Live Markets: Steel Bump, MCD and Superbowl Stocks

Today the markets have gone on offense despite the renewed focus on tariffs, with all three of the broader stock market indices trading in the green. In addition to tariffs, the markets are also focused on this week’s docket of economic data, including a key inflation reading due out midweek. As of early morning trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq are advancing, led by the Nasdaq with a 1% gain.

President Trump unveiled a forthcoming plan to implement 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports in a bid to strengthen U.S. production of these metals. In response, the VanEck Steel ETF (NYSEArca: SLX)  is up 3%, driven by heavily weighted individual names like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO) and Nucor (NYSE: NUE), the latter of which is advancing 5%.

Nippon Steel  and United States Steel (NYSE: X), the latter of which is tacking on 3% today, are in the midst of tie-up discussions that would bolster U.S. and Japanese partnerships, but it is far from a done deal amid regulatory headwinds.

Here’s a look at the performance as of morning trading:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: Up 160.61 (+0.36%)
Nasdaq Composite: Up 237.17 (+1.21%)
S&P 500: Up 42.10 (+0.69%)

McDonald’s Stock Defies Odds

McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) reported its Q4 results, posting a dramatic miss on both the top and bottom lines. McDonald’s hasn’t suffered a revenue shortfall of this nature since the pandemic crippled results, but its same-store sales, which reflects the performance of locations open for at least one year, surprisingly climbed higher. This coupled with an upbeat outlook for 2025 sent shares soaring nearly 5% as of mid-morning trading. However the overall results suggest that consumers are feeling the inflationary pinch and are holding onto their hard-earned cash amid rising meal prices.

Superbowl Stocks

Hims and Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) is gaining 2.7% on the day on the heels of the company’s high-profile Superbowl ad. The telehealth company, which is behind alternative drugs for issues like obesity and hair loss, has now made its mainstream debut. However, the company is also facing backlash from lawmakers accusing the company of misleading the public. Him and Hers reports earnings on Feb. 24.

OpenAI paid a reported $14 million for its ChatGPT ad, in response to which OpenAI backer Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) stock is gaining 1%.

Nike (NYSE: NKE) also made an appearance during the big game featuring some high-profile female athletes, and shares of the athletic apparel company are up 2.8% in response. The company is looking to ride the wave of the higher attention on girl sports of late.

Duracell, owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B), ran a Superbowl ad featuring Tom Brady but the stock is not moving much.

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