Stock Market Update
21-Oct-26 10:00 ET
Modest gains as AI trade and earnings come into focus
Dow +90.48
at 52586.57,
Nasdaq +189.44
at 26634.70,
S&P +21.65
at 7734.29
[BRIEFING.COM] Stocks opened to mixed strength this morning, with solid gains across semiconductor and AI-infrastructure stocks leading the Nasdaq Composite (+0.6%) firmly higher, while the S&P 500 (+0.3%) and DJIA (+0.2%) hold more modest gains.
The AI trade is back in focus today following strong earnings results from SpaceX (SPCX 163.37, +15.58, +10.54%) and Super Micro Computer (SMCI 36.19, +3.72, +11.45%), with the PHLX Semiconductor Index (+1.2%) boasting a solid gain after a choppy session yesterday. Software stocks are also moving higher this morning, and the top-weighted information technology sector (+0.8%) is firmly higher.
Unsurprisingly, that enthusiasm has bubbled over to electronic production equipment and other data center infrastructure stocks in the industrials sector (+1.1%), which holds the widest gain of the four S&P 500 sectors in positive territory.
Meanwhile, the communication services sector (-1.2%) is firmly lower, with Netflix (NFLX 67.04, -1.65, -2.40%) lower after issuing disappointing guidance with its latest earnings release (though it is off its overnight lows), while Alphabet (GOOG 328.97, -7.43, -2.21%) is a mega-cap laggard despite a dearth of corporate news.
