US markets today: Wall Street steadies after sharp sell-off, Donald Trump rules out force over Greenland
US stock markets stabilised on Wednesday after a sharp sell-off in the previous session, as President Donald Trump said he would not use force to take control of Greenland, easing some investor concerns even as pockets of caution remained.The S&P 500 rose 0.3 per cent, recovering part of its 2.1 per cent decline on Tuesday, which marked its worst day since October. The benchmark moved closer to the record high it had touched earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced about 200 points, or 0.4 per cent, while the Nasdaq Composite edged up 0.1 per cent in early trade, AP reported.Markets found some support after Trump, speaking before business and government leaders in Europe, said he would not use force to take “the piece of ice”, a reference to Greenland. Trump later acknowledged that his comments on Greenland had contributed to Tuesday’s market fall, but dismissed the drop as “peanuts compared to what it’s gone up” during the first year of his second term.In the bond market, US Treasury yields steadied, a day after jumping amid concerns over longer-term inflation. The 10-year Treasury yield eased to 4.28 per cent from 4.30 per cent, though it remained above levels seen before Trump announced plans to impose 10 per cent tariffs on several European countries starting February, in addition to a proposed 15 per cent tariff under a yet-to-be-ratified EU trade agreement.Despite calmer equity trading, some signs of risk aversion persisted. Gold prices rose 1.9 per cent to cross USD 4,800 per ounce for the first time, reflecting continued demand for safe-haven assets.Among individual stocks, Halliburton climbed 3.6 per cent after reporting quarterly profits that beat expectations. United Airlines rose 3.5 per cent after posting stronger-than-expected results for the end of 2025, with CEO Scott Kirby saying revenue momentum was carrying into 2026.These gains helped offset declines in heavyweight stocks. Netflix fell 4.8 per cent, despite reporting better-than-expected profits, as investors focused on a slowdown in subscriber growth. Kraft Heinz dropped 6.6 per cent after Berkshire Hathaway warned it may consider selling its 325 million-share stake in the food giant.In commodities, natural gas futures jumped more than 8 per cent, driven by expectations of higher heating demand as a cold snap and severe storms hit large parts of the United States.Global markets were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.4 per cent, after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called a snap election for February 8, sending long-term government bond yields to record levels earlier in the week. European markets traded on a mixed note, while Asian markets saw modest moves.
