Market Overview - All three major U.S. stock indexes achieved their fourth consecutive daily gains, driven by optimism from Nvidia's strong quarterly results and positive forward guidance from Dell Technologies [1][9] - Wall Street has shifted its expectations towards a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in December, which is seen as a significant factor influencing market performance [2][9] Economic Indicators - A Reuters poll indicates analysts expect the S&P 500 to rise by 12% by year-end 2026, supported by a robust economy and continued strength in the tech sector [2][9] - The Fed's Beige Book had minimal impact on rate cut expectations, with markets pricing in an 84.9% probability of a 25-basis-point reduction in the Fed funds target rate at the December meeting [5][10] Sector Performance - The S&P 1500 Airlines index rose by 3.0%, reflecting strong performance on a traditionally busy travel day [5][10] - Among the S&P 500 sectors, utilities led in percentage gains, while communication services experienced the largest decline [7][10] Company-Specific Developments - Dell Technologies saw a 5.8% increase in stock price following better-than-expected earnings and an optimistic forecast [7][10] - Workday's stock fell by 7.9% after reporting third-quarter subscription revenue that met estimates, while Deere's shares dropped by 5.7% due to a weaker-than-expected annual profit forecast impacted by tariffs [7][10] Market Breadth - Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a ratio of 3.37-to-1 on the NYSE, with 290 new highs and 29 new lows recorded [8][10] - On the Nasdaq, 3,183 stocks advanced compared to 1,492 that declined, resulting in a 2.13-to-1 ratio of advancing to declining issues [8][10]
Wall Street ends higher on growing bets for December Fed rate cut