US stocks end sharply higher as earnings optimism fuels risk appetite

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market experienced a broad rally, with major indexes closing significantly higher, driven by positive quarterly earnings results and reduced fears regarding regional bank credit quality [11] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 515.97 points (1.12%) to 46,706.58, the S&P 500 gained 71.12 points (1.07%) to 6,735.13, and the Nasdaq Composite increased by 310.57 points (1.37%) to 22,990.54 [8][12] Earnings Season - The third quarter earnings season is in full swing, with notable results expected from companies such as Tesla, Netflix, IBM, Intel, GM, and Ford, along with various high-profile industrial firms [2][12] - Analysts project an aggregate S&P 500 earnings growth of 9.3% year-on-year for the third quarter, an increase from the previous estimate of 8.8% as of October 1 [5][12] Sector Performance - Among the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500, communication services saw the largest percentage gain, while consumer staples and utilities experienced slight declines [9][12] - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index reached an all-time high, closing up 1.6% [12] Stock Movements - Apple stock reached a record high, while Meta, Netflix, and Alphabet saw gains between 1.3% and 3.3% [11] - Boeing's stock advanced by 1.8% after receiving approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to increase 737 MAX production to 42 planes per month [9][12] - WeightWatchers surged by 9.3% following its announcement of a partnership with Amazon for weight-loss drug delivery [9][12] Market Sentiment - Investor sentiment improved as uncertainties regarding tax legislation and tariffs have subsided, allowing companies to focus on earnings and profitability [6][12] - The potential end of the federal government shutdown, as indicated by White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett, further boosted market sentiment [6][12] Trading Activity - Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a ratio of 4.81-to-1 on the NYSE, with 345 new highs and 47 new lows recorded [10][12] - On the Nasdaq, 3,599 stocks rose compared to 1,078 that fell, resulting in a 3.34-to-1 ratio of advancing to declining issues [10][12] - Trading volume on U.S. exchanges was 17.50 billion shares, below the 20.21 billion average over the last 20 trading days [10][12]