Dow Dips Over 300 Points; Medtronic Shares Gain After Upbeat Q1 Earnings

U.S. equity markets opened broadly lower on Tuesday morning, led by a decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which dropped over 300 points or 0.58% to 52,876.43. The tech-heavy NASDAQ composite dropped 1.40% to 26,001.27, while the S&P 500 fell 0.68% to 7,633.51. Across market sectors, consumer discretionary stocks faced notable pressure, sliding 1.7%, whereas health care shares managed to buck the broader negative trend, climbing 1.7%. Corporate earnings presented notable standouts despite the market slump. Medtronic PLC shares rose approximately 5% after beating first-quarter expectations with adjusted earnings per share of $1.45 on revenue of $9.756 billion, alongside an increased full-year guidance and a $700 million strategic partnership with Cornerstone Robotics. In commodities, crude oil advanced 2.9% to $88.20 per barrel amid geopolitical tensions, while precious metals declined, with gold slipping 2.3% and silver falling 3.2%. Global equities mirrored the weakness, with major European and Asian indices closing in negative territory.