Stock Market Today: Dow Jones, S&P 500 Futures Trade Mixed as Fed Begins Its Two-Day Meet — NVS, HSBC, WELL in Focus

U.S. stock futures were mixed on Tuesday, with Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures moving in different directions following Monday’s higher close.

The Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its interest rate decision on Wednesday, with its two-day meeting beginning today. This follows an interest rate hike of 25 basis points in September, bringing its benchmark range to 3.75%-4%.

CME Group’s FedWatch tool‘s projections show markets pricing in an 89.5% likelihood of the Federal Reserve leaving the current interest rates unchanged during October’s meeting. Polymarket bettors have placed a 94% probability that there will be no change in interest rates, while placing a 7% probability on a “25 bps increase.” –

Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.99%, and the 2-year Treasury bond yielded 4.72%, at the last check.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY), the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (NYSE:DIA), which track the S&P 500 index, Nasdaq 100 index and Dow Jones Industrial Average, respectively, were mixed in premarket trading on Tuesday. The SPY was up 0.022% at $765.54, the QQQ declined 0.003% to $712.18, and the DIA rose 0.044% to $523.20.

Stocks In Focus

Novartis

• Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) was 1.68% higher in premarket on Tuesday after it reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.46 on revenue of $14.52 billion before the opening bell, a mixed result versus estimates.
• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that NVS maintains a positive price trend in the short, medium, and long terms, with a weak value score.

HSBC Holdings

• HSBC Holdings PLC (NYSE:HSBC) was 7.1% lower in premarket trading on Tuesday after it reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.10 on revenue of $18.62 billion before the opening bell, a mixed result versus estimates.
• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that HSBC maintains a negative price trend in the short, long, and medium terms, with a good momentum score.

Welltower

• Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) was 0.87% higher in premarket on Tuesday after it reported third-quarter 2026 Funds From Operations of $1.67 on revenue of $3.72 billion after the closing bell on Monday, a mixed result versus estimates.
• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that WELL maintains a positive price trend in the short, medium, and long terms, with a good quality score.

Cadence Design Systems

• Cadence Design Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CDNS) was 2.53% higher in premarket on Tuesday after it reported third-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.11 on revenue of $1.63 billion after the closing bell on Monday, beating estimates.
• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that CDNS maintains a negative price trend in the short, medium, and long terms, with a good growth score.

Visa

• Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) was 0.25% higher in premarket on Tuesday as analysts expect fourth quarter 2026 EPS of $3.44 on revenue of $12.08 billion after the closing bell.
• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that V maintains a positive price trend in the short, medium, and long terms, with a poor value score.

Cues From Last Session

U.S. stocks closed higher on Monday, with the Dow gaining over 100 points. Information technology, industrials, and consumer discretionary led, while communication services, consumer staples, and utilities lagged.

Insights From Analysts

Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said the Federal Reserve should avoid raising interest rates again this week, arguing that the economy faces mounting threats. He pointed to oil prices, bond-market stress and potential AI stock losses, writing, “The Fed won’t raise interest rates again when it meets this week, and it shouldn’t,” and adding, “The economy is threatened by a growing list of risks, and a Fed misstep is one of them.”

Zandi referenced a Moody’s risk matrix that evaluates threats by likelihood over the next 12 to 18 months and potential economic damage, saying it contained “a lot of red,” with risks including an AI stock selloff, Federal Reserve missteps, intensifying wars, trade escalation and financial repression.

David Morrison, Senior Market Analyst at Trade Nation, said the week features heavy earnings and a Fed decision, with attention on hyperscalers and what results imply for capital spending and funding. He wrote that the Fed is expected to keep rates unchanged, while noting Treasury yields have stabilized and that the 10-year note is “hovering just shy of 5.0%.”

Morrison also flagged market focus on “capital expenditures, free cash flow (assuming there is any), the ease with which these companies can raise cash, and, more importantly, as we saw with Meta, where that cash may come from.”

Upcoming Economic Data

Here’s what investors will be keeping an eye on Tuesday.

• September’s durable goods orders data will be released by 8:30 a.m., and August’s S&P Case-Shiller home price index data will be out by 9 a.m. ET.
• September’s new home sales report and October’s Conference Board consumer confidence data will be out at 10 a.m. ET, while the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) begins its two-day meeting.

Commodities, Crypto, And Global Equity Markets

Crude Oil WTI futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.54% to hover around $102.31 per barrel. Meanwhile, Brent futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.90% to hover around $111.74 per barrel.

Gold Spot US Dollar fell 0.20% to hover around $3,997.22 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was 0.14% higher at the 102.1624 level.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) was trading at $79,580 per coin, down 1% over the last 24 hours.

Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday, as Australia’s ASX 200, South Korea’s Kospi, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 indices rose. India’s Nifty 50, China’s CSI 300, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng indices fell. European markets were lower in early trading.

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