Stock Market Today - Dow Jumps 308 Points on Strong Earnings; Gold Sinks as Trade Tensions Ease

Wall Street Gains as Earnings Overpower Economic Uncertainty

U.S. equities traded mixed to higher on Tuesday as a wave of major earnings overshadowed trade headlines and policy noise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose 0.7% to 47,029.93, adding over 308 points, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) advanced 0.2% to 6,748.40. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) slipped 0.04% to 22,981.51, weighed by muted tech performance ahead of key reports. Treasury yields eased, with the 10-year (^TNX) at 3.95%, reflecting bets on a 25-basis-point Fed rate cut later this month. Volatility stayed contained as the VIX settled near 18.1, its lowest level in weeks.

General Motors and Coca-Cola Lead the Dow’s Advance

Blue-chip strength drove the session, spearheaded by General Motors (NYSE:GM), which surged 14.8% to $66.57, the biggest daily rise since 2020. GM raised its full-year EBIT forecast to $12–13 billion, up from $10–12.5 billion, while boosting EPS guidance to $9.75–10.50. Automotive free cash flow guidance also climbed to $10–11 billion. Tariff exposure was cut sharply to $3.5–4.5 billion, well below the prior $5 billion estimate. Cost efficiencies and a rebound in demand for SUVs and EVs contributed to the improved outlook.

Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) gained 3.2% to $70.62 after reporting $0.82 EPS versus estimates of $0.78 on $12.41 billion revenue, with 6% organic growth. CEO James Quincey said the company’s diverse beverage portfolio and pricing agility helped sustain performance amid currency headwinds. 3M (NYSE:MMM) advanced 5% on $2.19 EPS against $2.08 expected, supported by robust industrial and healthcare sales. Together, these results lifted the Dow and reflected resilience in consumer and manufacturing sectors.

Apple Hits Record High While Netflix Faces Investor Scrutiny

Tech trade remained uneven. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) touched a record $262.99, lifting its market cap to $3.89 trillion, within reach of the $4 trillion milestone at $269.54. The rally followed strong iPhone 17 demand, with first-week sales up 14% year-over-year. Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $279, citing 13% growth in services led by iCloud+, Apple Pay, and AppleCare+.

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) traded steady at $1,238.61 ahead of Q3 earnings. Analysts expect ad-supported revenue and live event success to offset slowing user growth. The Canelo vs. Crawford fight drew 41 million viewers, while animated hit KPop Demon Hunters achieved 325 million streams, positioning Netflix as a dominant content force. Shares remain 8% below June highs despite 40% year-to-date gains, reflecting valuation caution amid intensifying AI-driven competition.

AI Chip Momentum Lifts GSI Technology Amid Nvidia Pressure

The semiconductor space saw speculative action as GSI Technology (NASDAQ:GSIT) extended its rally after a Cornell University report validated that its Gemini-I APU could match Nvidia’s (NASDAQ:NVDA) A6000 GPU on retrieval-augmented generation tasks using 98% less energy. GSIT soared 155% Monday and added another 30% Tuesday morning before closing up 10% at $12.33, valuing it near $377 million. The findings reignited enthusiasm for compute-in-memory architectures that could reshape the $100 billion AI inference market. Nvidia slipped 0.7% to $447, with investors trimming exposure after recent highs.

Energy Stocks Advance as Halliburton Beats Forecasts

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) rallied 9.4% to $24.74 following Q3 results showing $5.6 billion revenue versus $5.4 billion expected and EPS of $0.58 vs $0.49. CEO Jeff Miller highlighted soaring power demand from AI-driven data centers and announced a new VoltaGrid partnership to deliver energy infrastructure across the Middle East. Halliburton’s diversification into AI-related energy infrastructure is positioning it beyond traditional oilfield cycles.

Crude benchmarks weakened despite the positive earnings momentum. West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) declined 0.8% to $56.75 per barrel, while Brent (BZ=F) fell to $60.70, pressured by expectations of higher U.S. output and the EU’s 2027 target to end Russian gas imports. Natural gas (NG=F) traded 0.6% higher at $3.41 MMBtu, supported by colder weather forecasts and firm LNG export demand.

Gold Plunges as Trade Tensions Ease Between the U.S. and China

After setting a record above $4,380, gold (GC=F) dropped 5.33% to $4,127.20, marking its sharpest daily decline this year. The sell-off followed President Trump’s remarks indicating optimism about a new trade deal with China. Silver (SI=F) and platinum (PL=F) fell more than 5%, reversing part of 2025’s extraordinary run that had lifted gold 65% year-to-date. Analysts cited overcrowded speculative positions and profit-taking but maintained that central bank buying and fiscal deficits continue to underpin long-term strength.

Rare-Earth Miners Surge After U.S.–Australia Minerals Pact

Mining stocks surged following the $8.5 billion U.S.–Australia critical-minerals agreement announced by President Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, designed to counter China’s rare-earth dominance. Cleveland-Cliffs (NYSE:CLF) jumped 17% Monday before consolidating near $13.43, as CEO Lourenco Goncalves said geological surveys in Michigan and Minnesota revealed promising rare-earth mineralization. Lynas Rare Earths (OTC:LYSCF) spiked 14%, reinforcing Australia’s role as a key Western supplier for EV and defense materials.

Crypto Market Stabilizes as Bitcoin Regains Momentum

Digital assets recovered as Bitcoin (BTC-USD) advanced 2.5% to $111,720, ending a brief correction. Institutional demand remains intact after MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) disclosed buying 168 BTC at an average $112,051, expanding total holdings to 640,418 BTC valued at $47.4 billion. Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD) rose 5%, and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) gained 3.5%, reflecting improving sentiment across crypto-linked equities.

Fed Outlook Dominates Ahead of CPI and Rate Decision

Investors await the September Consumer Price Index due Friday after delays caused by the federal shutdown. The report is expected to show slight easing in core inflation, bolstering odds of a Fed rate cut. Futures markets price a 72% probability of a 25-basis-point reduction at the upcoming meeting. The U.S. Dollar Index held near 91.40, while Fed Governor Christopher Waller and regional presidents are scheduled to speak before the blackout period begins.

Market Stance and Analyst Verdict

Equities remain firm with earnings strength offsetting political noise. The Dow Jones stays bullish above 46,800, the S&P 500 maintains breakout potential toward 6,800, while the Nasdaq shows early fatigue after tech outperformance. GM (Buy) given raised guidance and margin recovery; KO (Hold) as valuation limits upside; AAPL (Buy) supported by record sales and services expansion; NFLX (Hold) awaiting clearer ad results; HAL (Buy) on AI infrastructure growth; Gold (Hold) post-correction within a longer uptrend.
Overall market bias remains cautiously bullish, favoring cyclical rotation and defensive value through year-end.

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