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Economy & Finance

U.S. Markets

The Nasdaq advanced on Tuesday, lifted by Nvidia's strong performance, as traders seemed to brush off growing geopolitical concerns between Russia and Ukraine. The tech-heavy index rose 1.04%, while the S&P 500 saw a more modest gain of 0.4%, and the Dow Jones slipped 120 points. Nvidia climbed almost 5% ahead of its anticipated earnings report, with Tesla also making headlines for a month-long surge nearing 38%, and Walmart impressing with better-than-expected earnings. Meanwhile, tensions escalated after Russia issued warnings over nuclear thresholds, and Ukraine launched U.S.-supplied missiles into Russian territory, sparking further investor anxiety. Safe-haven assets like gold and Treasury bonds saw gains, and market volatility rose, as indicated by a spike in the VIX.

Technology

SpaceX

SpaceX completed the sixth test flight of its Starship rocket on Tuesday, launching from its Texas facility and reaching space before splashing down in the Indian Ocean. While the mission aimed to recover the Super Heavy booster on the launch tower’s arms, the booster ended up in the Gulf of Mexico due to unmet criteria. This flight tested new capabilities, like engine reignition in space and an updated heat shield. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, a known supporter of SpaceX, attended the launch, marking his latest visit since viewing a SpaceX astronaut launch in 2020. The reusable Starship system remains crucial for NASA’s lunar missions.

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