Stock Market News·2025-10-20 17:08Market Performance - Wall Street's major indexes rebounded on October 20, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.99% to 6,730.02, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.80% to 46,560.52, and the Nasdaq Composite advancing 1.37% to 22,990.00, driven by a "buy the dip" strategy in mega-cap technology stocks [2][9] - The Nasdaq Composite achieved a year-to-date return of 16.9% [9] Technology Sector - Optimism surrounding AI continues to drive market performance, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index reaching an all-time high, supported by strong performances from Micron (up 3.6%), ON Semiconductor (up 5.6%), and KLA (up 4.8%) [3] - Apple shares rose 4.3% to a record high, while Meta and Netflix each gained over 2% [2] Earnings Outlook - S&P 500 companies are projected to report a 9.3% year-on-year increase in third-quarter profits, with investors closely monitoring earnings reports from major companies like Tesla, Ford, GM, and Netflix [4] Federal Reserve Insights - Bank of America indicated a higher risk of Federal Reserve balance sheet runoff in October, coinciding with signals from Fed Chair Jerome Powell suggesting an end to the quantitative tightening program [10][11] - The Fed's balance sheet has been reduced from a peak of nearly $9 trillion to approximately $6.6-$7 trillion [10] - The CME FedWatch Tool predicts a 25 basis point rate cut at the upcoming October 28-29 FOMC meeting, with another reduction expected in December [11]