Stock Market Today, Sept. 2: Ford Gains as Investors Weigh August Sales Drop Against F-Series Strength

Ford Motor (F +2.17%), the global light-vehicle and truck maker with Ford and Lincoln brands, closed at $14.14, up 2.17%. Wednesday’s session followed reports that August U.S. sales fell 10.3%. Investors will be closely watching pickup production and demand next.
Trading volume reached 51.7 million shares, coming in roughly 3.1% above its three-month average of 50.2 million shares.

How the markets moved today

The S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.46%) closed at 7,667, up 0.47%, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +0.45%) finished at 26,218, up 0.45%. Among automobile manufacturers, General Motors (GM -0.89%) closed at $84.88, down 0.88%, and Stellantis (STLA -1.50%) ended at $5.27, down 1.50%, highlighting softer trading in auto peers during the session.

What this means for investors

Ford reported August U.S. sales fell 10.3%, marking an eighth straight month of year-over-year declines. Investors were encouraged, however, after the automaker said its production of the large, highly profitable “Super Duty” trucks last month reached a 20-year high. At the same time, the output of F-150 pickups reached its highest point in two years, reports CNBC. Ford was significantly affected by supplier issues due to its large aluminum bodies and other components following an aluminum plant fire late last year.

August electric vehicle (EV) sales were down nearly 80%, while hybrid sales were down 20%. Ford stock is nearly 20% off its 2026 highs, reached after the company announced the formation of Ford Energy in May. That came after it repurposed some EV assets as part of a pivot to tap into demand for energy storage. That helped investors shrug off the plunging EV and hybrid sales.