Market Performance - The S&P 500 finished over 1.5% higher, closing at 6700, while the NASDAQ rose by 2.7% and the Dow Jones increased by about 0.4% [6] - The semiconductor sector showed significant gains, with an overall increase of nearly 5% in today's trade, making it one of the top performers [2][8] - Communication services, technology, and consumer discretionary sectors were the biggest gainers, with communication services up 4%, technology up 2.5%, and consumer discretionary up 1.8% [7] Individual Stock Highlights - Broadcom was the top gainer in both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ, rising by 11% [9] - Micron also performed well, gaining about 8% after a price target increase from Morgan Stanley [10] - Alphabet saw a rise of approximately 6.3%, marking a nearly 70% increase year-to-date, driven by positive reviews for its Gemini Air model [12] Underperformers - Novo Nordisk shares fell by 5.6% after a failed Alzheimer's drug trial, reaching their lowest level in over four years [14] - Copart's shares decreased by 4.5% following a price target reduction by J.P. Morgan [15] - Performance Food Group dropped by 2.3% after US Foods announced it would not pursue a merger with the company [16] Bond Market Overview - The bond market experienced a quiet day, with the ten-year Treasury yield down about three basis points, remaining above 4% [17] - The 30-year yield also saw a slight decrease of about four basis points, indicating a range-bound market [17] Earnings Reports - Zoom reported a third-quarter adjusted EPS of $1.52, exceeding estimates, and projected fourth-quarter revenue slightly above expectations [21]

Company Performance - Nvidia's stock is currently trading at approximately $86 per share, with a price target of $270 over the next 12 months, indicating a significant potential upside [2][3] - Lowe's reported a profit that exceeded expectations, driven by consumer spending on home renovations, and adjusted its full year profit target to approximately $2.25 per share [9] - Alphabet's shares increased by about 3% during the session, bolstered by positive reviews for its newly released Gemini AI model, contributing to a 55% rise in shares this year [13][15] Market Overview - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 41 points, or roughly 0.1%, while the S&P 500 added about 25 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq indices were up approximately 0.6% [6] - The S&P 500 saw 305 names decline, while 194 gained ground, with technology sector participation up by about 0.9% [7][8] Sector Performance - Energy sector stocks declined by 1.3%, while utilities and real estate also underperformed [8] - Eversource Energy shares fell by more than 12% after regulators denied its request to sell its subsidiary, raising concerns about potential household bill increases [18] M&A Activity - Abbott Laboratories' shares fell by 3% following reports of a potential acquisition of Exact Sciences Corp, which saw its shares rise by 23.7% [22][23] Regulatory Environment - The U.S. government is pushing Congress to remove provisions from a defense spending bill that would restrict chip exports, impacting companies' ability to sell high-end chips to China [25][29]