Walmart, Palantir stock prices are falling. Here are reasons behind Wall Street bloodbath

Walmart share prices on Thursday slid 6 per cent and Palantir Technologies stocks tanked 9.7 per cent. With a sell-off in heavyweight retailer Walmart and tech firm Palantir hitting the investor sentiment, as per a report.

Walmart share prices were down after the world's largest retailer forecast sales and profit for the fiscal year ending January 2026 below analysts' estimates, as it anticipates inflation-weary consumers to pull back after several quarters of solid growth, Reuters reported.

"(Walmart's results) show that consumers are tightening their wallets. It makes people think this a delayed reaction to all the Fed rate hikes that have been going on over the past year," said Michael Matousek, head trader at U.S. Global Investors.


The company's forecast dragged down other major retailers such as Target, Costco Wholesale and Dollar Tree, which fell between 1.4 per cent and 5.6 per cent.

Stocks of Palantir Technologies, which provides governments with services such as software that visualizes army positions, were down after the Pentagon said on Wednesday it was looking at potential budget cuts for the fiscal year 2026.


Matousek also said that Palantir's declines, coupled with Walmart's, are "inducing people to sell out of fear."


The market is also reacting to Trump's Wednesday announcement of fresh tariffs over the next month or sooner, adding lumber and forest products to previously announced plans involving duties on imported cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.


Since returning to office four weeks ago, Trump has imposed an additional 10 per cent tariff on all imports from China. He also announced, and then delayed for a month 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and non-energy imports from Canada.


Last week, he unveiled plans to slap reciprocal tariffs on all countries that have tariffs on U.S. goods.

FAQs

Q1. What are current share prices of Walmart, Palantir Technologies?
A1. Walmart share prices on Thursday slid 6 per cent and Palantir Technologies stocks tanked 9.7 per cent.

Q2. Why are Palantir Technologies stocks down?
A2. Stocks of Palantir Technologies, which provides governments with services such as software that visualizes army positions, were down after the Pentagon said on Wednesday it was looking at potential budget cuts for the fiscal year 2026.