New York Stock Exchange Opens Week Lower Amid Fed Uncertainty and Walmart Impact

The S&P 500 index opened 0.35% lower at 6,857.41 points, while the Nasdaq index fell 0.50% to 22,639.46 points.
The negative sentiment was driven by concerns that the U.S.
Federal Reserve (Fed) might keep policy rates high for longer than expected, alongside corporate earnings outlooks.
Interest Rate Uncertainty in Fed Minutes Minutes from the Fed's latest meeting revealed a divergence of opinion among officials regarding the future of interest rate policy.
While some officials believed rate cuts would be appropriate if inflation recedes as expected, others argued that rates should remain steady for a while longer as data is evaluated.
The minutes also noted that the possibility of rate hikes could return to the agenda if inflation remains above target.
Geopolitical Tensions and Oil Prices Tensions between the U.S.
and Iran, combined with statements from U.S.
President Donald Trump regarding Diego Garcia Island, supported a cautious stance in the markets.
Following these developments, Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices rose by more than 1%.
Energy giant Chevron saw its shares gain over 1% in tandem with rising oil prices.
Walmart Shares Decline and Foreign Trade Data Financial results from retail giant Walmart were closely monitored by investors.
Although the company's revenue and profit exceeded expectations, its shares fell 2% after its profit forecast for the upcoming fiscal year came in below market expectations.
On the economic data front, the U.S.
foreign trade deficit increased by 32.6% compared to the previous month, reaching $70.3 billion in the final month of the year.
For the full year of 2025, the country's trade deficit decreased by 0.2% annually to $901.5 billion.