Dow Jones finishes slightly ahead as huge earnings week kicks off

U.S. stocks were a mixed bag Monday as investors followed earnings across sectors, from pizza to semiconductors and sanitation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 114 points, or 0.3%, while the S&P 500 gained almost 4 points, or about 0.1%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq finished down 17 points, or 0.1%. All three were up during morning trading before falling throughout the afternoon and finishing close to even.

Tariff pause nears a critical point

Treasury Secretary Bessent made the rounds on television over the weekend, trying to project optimism that a path forward on tariffs could still emerge, especially regarding trade deals with nations across Asia. His remarks came as the U.S. moves deeper into a 90-day tariff pause — now about 20% complete — and economic damage is already mounting.

U.S. farmers warn that the agriculture sector is in a “full-blown crisis,” according to CNBC, with mass cancellations of pork, hay, lumber, and other exports to China driving deep financial losses and layoffs across the industry.

Adding to the pressure, S&P 500 companies mentioned “worse” or “weaker” far more often than “better” or “stronger” during first-quarter earnings calls, with optimism hitting its lowest ratio since 2008.

Huawei’s new AI chip puts pressure on Nvidia

Huawei is preparing to test a powerful new artificialintelligence chip aimed at replacing some high-end Nvidia (NVDA) products. The Ascend 910D processor represents a fresh push by China’s tech sector to build a self-sufficient semiconductor industry despite U.S. sanctions.

Nvidia dropped as much as 4% in Monday trading before finishing the day down almost 2.1%.

Domino’s beats on earnings, slips on sales

Domino’s Pizza (DPZ) missed expectations on revenue but topped earnings forecasts, reporting adjusted EPS of $4.33 against estimates of $4.07. Domino’s CEO Russell Weiner highlighted the company’s ability to “control what is under its control” in a “challenging macroeconomic environment,” and boasted about progress under the chain’s “Hungry for MORE” five-year growth initiative.

U.S. same-store sales declined 0.5% for the quarter, while international same-store sales rose 3.7%, excluding currency impacts. Global net store count fell by 8, reflecting 17 net openings in the U.S. and 25 net closures internationally.

Domino’s stock finished the day up about 0.6%.

More big names on deck

Waste Management (WM) reports earnings after the bell, with analysts scrutinizing margins and pricing power amid inflationary pressures. NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) will offer an early glimpse into global chip demand, with a year-over-year earnings drop expected.

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) results could provide insight into how much R&D spending chipmakers are still willing to do in a tighter environment. On the real estate side, Welltower (WELL) will test investor appetite for healthcare REITs in a high-rate environment. Roper Technologies (ROP) rounds out the day’s lineup, with investors watching for signs of steady growth and M&A potential in the industrial software space.

Visa and Coca-Cola headline Tuesday’s slate

Tuesday brings results from Visa (V), Coca-Cola (KO), Booking Holdings (BKNG), and Novartis (NVS).

Visa is expected to post about 9% revenue growth to $9.55 billion, fueled by strong payment and cross-border volumes. While earnings are projected to come in slightly ahead of last year, investors will be watching closely for any signs of weakness in the outlook — particularly as new tariffs could weigh on consumer spending and international travel.

Big Tech’s moment arrives midweek

Later this week, Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META) report after the bell Wednesday, giving investors a read on cloud growth, AI momentum, and digital ad trends. Amazon (AMZN) and Apple (AAPL) are on deck Thursday, while Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) is set to follow on Friday, capping one of the biggest earnings weeks of the year.