03:59 PM EDT, 03/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Consumer stocks fell late Thursday afternoon with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) each decreasing 0.6%.

In corporate news, DIRECTV filed a federal antitrust lawsuit to block the planned merger of Nexstar Media ( NXST ) and Tegna ( TGNA ) , arguing it would harm consumers. Separately, Nexstar and Tegna ( TGNA ) face legal action in federal court from a coalition of eight US states that are seeking to halt the merger, Reuters reported, citing California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Nexstar shares fell 2.6%, and Tegna ( TGNA ) dropped 1.1%.

Uber ( UBER ) will invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian Automotive ( RIVN ) through 2031 to support the development of a fleet of Rivian R2 robotaxis that will be exclusive to Uber's ( UBER ) platform. Uber ( UBER ) shares fell 1.3%, and Rivian gained 3.7%.

Tesla (TSLA) shares fell 2.7%. The company's "degradation detection" system is being probed by the US Office of Defects Investigation for how well it detects reduced roadway visibility and alerts drivers with enough time to respond.

Darden Restaurants ( DRI ) raised its full-year sales outlook, dismissing concerns that high gasoline prices may erode consumer spending at restaurants. The shares rose 1.7%.