The stock market has been pricing in a strong economy, even if “conditions are lining up to disappoint those elevated expectations,” says Bob Elliott, co-founder of Unlimited Funds.

A flight to quality trade happens when investors begin to get more defensive and risk-averse, buying stocks that they perceive as higher-quality and avoiding low-quality ones. It’s typical of a market that is seeking safety as some investors bail out, and may presage a market drop.

The stock market is heading into a catalyst-filled week as Fed Chair Jerome Powell gets ready to speak at Jackson Hole and big retailers report earnings.

The stock market dipped on Wednesday, driven by a decline in tech stocks and Target announcing the appointment of a new CEO

President Trump's tariffs continue to affect global markets and the economy. Follow along for live updates on stocks, bonds and other markets, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite.

US stocks mostly slid on Wednesday, continuing a bruising stretch for tech stocks as investors weighed the latest retail earnings and assessed Federal Reserve minutes for clues on interest-rate cuts.

Stocks might get their September interest-rate cut, but the Federal Reserve could still disappoint the market, as soon as this month.

Top Federal Reserve officials generally expect inflation to increase in the near term, according to minutes of the July meeting released on Wednesday. The only questions were how big the gain would be,