Market-Digest

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,500.58 +80.48 +1.08% NASDAQ 26,517.93 +496.28 +1.91% DOW 51,564.70 +72.15 +0.14% Russell 2000 2,979.77 +61.78 +2.12% VIX 16.40 -2.03 -11.01% Breaking News & Macro Events Fed Holds Rates Steady, Removes Easing Bias — Federal Reserve The Fed left its benchmark unchanged (Fed funds effective rate near 3.63%) but stripped its prior easing-bias language, and updated projections show a sizable bloc of officials now penciling in a potential hike later in 2026 rather than cuts. The pivot toward “higher-for-longer” reframes the bullish tape: equities rallied today, but rate-sensitive assets repriced, with gold off 2.4% and the dollar firmer. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,420.10 -91.25 -1.21% NASDAQ 26,021.66 -354.69 -1.34% DOW 51,492.55 -507.12 -0.98% Russell 2000 2,917.98 -21.21 -0.72% VIX 18.44 +2.03 +12.37% Stocks sold off across the board on Fed day. Kevin Warsh’s first FOMC meeting delivered a hold but a hawkish-leaning dot plot, and risk came off fast: every major index finished red, the VIX jumped more than 12% back above 18, and crowded tech names led the slide. This wasn’t a rotation like yesterday — it was broad de-risking ahead of the policy statement. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,511.35 -42.94 -0.57% NASDAQ 26,376.34 -307.60 -1.15% DOW 51,999.67 +328.64 +0.64% Russell 2000 2,939.19 -25.89 -0.87% VIX 16.41 +0.21 +1.30% A split tape: the Dow climbed while the Nasdaq fell more than 1%, as money rotated out of crowded tech and high-beta speculatives into defensives and value. The VIX ticked up but stayed subdued near 16. Breaking News & Macro Events US-Iran Ceasefire Sends Oil Down ~6% — Bloomberg The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding for a ceasefire, with the Strait of Hormuz set to reopen Friday. The deal stripped the war-risk premium out of crude: WTI fell -5.95% to $75.89 and Brent -4.23% to $79.44, both back near pre-conflict levels. Energy and natural-gas markets sold off globally as the geopolitical bid evaporated. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,554.29 +122.83 +1.65% NASDAQ 26,683.94 +795.10 +3.07% DOW 51,671.03 +468.77 +0.92% Russell 2000 2,965.09 +21.09 +0.72% VIX 16.20 -1.49 -8.42% Risk-on day with a tech-led rally: the NASDAQ jumped over 3% while the VIX collapsed 8% back to the mid-teens. Breadth favored AI infrastructure and speculative growth over defensives — the Dow lagged the NASDAQ by more than two full points. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,431.46 +37.16 +0.50% NASDAQ 25,888.84 +79.18 +0.31% DOW 51,202.26 +353.51 +0.70% Russell 2000 2,943.99 +22.96 +0.79% VIX 17.68 -1.77 -9.10% A broadly green session with risk appetite returning: the Dow led the majors, small caps outperformed, and the VIX collapsed more than 9% to 17.68 as easing US–Iran tensions pulled oil lower. Breaking News & Macro Events SpaceX IPO soars ~19% in market debut — CNBC SpaceX debuted on the Nasdaq under ticker SPCX, jumping roughly 19% from its IPO price. The blockbuster listing reshuffled the entire space-launch trade and hammered incumbents — Rocket Lab (RKLB) fell nearly 16% on the day as capital rotated toward the new entrant. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,394.30 +127.31 +1.75% NASDAQ 25,809.66 +640.16 +2.54% DOW 50,848.75 +929.97 +1.86% Russell 2000 2,921.03 +85.57 +3.02% VIX 19.44 -2.78 -12.51% A broad, breadth-driven risk-on session: small caps (Russell +3.0%) outpaced large caps, the VIX collapsed below 20, and semiconductors led the charge. Breaking News & Macro Events Intel double-upgraded, chip complex rips higher — CNBC Bank of America issued a double upgrade to Buy on Intel, citing improved foundry visibility, and reports of an Alphabet AI-chip manufacturing deal sent INTC up over 11%. The move rippled across the semiconductor complex (TSM +3.4%, NVDA +2.9%, SMCI +11.3%), reinforcing AI-infrastructure as the market’s leadership group. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,266.99 -119.66 -1.62% NASDAQ 25,169.50 -509.32 -1.98% DOW 49,918.78 -953.33 -1.87% Russell 2000 2,835.46 -31.56 -1.10% VIX 22.22 +2.35 +11.83% A broad, high-volume risk-off session. Losses were led by mega-cap tech and AI-infrastructure names, with the VIX jumping nearly 12% to 22.2 — its highest reading in weeks. Notably, gold fell 2.7% alongside equities while Treasury yields and the dollar firmed, a cross-asset signature pointing to a repricing of rate expectations rather than a flight-to-safety event. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,386.65 -19.08 -0.26% NASDAQ 25,678.82 -250.84 -0.97% DOW 50,872.11 +86.10 +0.17% Russell 2000 2,867.02 +11.60 +0.41% VIX 19.87 +0.95 +5.02% A quiet split-tape day on the surface masked a clear rotation underneath: the tech-heavy NASDAQ slid nearly 1% while the DOW and small-cap Russell 2000 finished green. The VIX jumped 5% — a tell that investors are buying protection ahead of tomorrow’s inflation print. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,405.73 +21.99 +0.30% NASDAQ 25,929.66 +220.23 +0.86% DOW 50,786.01 -80.77 -0.16% Russell 2000 2,855.42 +21.92 +0.77% VIX 18.92 -2.65 -12.29% Breaking News & Macro Events Iran Halts Military Operations Against Israel; Trump Signals Deal Progress — TheStreet Iran announced an end to military strikes against Israel over the weekend, and the administration signaled optimism on a broader deal. The de-escalation drove a risk-on rebound — the VIX collapsed more than 12% — and lit a fire under beaten-down chip names. It’s the clearest reason the tape was green today. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,383.74 -200.57 -2.64% NASDAQ 25,709.43 -1,121.53 -4.18% DOW 50,866.78 -695.15 -1.35% Russell 2000 2,833.50 -101.83 -3.47% VIX 21.51 +6.12 +39.77% A broad, fear-driven sell-off. The NASDAQ shed more than 4% as semiconductors led the rout, the VIX spiked nearly 40%, and the damage cut across nearly every risk asset — including gold and oil. Defensive healthcare was one of the only places to hide. ...