New York, Feb 10, 2026, 10:02 EST — Regular session
- Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked higher at the open after U.S. retail sales figures came in weaker than expected.
- Traders brace for payrolls and inflation data, both expected later this week but running behind schedule.
- Coca-Cola shares dropped as the company projected a slower pace for revenue growth in 2026.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up at the open Tuesday after December U.S. retail sales came in flat, further fueling debate over the timing of the Federal Reserve’s next rate cut.
Why it matters now: Investors are bouncing between headlines in a data-heavy week, as stocks cling to record levels following a rough AI-driven software selloff and a quick tech rebound.
The Dow kicked off the session up 57.6 points, or 0.11%, hitting 50,193.49. S&P 500 picked up 0.14%, while the Nasdaq also advanced 0.14%.
Retail sales stalled in December, showing no change after climbing 0.6% in November, and missed the expected 0.4% increase. Core retail sales, a category more closely tied to GDP calculations, slipped by 0.1%.
Bond yields slipped following the report. Stocks barely budged, with traders weighing if the softer spending hints at trouble ahead or just gives the Fed space to turn more dovish.
The Dow closed Monday at a new high, hitting 50,135.87 — a gain of 20.20 points — with tech stocks bouncing back. “You’ve a sharply oversold market where a little bit of good news can go a long way,” said Keith Lerner, chief investment officer at Truist Advisory Services. Reuters
Software stocks took a hit last week after Anthropic’s Claude model rolled out a new legal tool, sparking concerns over the staying power of established software business models as AI gains ground.
Coca-Cola shares slipped after the company projected 2026 organic revenue growth between 4% and 5%, coming up short of Wall Street’s fourth-quarter revenue expectations and citing uneven demand. Jefferies’ Kaumil Gajrawala described the forecast as “conservative.” Reuters
PepsiCo, one of the main players alongside Coca-Cola in the beverage and snack markets, has turned to price reductions and promoted portion control after customers balked at repeated price hikes—a trend resurfacing in trading today.
The risk is clear enough: labor data beating forecasts or hotter inflation could have traders rapidly shifting their rate bets, sending yields higher again—a move that’s taken the wind out of high-growth and rate-sensitive stocks before.
It’s all about the calendar from here. The January jobs numbers—pushed back—are set to land Wednesday, while Friday brings January’s CPI. Investors are waiting to see if either data point will sway the Fed’s timeline.
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