Russell 2000 index hits record high, up 1.25%: U.S. stock market surges as small caps lead the broad rally - Dow also rises on stronger GDP

Economic Indicators - The Commerce Department revised third-quarter U.S. GDP growth higher to 4.4%, above expectations of 4.3%, reinforcing confidence in economic resilience despite high interest rates [2][19] - Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation rose 2.9%, matching forecasts and indicating contained price pressures [17][21] - Weekly jobless claims came in at 200,000, below forecasts, signaling a labor market that is gradually cooling rather than deteriorating [2][19] Stock Market Performance - The Russell 2000 index gained 1.25% to reach 2,731.77, leading the market rally, while the S&P 500 rose 0.70% to 6,924.01 and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.03% to 23,463.04 [1][21] - Trading volume surged nearly 16% on the Nasdaq, indicating heavy institutional participation in the market [1][21] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 435 points, or 0.89%, to a historic 49,512.87, supported by strength in industrials and healthcare [1][21] Sector Performance - Amgen's shares rose nearly 2% to a fresh all-time high near $350, driven by strong demand for its oncology and inflammation treatments, as well as optimism around its pipeline [11][20] - The broader biotech sector outperformed, with the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF gaining roughly 2.5%, as investors returned to biotechnology amid stabilizing valuations and improving expectations for regulatory approvals [12][20] - Abbott Laboratories saw its shares plunge more than 7% after reporting quarterly results that fell short of expectations, with weakness in diagnostics impacting sentiment [13][20] Technology Sector - Large technology stocks contributed to the market advance, with Meta Platforms jumping more than 3% ahead of its earnings report, despite analysts' caution [14][21] - Nvidia rose about 1%, while Tesla gained modestly, as traders focused on delivery trends and margin outlook in the competitive electric vehicle market [15][21] - Arm Holdings and Datadog posted strong gains, reflecting enthusiasm for semiconductor design and cloud software, while Intel and Netflix lagged [16][21] Commodity Markets - Oil prices eased, with WTI crude falling toward $59.60 a barrel, reflecting ample supply and muted near-term demand signals [10][21] - Gold prices moved higher, extending recent gains, while silver surged nearly 3%, outperforming most asset classes [7][21] - Natural gas jumped more than 4% due to tightening inventory expectations, contrasting with the overall softening in energy prices [10][21]