Stock market today: Dow declines 0.41% amid UnitedHealth concern, S&P 500 rises 0.53% on cooling inflation, Nasdaq climbs 1.08% boosted by tech gains.

In the shifting landscape of stock market movements, major U.S. indices demonstrated varying trends today, painting a mixed picture for investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) encountered turbulence, descending by approximately 0.41%. This decline can be attributed partially to the impactful drop in UnitedHealth stock, which has been a significant drag on the index following the company's announcement of a new CEO and the suspension of its guidance.

Despite the Dow's struggle, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) navigated today's trading session successfully, trending upward by 0.53%. This momentum was buoyed by a cooler-than-expected consumer inflation report, revealing that prices rose at their slowest annual pace since February 2021. Investors expressed renewed optimism after the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day pause and rollback of tariffs, which helped fuel the index's rise as it robustly continued its rally from the previous day.

In sharp contrast, the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) surged ahead, recording a notable gain of 1.08%. The index's upswing was largely driven by tech stocks, which took the spotlight amid the positive sentiment over the recent U.S.-China trade truce. This development has reassured investors about the resilience of the tech sector, and the Nasdaq's performance reflects this growing confidence as it entered a bull market earlier in the week.

Overall, while the Dow faced headwinds, the broader market sentiment seemed buoyed by easing trade tensions and softer inflation data, which sparked investor optimism about the economic outlook. As Wall Street navigates this complex economic terrain, market participants remain cautiously optimistic, looking toward potential positive outcomes from ongoing trade discussions and a possibly stabilizing economic environment.