Stocks Rebound On Trump's Remarks, Natural Gas Rockets: What's Moving Markets Wednesday?

After Tuesday's sharp sell-off, triggered by renewed fears of potential U.S. tariffs on Europe tied to President Donald Trump's stance on Greenland, Wall Street attempted a cautious rebound in Wednesday's session.

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Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump reiterated that acquiring Greenland remains a national security priority for the U.S. He said he expects NATO allies to understand the strategic importance of the issue, while ruling out any use of military force.

Markets reacted with restraint. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 0.6%, slightly outperforming both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100, as investors remained defensive amid lingering geopolitical uncertainty.

Shortly after Trump's remarks, Denmark briefly rejected Washington's request to open negotiations over Greenland, while the European Parliament moved to freeze work on a potential EU-U.S. trade agreement, adding another layer of tension to the transatlantic outlook.

The clear standout of the session was the oil and gas sector, which strongly outperformed the broader market.

On Wednesday, U.S. natural gas futures at the Henry Hub facility jumped nearly 24%, mirroring Tuesday's rally and marking the largest two-day percentage gain on record for the market, amid a sudden deterioration in U.S. weather forecasts.

Updated projections for the weekend point to a deep and widespread Arctic blast, with average temperatures expected to run at least 8 degrees Fahrenheit below seasonal norms across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and parts of New England. Forecasters are also warning of ice storms and heavy snowfall risks.

Shares of EQT Corp (NYSE:EQT) climbed 6%, while Antero Resources Corporation (NYSE:AR) advanced 5%. Crude oil was far more subdued, with WTI settling flat on the day at $60 a barrel.

Earnings were mixed. Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) fell more than 4% despite beating Wall Street's quarterly estimates, as its first-quarter 2026 guidance disappointed investors. United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) rose 2% after topping expectations.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) traded flat after largely meeting forecasts. Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC) gained 2.8% on upbeat guidance, while Halliburton Co (NYSE:HAL) rallied 5% following a strong earnings beat.

In commodities, gold extended its record-breaking run, pushing above $4,850 an ounce and climbing more than 10% year to date. Silver paused, sliding 1.9% to $92.75.

In crypto markets, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) fell for a seventh straight session, dropping toward $88,000 and heading for its worst losing streak since May 2023.

Wednesday’s Performance In Major U.S. Indices, ETFs

According to Benzinga Pro data:

• The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSE:VOO) rose 0.32% to $625.16.
• The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:DIA) gained 0.49% to $487.25.
• The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series (NASDAQ:QQQ) advanced 0.27% to $609.70.
• The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:IWM) traded up 0.42% at $263.68.
• The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLE) outperformed, up 2.4%, while the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLP) lagged, down 0.4%.

Russell 1000’s Top Gainers On Wednesday

Russell 1000’s Top Losers On Wednesday

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