Market Overview - US stock market indices, including the Dow Jones, Nasdaq, S&P 500, and Russell 2000, reached both intraday and closing historical highs on Thursday, driven by signals from the Federal Reserve indicating an upcoming interest rate cut cycle [1][3] - The Dow Jones increased by 124.10 points (0.27%) to 46,142.42, the Nasdaq rose by 209.40 points (0.94%) to 22,470.73, the S&P 500 gained 31.61 points (0.48%) to 6,631.96, and the Russell 2000 surged by 59.317 points (2.46%) to 2,466.662 [3] Economic Indicators - The Federal Reserve is expected to lower the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, with two additional cuts anticipated this year, boosting investor sentiment regarding economic growth [3][4] - Initial jobless claims in the US decreased by 33,000 to 231,000, marking the largest drop in nearly four years, aligning with low layoff levels in the economy [5] Company Highlights - Intel's stock surged approximately 26% following Nvidia's announcement of a $5 billion investment to co-develop data center and personal computer chips, which also led to a more than 3% increase in Nvidia's stock [3][6] - Palantir secured a $750 million contract to expand its presence in the UK market [6] - Tesla received an order for 10,000 units of its Optimus 3+ humanoid robots [6] - TSMC's stock rose amid reports that Apple has secured over half of the 2nm production capacity for next year [6] Sector Performance - Small-cap companies, represented by the Russell 2000, are expected to benefit more from low interest rates due to their reliance on external funding for operations and growth [3] - Semiconductor stocks experienced a rally, driven by Intel's performance and Nvidia's investment announcement [6] - Quantum computing stocks saw a broad increase, continuing the upward trend from the previous day [6]

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. stock market showed mixed performance following the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut, with a notable surge in technology stocks, particularly Intel, which received a $5 billion investment commitment from Nvidia [1][3]. Market Performance - The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 0.52 points to 46,017.80 points, while the Nasdaq Composite rose by 178.01 points, a 0.80% increase, reaching 22,439.336 points. The S&P 500 index increased by 27.23 points, or 0.41%, to 6,627.58 points [3]. - Despite volatility, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices are expected to record weekly gains of 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively, marking the sixth week of gains in seven weeks for the S&P 500 and the third consecutive week of gains for the Nasdaq [4]. Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points, with expectations of two more rate cuts this year, but only one in 2026. This decision was characterized as "risk management" by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, indicating a cautious approach rather than a shift to a long-term easing policy [3][4]. Company-Specific Developments - Intel's stock surged following Nvidia's announcement of a $5 billion investment aimed at joint development of data center and PC products, positively impacting other semiconductor stocks [3][5]. - Other notable company developments include: - Novo Nordisk's oral weight loss drug showing positive results in phase three clinical trials [5]. - Palantir securing a $750 million contract to expand in the UK market [5]. - Tesla receiving an order for 10,000 Optimus 3+ humanoid robots [5]. - Arvinas and Pfizer transferring commercialization rights for vepdegestrant [6]. - TSMC's stock rising as Apple secures over half of its 2nm capacity for next year [6].