US stocks advanced Tuesday with the Dow tracking its best first half in five years while the Nasdaq targets its strongest quarter since 2020. The S&P 500 has gained over 14% this quarter, marking its best performance since the pandemic rebound period. Market momentum continues despite mixed economic signals and Fed policy uncertainty.

Consumer confidence rose modestly to 91.2 in June, missing forecasts of 94.2, as falling gas prices offset growing employment concerns. The "hard to get" jobs metric hit 22.5%, the highest since January 2021. Meanwhile, job openings held steady at 7.59 million in May, supported by trade sector gains but weighed down by healthcare losses. Inflation expectations eased slightly with 61.5% anticipating rate hikes.

Oppenheimer downgraded Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to underperform, arguing both banks operate in mature cyclical businesses. Analysts recommend shifting to alternative asset managers including Blackstone, Ares Management and KKR. Digital Realty Trust fell 4.5% after agreeing to buy data center stakes from Blackstone for $7.8 billion.

Small-cap stocks surge more than 21% year-to-date, their best first half since 1991, driven by semiconductor companies. Gold prices drop over 13% quarterly while WTI crude slides 30% amid rate hike concerns. Kering shares fell 5% as luxury sector pressures persist ahead of earnings season.