Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Surge on Friday Close

Powell’s Jackson Hole Signal Sends Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq to Fresh Highs

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) surged 846 points Friday, closing at a record 45,631.74, as Jerome Powell’s Jackson Hole remarks shifted the market’s outlook toward imminent monetary easing. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) gained 1.52% to finish at 6,466.91, within a whisper of its all-time high, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) jumped 1.88% to 21,496.53. Futures markets reacted instantly, pricing in more than a 90% probability of a September rate cut, up from 73% before Powell’s speech. Treasury yields tumbled, with the 10-year falling to 4.26% and the 2-year dropping below 3.71%.

Tech Megacaps Power Gains: NVDA, AAPL, GOOGL, TSLA Lead the Charge

Rate cut optimism sparked outsized rallies in technology heavyweights. Tesla (TSLA) soared 6.2%, outperforming all of the “Magnificent Seven,” while Alphabet (GOOGL) and Amazon (AMZN) each advanced over 3%. Apple (AAPL) gained 1.7% following reports of talks with Google to use Gemini AI in a major Siri overhaul, while Meta Platforms (META) added 2%. Nvidia (NVDA), which faced pressure earlier in the week on China chip restrictions, rebounded 1.7% as CEO Jensen Huang confirmed discussions with Washington about shipping a new AI processor to Chinese customers. Despite these gains, Nvidia remains down nearly 4% for the week, highlighting investor sensitivity to U.S.–China technology policy.

AI Frenzy Meets Valuation Anxiety: NVDA, PLTR, AMD in Spotlight

While Powell’s comments eased rate fears, the speculative surge in AI-linked equities continues to draw skepticism. Nvidia (NVDA) trades at a price-to-earnings ratio near 56, stretched compared to historical chipmaker valuations, while Palantir (PLTR) sits above a staggering 500x earnings multiple. This disconnect raised comparisons to the dot-com bubble as Arm Holdings (ARM) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) also came under selling pressure earlier in the week. An MIT study showing that 95% of companies investing in generative AI have yet to see returns sharpened worries of inflated valuations. Still, large-scale AI commitments by Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOGL), and Meta (META) reinforce the view that, even with short-term corrections, sector leaders will absorb innovation and weaker players on the cheap.

Financials and Industrials Rebound as Yield Pressure Eases

Banks and industrials joined the rally as falling yields lightened the funding burden. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) gained nearly 5%, with Goldman Sachs (GS) and American Express (AXP) each advancing close to 4%. Construction and housing plays surged: Builders FirstSource (BLDR) spiked 8%, Mohawk Industries (MHK) climbed 7%, and the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) rallied 5%. With borrowing costs likely to ease, homebuilders are positioned for momentum if multiple cuts materialize.

Small Caps and Equal-Weight S&P Outperform as Breadth Improves

Market breadth was exceptional. The Russell 2000 (RUT) surged 3.9%, more than doubling the S&P 500’s advance, showing that smaller firms, more dependent on credit markets, stand to gain the most from lower rates. The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) rose nearly 2% to a record high, outpacing the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY). On the NYSE, advancers outnumbered decliners 15-to-1, with 471 members of the S&P 500 finishing higher.

Trump Turns Up Trade and Corporate Pressure

While markets cheered Powell, political developments added volatility. President Trump announced a tariff probe targeting imported furniture under Section 232, potentially hitting global supply chains in home goods. He also intensified attacks on Fed governance, threatening to fire Governor Lisa Cook over alleged mortgage fraud, despite legal hurdles. In parallel, Trump revealed that the U.S. government will take a 10% equity stake in Intel (INTC), calling it a “great deal” aimed at stabilizing domestic semiconductor capacity. Shares of Intel surged 5.5% to $24.80, outperforming peers AMD (AMD) and Qualcomm (QCOM) in a week dominated by AI-chip headlines.

Earnings Movers: ZM, INTC, INTU, WDAY, BJ

Earnings season added sharp swings in single stocks. Zoom (ZM) jumped 12.7% to $82.47 after raising its full-year outlook, crediting AI-driven enterprise adoption. Intel (INTC)’s government-backed stake news eclipsed its manufacturing woes, sending the stock higher. In contrast, Intuit (INTU) fell 5% after weaker-than-expected growth guidance, and Workday (WDAY) slid 6% on conservative subscription revenue forecasts. Retail laggards included BJ’s Wholesale (BJ), which plunged 8.5% after reporting disappointing revenue of $5.38 billion, below expectations of $5.48 billion.

Crypto Surges Alongside Equities: BTC, ETH, COIN Benefit

Risk assets outside equities also surged. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) rallied 4% to $116,658, while Ethereum (ETH-USD) soared 14% to a record $4,845. Crypto-linked equities joined the move: Coinbase (COIN) jumped 6.6%, MicroStrategy (MSTR) advanced over 6%, and Robinhood (HOOD) climbed 4.2%. Ether-focused treasury firms such as DeFi Development spiked 18%. Meanwhile, ETHZilla (ETHZ) saw heavy volatility, plunging 31% after announcing a 74.8 million share resale, reminding investors of ongoing risks in speculative crypto treasuries.

Sector and Stock Breakouts: RCL, CCL, NIO, OPEN

Consumer discretionary stocks were among the biggest winners as rate cut optimism fueled spending hopes. Cruise operators Royal Caribbean (RCL) and Carnival (CCL) each gained more than 6%. In autos, Nio (NIO) surged 14% to $6.34 after unveiling its ES8 SUV priced at roughly $43,000 with a subscription battery plan, directly challenging Tesla (TSLA) at the lower end of the EV spectrum. Meme-linked real estate platform Opendoor (OPEN) spiked over 20%, benefiting from lower borrowing cost expectations and a burst of retail speculation.

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