Market Rollercoaster: S&P 500 Today

Fresh news and strategies for traders. SPY Trader episode #1176. Hey folks, it's your pal Penny Pincher here, and welcome back to Spy Trader! It's 6 pm on Monday, May 19th, 2025, Pacific time, and let's dive into what's been shaking up the market today. So, the market had a bit of a rollercoaster ride today, with the S&P 500 ending slightly up after an early dip. The Dow was down a bit, about 0.21%, while the NASDAQ managed a gain of 0.72%. Small caps seem to be trailing behind the bigger players. The S&P 500 is up 1.40% since the start of the year. Now, the big news causing the early dip was Moody's downgrading the US credit rating, pointing to rising deficits and potential refinancing troubles. But, surprisingly, the market seems to have shrugged it off as the day went on. Sectorwise, healthcare is the star of the show today. Especially managed care names are seeing a bounce. On the flip side, energy, consumer discretionary, and tech sectors are lagging. Oil prices bounced off their lows, but natural gas is still dragging down the energy sector. UnitedHealth is a notable winner today, rising a nice 8.2% to recover some of its losses from earlier in the year. Okay, so what does this all mean? Well, the economy is still expected to grow, but at a slower pace. Inflation is still a concern, especially with the possibility of higher tariffs down the line. And while unemployment is low, it's expected to creep up as things cool down. Now, remember, I'm just a humble podcast host, not your financial advisor, but here are a few things to consider: First, now more than ever, make sure your portfolio is diversified. With all this uncertainty, don't put all your eggs in one basket! Keep an eye on those key sectors – healthcare, energy, consumer discretionary, and tech – to get a sense of where the market might be headed. And most importantly, stay informed about the big picture stuff – inflation, interest rates, and any policy changes. These things can really move the market. Make decisions based on your personal risk tolerance and your longterm goals, and try not to panic sell during these short term market fluctuations! Alright folks, that's all for today's Spy Trader. Remember, keep your eye on the market, stay diversified, and don't let the volatility scare you. Penny Pincher, out!