New Record Close for S&P 500 - TXN, COF Report After the Bell

Market Performance - The S&P 500 reached a record closing high of 6309, up from 6305 the previous day [1] - The Dow increased by 179 points (+0.40%), while the Nasdaq decreased by 81 points (-0.39%) [1] - The small-cap Russell 2000 led the major indexes with a gain of 17 points (+0.79%) [1] Homebuilders Sector - Homebuilders had a strong trading day, with D.R. Horton (DHI) and Pulte Home (PHM) exceeding earnings expectations [2] - DHI's gross margins were better than anticipated, leading to a share price increase of +16.8% [2] - Pulte reported an increase in new orders, resulting in an +11.8% rise in shares [2] - The iShares Home Construction ETF (ITB) advanced by +7.88% [2] Interest Rate Expectations - Improved market sentiment is linked to expectations of a potential decrease in interest rates by the Federal Reserve [3] - High interest rates have kept mortgage rates elevated, limiting entry-level homebuyers' market access [3] - Current expectations suggest that high mortgage rates may soon decline [3] Earnings Reports - Texas Instruments (TXN) reported Q2 earnings of $1.41 per share, exceeding the Zacks consensus by 9 cents, with revenues of $4.45 billion surpassing expectations of $4.31 billion [4] - Despite the strong quarterly performance, Texas Instruments shares fell by -7% in late trading [4] - Capital One Financial (COF) reported earnings of $5.48 per share, significantly above the anticipated $3.83, with revenues of $12.49 billion exceeding expectations of $12.22 billion [5] - Capital One's shares rose by +1.5% following the earnings announcement [5] Upcoming Economic Indicators - Existing Home Sales for June are projected to slightly decrease to 4.0 million seasonally adjusted, annualized units, marking a return to levels not seen since October of the previous year [6] - The Northeast region experienced the fastest growth in the previous report, with an increase of +4.2% [6] Anticipated Earnings Reports - A significant number of earnings reports are expected, including major companies such as Alphabet (GOOGL) and Tesla (TSLA), along with IBM, Chipotle, Southwest Airlines, ServiceNow, and Las Vegas Sands [7]