Stock Market Midday, Aug. 14: Stocks Wobble on Falling Consumer Confidence, Reddit Jumps 14%
As of 11:39 AM ET, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) has fallen 0.21% to 7,782.65, and the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) is down 0.50% to 26,664.30 as investors balance recent record highs against soft retail data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI) has slipped 0.19% to 53,735.56.
Gold is up 1.26% to $4,351.26 and the 10-Year Treasury yield is trading up 0.05% to 4.69%. Energy, real estate, and basic materials lead the sector gainers, as technology and healthcare stocks fall.
Today's biggest moves
Reddit jumped 14% this morning after news that the social media platform will join the S&P 500. Valneva surged 22% following yesterday's earnings and news that European regulators validated its Lyme disease vaccine application. Semiconductor shares like Micron Technology are gaining on AI optimism. T-Mobile US slipped on a brokerage downgrade that cited revenue risks.
What this means for investors
Two consumer releases weighed on stocks this morning: July retail sales fell for the first time in nine months, and August consumer sentiment dipped to 51, from 55.2 in July. The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index showed consumers are concerned about inflation and business conditions, and slowing sales suggest that continued elevated oil prices are weighing on people's wallets.
On the one hand, a decline in confidence, combined with this week's slower inflation data, makes a Federal Reserve rate cut less likely, and can boost risk appetite. However, stock markets wavered today because that decline also raised concerns about economic weakness and the sustainability of recent index highs.
Even so, the S&P is on track for a third consecutive weekly gain after breaking the 7,800-point level yesterday, as technology and artificial intelligence (AI) stocks deliver strong earnings and demonstrate resilience. For investors, diversification and careful risk management are key.
Should you buy stock in Invesco QQQ Trust right now?
Before you buy stock in Invesco QQQ Trust, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Invesco QQQ Trust wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $421,943!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,382,819!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 983% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 216% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 14, 2026.
Emma Newbery has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Micron Technology and Reddit. The Motley Fool recommends T-Mobile US. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
