Benzingaยท2025-09-23 17:31Market Performance - Major U.S. indices experienced a pause after three consecutive sessions of gains, with the S&P 500 down 0.2% to 6,682.62 and the Nasdaq 100 also dipping 0.2% [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a slight increase of 0.1% to 46,418.66, while the Russell 2000 outperformed with a 0.6% rise [1] Economic Indicators - The S&P Global U.S. Composite PMI decreased to 53.6 in September from 54.6 in August, indicating softer growth in both services and manufacturing sectors [2] Sector Performance - Energy stocks led the sector gains as crude oil prices rose by 2% to $63.50 per barrel, influenced by rising geopolitical tensions in Europe [3] - The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund XLE outperformed with a 2.4% increase, while the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund XLK lagged, down 0.4% [7] Notable Stock Movements - Paramount Skydance Corp. (PSKY) topped the S&P 500 with an 11% rally, followed by Halliburton Co. (HAL) with over a 9% increase [3][6] - The top five gainers in the S&P 500 included McKesson Corp. (MCK) at 6.95%, Texas Pacific Land Corp. (TPL) at 6.68%, and Intel Corp. (INTC) at 4.66% [6] - Conversely, Generac Holdings Inc. (GNRC) led the losers with a decline of 5.77%, followed by Vistra Corp. (VST) at -4.71% [8] Commodity Prices - Gold prices reached a record high of $3,780, marking the strongest three-day gain since May, while silver rose 0.5% to above $44 per pound [4] - Bitcoin remained stable at $112,750 [4]