Market Midday: Stocks Fall, Consumer Sentiment & Retail Sales Disappoint • 8/14/25

• US markets are in the red, with the Dow down 133 points, S&P 500 down 12 points, and Nasdaq down 98 points, primarily driven by weak economic data.
• July retail sales dropped 0.6%, missing expectations for a slight increase, while August consumer sentiment (University of Michigan) came in at 51, significantly below the 55 expected, marking the weakest reading since June.
• Disney's theme parks were a 'rock solid surprise' with 28% earnings growth, and the CEO indicated continued strategic investment and potential price increases; Reddit shares popped 14% on news of its S&P 500 inclusion.

US markets are down midday Friday due to disappointing July retail sales and weak August consumer sentiment data, though the S&P 500 is still on track for its third consecutive winning week. Disney's theme parks reported strong earnings growth, and Reddit shares surged after its inclusion in the S&P 500 index.