Dow Posts 3rd Consecutive Record as Jobs Report Outlook Shifts; S&P, Nasdaq Slide

U.S. stocks closed mixed on February 09, 2026, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) added 0.1% to notch its third consecutive record close, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell 0.3% and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) dipped 0.6% after Nvidia (NVDA) and Alphabet (GOOG) declined. December retail sales remained essentially unchanged from December 2024, down from a +0.6% month-on-month gain in November and below expectations, signaling softer holiday spending. This led to increased bets on a potential Federal Reserve rate cut, with over 75% of traders now anticipating rates to be lower by June 2026. The week’s consumer data preceded key economic readings: the January nonfarm payroll report on Wednesday and the January CPI on Friday, as the Fed balances its dual mandate on inflation and labor markets. In the corporate world, wealth management shares sold off on concerns over AI disruption, hitting Charles Schwab (SCHW), Raymond James Financial (RJF), and LPL Financial (LPLA). Quarterly earnings continued to be closely reviewed, with Ford (F) scheduled for a late-close update. Gold (GC=F) pared earlier gains, while bitcoin (BTC-USD) slid toward $69,000 amid a risk-off mood and what one analyst termed a “crisis of confidence,” following a volatile start to the week at above $5,000.