Wall Street: S&P 500 Falls for Third Day, but Posts Positive January

U.S. stocks on Wall Street declined on Friday, January 30, 2026, as tech stocks remained under pressure. Despite the losses and heightened volatility during the month, the S&P 500 posted gains for January. The broad index fell 0.43% to close at 6,939.03 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 179 points (0.36%) to 48,892.47. Both indices briefly lost over 1% intraday. The Nasdaq Composite fared worse, falling 0.94% to 23,461.82. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Kevin Warsh for Federal Reserve Chair via Truth Social, calling him potentially “the greatest Fed chair ever.” Warsh’s appointment is seen as reassuring for market concerns about Fed independence—he’s a former Fed governor with a hawkish inflation record. Though he may support near-term rate cuts—as Trump desires—investors view him as a technocrat who prioritizes monetary policy credibility over political pressure.