Dow Jones Today: DJIA Advances on Surprising GDP Growth as Consumer Sentiment Sours

The Dow Jones (DJIA) is trading higher on Tuesday, driven by a higher-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) print.

U.S. GDP climbed by 4.3% during the third quarter, above the estimate of 3.3% and rising from 3.8% during the second quarter. Consumer spending, the largest component of GDP, accelerated from 2.5% to 3.5% and was led by recreational goods, vehicles, and healthcare purchases.

“The increase in real GDP in the third quarter reflected increases in consumer spending, exports, and government spending that were partly offset by a decrease in investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, decreased,” said the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

At the same time, inflation remains an issue for consumers. During the quarter, core personal consumption expenditures (PCE), which excludes volatile food and energy prices and is the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation, increased by 2.9%. That came in line with the estimate and rose from 2.6% quarter-over-quarter.

Meanwhile, consumer confidence took a hit heading into the new year. December’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) was 89.1, falling for a fifth consecutive month and registering the lowest level since April. A reading above 100 indicates optimism, while a reading below 100 indicates pessimism. The Conference Board (TCB) Chief Economist Dana M. Peterson noted that consumers continue to expect tariffs, inflation, and politics to affect the economy, with a recent focus on immigration, war, and interest rates.

The Dow Jones is up by 0.19% at the time of writing.

Which Stocks are Moving the Dow Jones?

Let’s pivot to TipRanks’ Dow Jones Heatmap, which illustrates the stocks that have contributed to the index’s price action.

Nvidia (NVDA) is leading the tech sector higher after the company set a goal of resuming H200 chip shipments to China by the Lunar New Year in February 2026. NVDA stock is up by nearly 7% over the past week and is on track to finish the year with a 35% return.

Elsewhere, most Dow Jones stocks are within the -1% to +1% range, while the index’s four healthcare stocks are showing muted price action. Furthermore, financial stocks are continuing to climb higher, with JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Visa (V) leading the way. JPM stock is up by about 10% during the past month, with V stock trailing behind at 7.5%.

DIA Stock Moves Higher with the Dow Jones

The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) is an exchange-traded fund designed to track the movement of the Dow Jones. As a result, DIA is rising alongside the Dow Jones today.

Wall Street believes that DIA stock has room to rise. During the past three months, analysts have issued an average DIA price target of $535.56, implying upside of 10.54% from current prices. The 30 holdings in DIA carry 29 buy ratings, one hold rating, and zero sell ratings.

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