Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] NVIDIA's (NVDA 210.60, +9.57, +4.76%) rally to a record $5 trillion market capitalization drove the S&P 500 (+0.4%), Nasdaq Composite (+0.8%), and DJIA (+0.6%) to fresh record highs for the third consecutive day this week. 

The information technology sector (+1.4%) leads the four S&P 500 sectors in positive territory, supported by a 2.3% gain in the PHLX Semiconductor Index. 

Seagate Tech (STX 259.18, +36.18, +16.22%) and Teradyne (TER 166.66, +22.28, +15.43%) both boast double-digit gains after besting earnings expectations.

The industrials sector (+0.7%) holds the next widest gain, with Dow component Caterpillar (CAT 588.05, +63.58, +12.12%) trading sharply higher after an earnings beat of its own.

Meanwhile, the real estate sector (-1.1%) continues its skid this week, while the financials sector (-0.8%) faces pressure in Fiserv (FI 72.16, -54.01, -42.81%), with shares plummeting after missing earnings expectations and delivering downside guidance. 

Just released, pending home sales were flat in September (Briefing.com consensus 1.2%), from an upwardly revised 4.2% increase (from 4.0%) in August.