Headline: S&P 500 Reclaims Session Highs as Dow Sets Record and Tech Slips
U.S. equities recovered from early losses, with the S&P 500 climbing to an eight-day high on renewed hopes for a Federal Reserve rate cut. Softer labor data buoyed sentiment, even as technology shares lagged and the Nasdaq stayed lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average touched a fresh record, underscoring ongoing rotation beneath the surface.
The S&P 500 was up about 0.2% into the afternoon after reversing an early dip. With the U.S. bond market closed for a holiday, futures implied Treasury yields down 3–4 basis points, reflecting a softer ADP employment reading and firmer expectations that the Fed could ease policy again in December. Lower yields helped broad market risk appetite, though megacap tech weakness kept the Nasdaq under pressure.
Sector moves were mixed. Energy led gains, while several consumer and healthcare names advanced: FedEx, Devon Energy, Moderna, and Nike rose roughly 4%–5%. On the downside, solar and chip stocks dragged the tape, with Enphase, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Micron, Vistra, Nvidia, and Oracle down 3%–6%. Semiconductor shares faced added headwinds after reports that SoftBank fully exited its Nvidia stake, pressuring AI-linked momentum.
Strategists note that liquidity strains appear to be easing and that corrections of 10% or more are historically common. They argue that if earnings growth holds up and AI-related capital spending remains robust, equities could find support even with rich valuations. A Fed pivot toward rate cuts would likely reinforce risk-on positioning into year-end.
Key Points: – S&P 500 rebounded to session highs, up about 0.2%, while the Dow hit a record – Nasdaq fell as megacap tech underperformed despite broader market strength – Bond futures pointed to yields 3–4 bps lower after a softer ADP jobs report – Energy led gainers; FedEx, Devon Energy, Moderna, and Nike advanced 4%–5% – Chipmakers slid; Enphase, HPE, Micron, Vistra, Nvidia, and Oracle declined – Rate-cut speculation and easing liquidity conditions supported overall risk appetite
