S&P 500 heads for record high, Nasdaq jumps as Nvidia surges


US stocks rose on Monday to head for fresh record highs as Nvidia shares climbed and investors prepared for more big bank earnings to test that rally and the chances of an economic “soft landing.”

The S&P 500 (^GSPC) moved up 0.7% to head for a fresh record after ending above 5,800 for the first time on Friday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) jumped 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) hovered above the flatline.

Tech stocks led the gains, with chip giant (NVDA) shares rising toward new highs, up more than 3% during the session. Other semiconductor stocks also surged including chip equipment designer ASML (ASML), Arm Holdings (ARM) and Applied Materials (AMAT).

Earnings are taking center stage as the first full week of third quarter results gets underway. How the season plays out is seen as key to the rally in stocks as the bull market turns 2 years old.

The Dow and S&P 500 closed a winning week at new records after JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC) earnings largely passed Wall Street’s test. Investor focus is staying on big banks with reports from Goldman Sachs (GS), Citi (C), and Bank of America (BAC) on Tuesday’s docket, and Morgan Stanley (MS) due Wednesday.

At the same time, there’s still uncertainty about whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again. A benign jobs report and data showing “sticky” consumer and wholesale inflation are building a case for no rate cut in November, some analysts argue. Retail sales data later in the week will feed into the debate as to whether the economy has held up in the face of Fed policy — the preferred soft landing.

Read more: What the Fed rate cut means for bank accounts, CDs, loans, and credit cards

On the corporate front, Boeing (BA) shares slipped almost 3% amid questions about the crisis-hit plane maker’s future. The company, which faces a record $5 billion in third quarter losses, has slashed 17,000 jobs as a month-long strike hits manufacturing.

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  • SoFi stock soars on $2 billion Fortress deal to expand loan platform

    SoFi Technologies (SOFI) stock jumped as much as 9% after the online lender announced a $2 billion agreement with Fortress Investment Group to expand its loan platform business. The segment refers pre-qualified borrowers to loan origination partners and connects lenders with borrowers.

    The move reflects SoFi’s strategy of diversifying from its roots in student loan refinancing.

    “SoFi’s loan platform business is an important part of our strategy to serve the financial needs of more members and diversify toward less capital-intensive and more fee-based sources of revenue,” said Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi, in a statement.

    Of the Wall Street analysts covering the stock tracked by Bloomberg, only six recommend buying the stock, while 10 have Hold ratings and three have Sell ratings. The stock is up nearly 20% from last year but far from its record intraday high near $27 upon its IPO in 2021.

    Analysts see shares falling to $8.91 over the next 12 months, according to Bloomberg data.

  • Dow climbs into green territory, holds near record

    The the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) clawed its way into green territory by 10:30 a.m ET to hover at new intraday record highs. The blue-chip index had slipped as much as 0.3% shortly after the market open following a record close on Friday.

    Meanwhile the S&P 500 (^GSPC) gained 0.6% Monday, on pace for another record close.

  • TSMC stock hits record high, rejoins $1 trillion club

    Nvidia (NVDA) supplier TSMC (TSM) saw shares of its US-listed equity rise more than 1% in early trading, with the stock notching a new record intraday price of $193.96 per share and rejoining the $1 trillion club.

    TSMC shares previously hit an all-time high above $193 each in July after the Taiwanese contract chipmaker reported second-quarter earnings. That surge briefly put its market capitalization above $1 trillion before shares pared gains. The stock fell back to earth as investors weighed its high valuation multiples, geopolitical risks, and concerns over AI demand.

    TSMC last week revealed third-quarter revenue of 759.7 billion New Taiwan dollars ($23.6 billion). That beat the NT$748.3 ($23.3 billion) expected according to Bloomberg data, as well as the company’s prior guidance of $22.4 billion to $23.2 billion.

    Some 23 Wall Street analysts covering the stock tracked by Bloomberg recommend buying TSMC shares, while only one analyst has a Hold rating. Analysts see shares rising to $216.59 each over the next 12 months, according to Bloomberg data.

  • Boeing slips more than 2% as plane maker plans cuts 10% of workforce, strike enters 5th week,

    Boeing (BA) shares slipped more than 2% as investors questioned the crisis-hit plane maker’s future amid job cuts and a strike that is now in its fifth week.

    On Friday, the company said it will cut 17,000 jobs, or about 10% of its workforce.

    “Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term,” CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a message to employees posted on Boeing’s website on Friday.

    An ongoing strike by Boeing’s biggest union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), is proving costly on several fronts for the company.

    S&P Global put the cost estimate of the strike that started on Sept. 1 at roughly $1 billion per month. Last week, talks between Boeing and IAM broke down, with the company withdrawing its contract proposal.

  • Nvidia climbs 2%, hovers near record

    Nvidia (NVDA) stock jumped more than 2% at the open on Monday, surpassing its June record high close of $135.58.

    The stock was a couple of dollars away from its all-time intraday high just past $140.76.

  • S&P 500 eyes fresh record, Dow slips as focus shifts to earnings

    The major averages opened mixed on Monday as investors turned their focus to upcoming big bank earnings and other quarterly results from major companies.

    The S&P 500 (^GSPC) moved up roughly 0.3% to eye a new record high. On Friday, the broader index ended above 5,800 for the first time.

    The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) was up 0.5% soon after the bell on Monday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) slipped 0.2% from its Friday record close.

    Earnings season continues in full swing this week, with Citi (C), United Airlines (UAL), AI chip equipment maker ASML (ASML), Netflix (NFLX), and American Express (AXP) among those expected to report.

    Oil futures dropped more than 2% as OPEC cut its demand forecast for 2024 and 2025. Traders also reacted to a lack of detail from China’s Finance Minister over the weekend on any large new stimulus spending.

  • Nvidia stock eyes record high and top spot as most valuable company ahead of Apple

    Nvidia (NVDA) stock rose 1% in premarket trading to $136.22, putting the chipmaking giant on track to surpass its previous record closing price of $135.58 posted in June.

    The AI chipmaker’s shares have made substantial gains in October following a massive, $6.6 billion funding round for ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, much of which will be funneled back to Nvidia. AI leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, have cited furious demand for the company’s latest Blackwell chips. Its stock is up 8% over the past week.

    Nvidia’s gains put it on track to once again claim the rank of No. 1 most valuable company in the world, in terms of market capitalization. It currently holds the No. 2 position, behind Apple (AAPL). The chipmaker’s market cap stood at $3.3 trillion Monday, while Apple’s was $3.46 trillion. Apple, Microsoft (MSFT), and Nvidia have traded places as the top three companies over the past year.

    Nvidia is set to report earnings on Nov. 19. Wall Street analysts expect it to report revenue of $33 billion, up 82% from the prior year, according to Bloomberg consensus estimates. Some 90% of those covering the stock and tracked by Bloomberg recommend buying Nvidia shares.



Read More: S&P 500 heads for record high, Nasdaq jumps as Nvidia surges

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