US equity markets delivered a mixed session as investors weighed rising Treasury yields, Federal Reserve policy expectations, and corporate earnings. Earlier, the Nasdaq Composite broke lower, falling approximately 1.2% and reversing recent gains. The selloff was concentrated in megacap technology and growth names, with Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia among the notable decliners. The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, climbed above 18, signaling heightened caution, while the 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.3%, drawing capital away from riskier assets.
The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average also slipped, though to a lesser extent, and market breadth was negative on the Nasdaq. Analysts pointed to upcoming inflation data and corporate earnings as potential catalysts that could either deepen the pullback or help stabilize sentiment.
Later in the day, however, Wall Street opened higher, with all three major indices posting modest early gains. The S&P 500 advanced 0.43%, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.4%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.34%. Technology and consumer discretionary sectors led the advance, supported by better-than-expected earnings from select large-cap firms and a slight easing in Treasury yields. Traders noted the S&P 500 was hovering near its 50-day moving average, while the Nasdaq tested resistance at recent highs.
For crypto investors, the whipsaw in equities is a reminder that macro sentiment remains sensitive to interest-rate expectations. Although no single coin was directly named in the equity coverage, broader risk appetite and Federal Reserve signals often spill over into digital-asset markets, making the risk-on/risk-off backdrop important to monitor.