Tech Sector Resilience Anchors Mixed Market Start to 2026

New York, Friday, 2 January 2026.
On Friday, January 2, 2026, U.S. markets opened the year with a distinct divergence: while the S&P 500 struggled to maintain initial gains, the Nasdaq Composite edged higher, fueled by renewed institutional confidence in semiconductor leaders like Nvidia. This mixed start reveals a market supported by specific tech resilience rather than broad participation. The economic backdrop is equally complex, with President Trump’s surprise New Year’s Eve tariff postponement offering temporary relief against a landscape of historically high valuations. As investors digest jobless claims hovering near 50-year lows, the primary question for 2026 remains whether corporate earnings can justify price-to-earnings ratios now reaching levels reminiscent of the dot-com era.