In This Article:
(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window.)
* Tesla, Intel fall on flagging supply-chain constraints
* Netflix jumps after Ackman builds new stake
* U.S. economy's 2021 growth best since 1984
* Indexes down: Dow 0.42%, S&P 0.82%, Nasdaq 1.43% (New throughout; changes dateline to NEW YORK, changes byline)
By Stephen Culp
NEW YORK, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Wall Street gyrated on Thursday, with a broad rally reversing by mid-afternoon and the S&P 500 flirting with correction confirmation as investors juggled positive economic news with mixed corporate earnings, geopolitical unrest and the prospect of a more hawkish Federal Reserve.
All three major U.S. stock indexes have been whipsawed by uncertainty in recent sessions, marked by wide fluctuations and heightened volatility.
"This is a market that is schizophrenic," said Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio strategist at Ingalls & Snyder in New York. "There those who believe everything negative has been discounted there are others who believe that the worst is yet to come."
"It’s a period of a lot of uncertainty, it’s been this way all month," Ghriskey added.
The S&P 500 once again threatened to close 10% or more below its all-time high reached on Jan. 3, which would confirm the bellwether index has been in correction since then. It was last 10.1% below that level.
Smallcaps have had a rougher go of it, with the Russell 2000 now more than 20% below its Nov. 8 record high, the level that would confirm the index is in a bear market.
Among a spate of economic data released on Thursday, the Commerce Department's advance take on fourth-quarter GDP shows the U.S. economy in 2021 grew at its fastest pace in nearly four decades.
Markets gyrated wildly following the release on Wednesday of the FOMC statement, which left key interest rates near zero, and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's subsequent Q&A session during which he appeared to raise the possibility of more rate hikes this year than previously expected, beginning in March.
The fed funds futures market now prices in nearly five rate hikes this year in the wake of Powell's remarks.
Geopolitical tensions continue to simmer, as Russia continues to build up troops along the Ukrainian border and diplomats scramble to avoid conflict in the region.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 143.57 points, or 0.42%, to 34,024.52, the S&P 500 lost 35.65 points, or 0.82%, to 4,314.28 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 193.59 points, or 1.43%, to 13,348.53.