New York, Jan 27, 2026, 12:07 EST — Regular session
- Walmart shares dropped roughly 1.6% after U.S. consumer confidence sank to its lowest point since 2014 (Reuters)
- The stock fell behind big-box rivals despite gains in tech-heavy shares
- Investors are focused on the Fed’s meeting scheduled for Jan. 27-28 and Walmart’s earnings report due Feb. 19 (Federal Reserve)
Walmart shares dipped Tuesday, lagging behind the wider market amid concerns over a steep fall in U.S. consumer confidence and a busy slate of upcoming macroeconomic events.
Walmart slipped 1.6% to $115.73 in midday trading, after dipping to $115.52 earlier. The stock started the day at $117.50 and was last down roughly $1.91 from its previous close, with around 7.3 million shares changing hands. Source: Yahoo
Why it matters now: Walmart often signals how U.S. households are managing their budgets, particularly when it comes to food and essentials. Investors want to see if slipping consumer confidence will translate into lower spending.
The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index dropped 9.7 points in January, hitting 84.5 — its lowest mark since May 2014, Reuters reported. Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economist, noted that “references to prices and inflation … and food and grocery prices remained elevated.” Source: Reuters (Reuters)
Walmart trailed behind some of its retail rivals after the move. Target slipped roughly 0.2%, while Costco dropped around 1.4%, according to early afternoon trading.
Major indexes showed a mixed picture: the S&P 500 ETF gained roughly 0.5%, the Nasdaq 100 tracker rose about 1%, but the Dow ETF slipped nearly 0.6%.
Walmart is set for a leadership shakeup starting Feb. 1, following a series of internal promotions and role adjustments revealed earlier this month. Source: Walmart (Walmart News & Leadership)
Incoming President and CEO John Furner said the company is “centralizing our platforms to accelerate shared capabilities” as “AI rapidly reshapes retail.” Source: Walmart (Walmart News & Leadership)
Tuesday’s drop highlighted the risks for the group: if negative sentiment leads to weaker discretionary spending, retailers could deal with tougher comparisons and increased promotions, even as grocery traffic remains steady.
The Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting kicks off Jan. 27-28, with eyes on the statement and Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference. Source: Federalreserve (Federal Reserve)
Walmart’s next major event comes Feb. 19, when it will report quarterly earnings and hold a conference call. Source: Walmart
