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Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 immediately react to Trump tariffs ruling, latest GDP data

The Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 quickly rose on Friday after the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs are illegal

Updated on: Feb 20, 2026, 21:05:26 IST
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The Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 quickly rose on Friday after the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs are illegal. The top court said that the president lacked the authority to impose tariffs.

A screen above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange displays the closing number for the Dow Jones industrial average (AP)
A screen above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange displays the closing number for the Dow Jones industrial average (AP)

The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average both moved up 0.4% on Friday. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.6% at the time of writing this story. This comes after the three averages had opened the day's session in the red.

Meanwhile, the yields on benchmark US Treasuries rose, with that on 10-year notes up 2 basis points to 4.096%. The dollar index weakened slightly and was last down 0.2% at 97.67.

Follow LIVE: Trump tariff live updates: US Supreme Court strikes down Trump's global tariffs, judge says ‘he cannot’

Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs

The Supreme Court ruled that Trump exceeded his authority in imposing a swath of tariffs on dozens of countries. The conservative-majority high court ruled six-three in the judgment, saying the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.”

The court noted that "had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs" with IEEPA, "it would have done so expressly, as it consistently has in other tariff statutes."

Read More: Why has US Supreme Court struck down Trump's global trade tariffs? A four-point explainer

The ruling does not impact sector-specific duties that Trump has separately imposed on imports of steel, aluminum and various other goods. This comes months after a lower trade court had ruled that Trump overstepped his authority with across-the-board levies and blocked most of them from taking effect.

GDP data comes out

Earlier in the day, it was revealed that the US economy grew less than expected at the end of last year, dragged down by a record-long government shutdown, consumer spending, and trade. Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product increased an annualized 1.4% in the fourth quarter after rising 4.4% in the prior period, according to the government’s initial estimate out Friday. Overall, the economy expanded 2.2% last year, data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed.

“The Democrat Shutdown cost the U.S.A. at least two points in GDP. That’s why they are doing it, in mini form, again. No Shutdowns! Also, LOWER INTEREST RATES. “Two Late” Powell is the WORST!!! President DJT” President Trump reacted to the GDP data on Truth Social.

  • Yash Nitish Bajaj
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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