase in Q1 and maintaining its full-year guidance.

• Zebra Technologies (ZBRA), which makes barcode scanners and other devices designed to help businesses track their inventory, beat top- and bottom-line forecasts with its first-quarter result. Shares of Zebra Technologies were up 5.2% on Tuesday. 
  

? Top Market Movers: Decliners

• NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) tumbled 6.9%, marking the biggest drop on the S&P 500. Despite better-than-expected earnings, the Dutch chipmaker cited a "very uncertain" environment due to tariffs. The selloff followed the CEO’s retirement announcement.

• Spotify Technology (SPOT) fell 3.5% after issuing weak Q2 revenue guidance and missing expectations on both the top and bottom lines in Q1.

?️ Policy & Macro Highlights

• Tariff Relief for Autos: President Trump signed an executive order exempting automobiles from certain tariffs, including those on aluminum, steel, Canada, and Mexico, according to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal. This added optimism to markets, especially for manufacturers and industrials.

• Bond Market: U.S. Treasury yields eased amid cautious optimism:

  • 10-year yield fell 4.5 basis points to 4.17%

  • 2-year yield slipped 2.7 basis points to 3.66%

• Housing Data: Home price growth in the U.S. slowed in February, both monthly and annually, reflecting softer demand. However, tight housing supply continues to support prices, per S&P Dow Jones Indices.

? Commodities Watch

• Oil: WTI crude dropped 2.9% to $60.25/barrel as tariff concerns clouded the global demand outlook, according to D.A. Davidson.

• Metals:

  • Gold dipped 0.5% to $3,332.20/oz

  • Silver rose 0.6% to $33.22/oz

? Summary

With earnings season in full swing and a dose of tariff relief, U.S. equities maintained upward momentum for a sixth consecutive session. Strong corporate results from names like Honeywell, Pfizer, and Sherwin-Williams energized the market, while weakness in semiconductors and tech signaled caution ahead. Investors will continue monitoring earnings updates and trade developments for cues on the next leg of the rally.