US pre-open: Stocks mixed ahead of Powell testimony

Wall Street trading got off to a mixed start on Tuesday as market participants patiently awaited testimony from Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell.

As of 1445 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.08% at 33,404.11 and the S&P 500 slipped 0.02% to 4,047.52, while the Nasdaq Composite came out the gate 0.22% firmer at 11,701.32.

The Dow opened 27.33 points lower on Tuesday, taking a bite out of gains recorded in the previous session.

Investors will be zeroed in on congressional testimony from Powell on Tuesday, scheduled to start at 1500, with the central bank head set to deliver remarks on what he considers to be the current state of the US economy and what he anticipates the future will hold for interest rates going forward.

Bond yields were also drawing an amount of investor attention at the open, with the 10-year Treasury note trading slightly lower at 3.956% after recently breaking the psychologically important 4% threshold.

Outside of Powell's testimony, traders will also be looking at January wholesale inventories data from the Census Bureau, due out at 1500 GMT, and consumer credit change figures for the first month of the year at 2000 GMT.

In the corporate space, Dick's Sporting Goods and Squarespace will both report earnings on Tuesday.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

Dow Jones - Risers

Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $111.10 3.95%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $153.83 1.85%
Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $60.36 1.55%
Visa Inc. (V) $226.75 1.33%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $155.56 1.00%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $166.17 0.73%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $256.87 0.62%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $270.64 0.58%
Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $480.78 0.46%
International Business Machines Corporation (CDI) (IBM) $130.15 0.42%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $57.10 -2.07%
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $35.45 -1.77%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $25.99 -1.55%
Boeing Co. (BA) $211.92 -1.48%
Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $183.80 -1.41%
3M Co. (MMM) $109.93 -1.20%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $120.17 -0.64%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $142.82 -0.58%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $253.98 -0.52%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $100.66 -0.47%

S&P 500 - Risers

CenturyLink Inc. (LUMN) $3.30 4.10%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $111.10 3.95%
Gartner Inc. (IT) $341.42 2.28%
NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) $34.38 2.20%
Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) $31.33 2.12%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $103.98 1.93%
Arconic Inc. (ARNC) $27.72 1.91%
Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) $87.15 1.88%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $153.83 1.85%
Sl Green Realty Corp. (SLG) $34.87 1.75%

S&P 500 - Fallers

Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) $1.43 -8.28%
Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. (BFH) $38.39 -5.49%
VF Corp. (VFC) $24.85 -5.37%
Under Armour, Inc. (UA) $8.50 -4.71%
Gap Inc. (GPS) $12.17 -4.70%
Perrigo Company plc (PRGO) $36.96 -4.62%
Under Armour Inc. Class A (UAA) $9.59 -4.58%
Macy's Inc. (M) $21.67 -4.37%
Mohawk Inds Inc. (MHK) $102.07 -4.10%
Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (EW) $78.80 -3.81%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Mercadolibre Inc. (MELI) $1,256.26 2.41%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $103.98 1.93%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $153.83 1.85%
Alphabet Inc. Class C (GOOG) $95.58 1.66%
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $483.08 1.65%
Alphabet Inc. Class A (GOOGL) $95.13 1.58%
DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $39.27 1.37%
T-Mobile Us, Inc. (TMUS) $143.72 1.28%
Marriott International - Class A (MAR) $175.12 1.18%
Sirius XM Holdings Inc (SIRI) $4.30 1.18%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Qurate Retail Inc. (QRTEA) $1.40 -7.28%
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $94.32 -6.82%
Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $144.06 -3.41%
Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $10.90 -2.94%
eBay Inc. (EBAY) $44.75 -2.80%
Hasbro Inc (HAS) $54.18 -2.59%
Asml Holdings N.V. (ASML) $620.97 -2.57%
Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $149.51 -2.57%
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $215.61 -2.52%
Incyte Corp. (INCY) $75.87 -2.20%