US Equity Markets Mixed as Investors Parse New Economic Data

04:28 PM EST, 01/27/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes were mixed Tuesday as technology and health stocks moved in opposite directions, while a consumer confidence gauge dropped to a 12-year low.

* The Conference Board's measure of consumer confidence slipped to 84.5 in January, its lowest since May 2014, from 94.2 in December and below the 91.0 expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.

* The Dallas Federal Reserve's monthly general business services index rose to 2.7 in January from a revised reading of minus 5.0 in December.

* The Richmond Fed's monthly manufacturing index improved to minus 6 in January compared with minus 7 in December, while still below market expectations of minus 5, according to a Bloomberg-compiled survey.

* March West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $1.82 to settle at $62.45 per barrel, while March Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $1.96 to $67.55.

* Corning (GLW) shares rose roughly 16%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, after the company said it signed a multiyear, up to $6 billion, deal to supply optical fiber, cable, and connectivity products to support the construction of Meta Platforms' (META) US data centers.

* UnitedHealth (UNH) is among the health insurance stocks falling on Tuesday after the Trump administration proposed nearly flat rates for Medicare insurers in 2027. UnitedHealth's (UNH) shares were down nearly 20%, the worst performer on the Dow.

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