The S&P 500 (-0.7%), Nasdaq Composite (-0.8%), and DJIA (-0.7%) finished lower today, pressured by rising yields and weakness across mega-cap stocks.

The communication services (-1.6%) and consumer discretionary (-1.3%) sectors were hindered by weak leadership across their largest components, including Alphabet (GOOG 384.90, -8.21, -2.09%) and Amazon (AMZN 259.34, -5.52, -2.08%). The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF finished 0.9% lower, contributing to losses at the index level.

Notably, the information technology sector (-0.7%) finished with a more modest loss despite early-session weakness. Semiconductor names opened with a continuation of yesterday's decline, though buyers began stepping in late in the morning. The PHLX Semiconductor Index (flat) reversed a significant early drop and climbed as much as 1.5% at its intraday highs, helping the major averages briefly approach their flatlines. Memory names such as Sandisk (SNDK 1383.29, +50.28, +3.77%) and Micron (MU 698.74, +17.20, +2.52%) led the advance, while Intel (INTC 110.80, +2.63, +2.43%) also notched a nice gain.

Session highs did not hold, however, and the major averages finished firmly lower.

Other laggards include the materials sector (-2.3%), which posted the widest loss as nearly all of its components traded lower. Construction materials names such as DuPont (DD 46.56, -2.08, -4.28%) and CRH Plc. (CRH 98.53, -4.86, -4.70%) were among the weakest performers as another rise in Treasury yields pressured rate-sensitive and cyclical areas tied to housing and construction demand.

The iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF finished 1.5% lower.

Builders FirstSource (BLDR 66.39, -3.79, -5.40%) was a notable laggard in the industrials sector (-1.2%), while asset managers, which are sensitive to higher interest rates through their impact on market levels and assets under management, also came under pressure alongside broader weakness in the financials sector (-1.2%).

Meanwhile, strength was concentrated across more defensive holdings. The health care sector (+1.1%) captured a nice gain, with its largest component Eli Lilly (LLY 1021.59, +33.50, +3.39%) rebounding nicely from yesterday's slide, while the utilities sector (+1.0%) captured a similar gain.

The real estate (+0.5%) and consumer staples (+0.4%) sectors notched more modest gains.

The energy sector (+1.0%) finished as one of the top performers as oil reversed earlier losses. The morning was relatively quiet on the geopolitical front, but reports that the U.S. and Iran remain far apart in negotiations began to trickle in later in the session. Crude oil futures settled today's session near their best levels, $0.16 lower (-0.2%) at $108.59 per barrel.

Outside of the S&P 500, the Russell 2000 (-1.0%) and S&P Mid Cap 400 (-1.0%) underperformed amid the weakness in growth stocks and upward pressure on Treasury yields.

Overall, today's session highlighted continued sensitivity to interest rates and mega-cap leadership, with defensive sectors providing stability while growth stocks and cyclicals remained under pressure. Going forward, the market remains focused on whether rising yields will continue to cap upside momentum or whether investors step in with a more meaningful buy-the-dip bid across recent market leaders.

U.S. Treasuries extended their recent losses on Tuesday, lifting yields to fresh highs for the year with the 30-year yield reaching a level not seen in almost 20 years. The 2-year note yield settled up three basis points to 4.12%, the 10-year note yield settled up four basis points to 4.67%, and the 30-year note yield settled up three basis points to 5.18%.

• Nasdaq Composite: +11.3% YTD
• Russell 2000: +10.7% YTD
• S&P Mid Cap 400: +8.0% YTD
• S&P 500: +7.4% YTD
• DJIA: +2.7% YTD

Reviewing today's data:

• Pending Home Sales rose 1.4% month-over-month in April (Briefing.com consensus 1.6%) while the March increase was revised up to 1.7% from 1.5%.