Dow Jones Industrial Average

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$SNDK$TSM$UNH

Update: Technology Slide Pushes Nasdaq, S&P 500 Lower

(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data, and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes traded mixed as a sell-off in chipmakers pushed technology sharply lower, while UnitedHealth's (UNH) strong Q2 results helped lift the price-weighted Dow Jones Industrial Average.The Nasdaq declined 0.9% to 26,021.1, and the S&P 500 fell 0.3% to 7,548.3 after midday Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up by less than 0.1% to 52,691.5.Consumer staples, healthcare, and real estate topped the gainers, while technology slumped, down 1.9% intraday.Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) slid 3.1% after the firm earmarked an additional $100 billion to increase its chipmaking capacity in the US, raising its total planned investment to $265 billion, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing a US official. Taiwan Semiconductor also reported Q2 results on Thursday, with year-over-year earnings and net revenue rising and Q3 sales guidance beating consensus.Among stocks with market capitalization exceeding $200 billion each, 15 out of the bottom 20 names were from the technology sector, according to data compiled by Finviz. Half of the decliners were semiconductor firms, the data showed. The worst performer was SanDisk (SNDK), down 11%.In company news, UnitedHealth's shares jumped 3.1%, making it one of the Dow's top gainers, after the company posted higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue and raised its 2026 adjusted EPS outlook.In geopolitical news, the Iranian military warns "all infrastructure in the region will be crushed under steel blows" if the US carries out its threat to attack Iran's civilian sites, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported. Iran has asked Yemen's Houthi movement to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the US strikes Iranian power infrastructure, Reuters reported, citing three sources.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate fell 0.3% to $79.35 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent slipped 0.1% to $84.83 a barrel.Most US Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year up 2.8 basis points to 4.57% and the two-year climbing four basis points to 4.16%.In precious metal markets, gold futures retreated 1.4% to $3,995.1, and silver futures dropped 2% to $56.32.In economic news, US retail sales rose by 0.2% in June, as expected in a Bloomberg-compiled poll and following the previous month's revised 1.0% increase. Excluding a 1.9% increase in motor vehicle sales, retail sales were down 0.2% compared with an expected 0.1% decrease. That followed a 1.0% increase in May. Removing both motor vehicles and a 5.3% decline in gasoline station sales, retail sales were up 0.4% in June after a 0.8% increase in May.US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 208,000 in the week ended July 11 from an upwardly revised 216,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a level of 217,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg. The four-week moving average fell by 4,750 to 214,250.Pending home sales fell by 5.4% in June, well below the 0.5% decrease expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET and following a 3.5% increase in May, according to the National Association of Realtors. The monthly sales index was down 0.3% from June 2025."The highest mortgage rates in nearly a year and the record-high national median home price together are contributing to a tepid housing market that is especially difficult for first-time homebuyers," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said. "However, job gains can help support housing demand."

Dow Jones^EEM^EXI^FAS^FAZ^GLD^IBB^IGM^IGV^IPK^IVV^IWMNasdaq Composite^IYE^IYH^IYJ^IYK^IYW^PMR^QQQ^RTH^SOXXS&P 500^SPY^UNG^USO^VDC^VHT^VIS^XLE^XLF^XLI^XLK^XLP^XLV^XRT^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH

Exchange-Traded Funds, US Equities Mixed After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded fund IWM edged higher and IVV fell. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) dropped 1.4%.US equity indexes traded mixed as a sell-off in chipmakers pushed technology lower, while UnitedHealth's (UNH) strong Q2 results helped lift the Dow Jones Industrial Average.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each added 0.8%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) fell 2.3%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) shed 1.8%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) declined 2.1%.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) tumbled 5.7, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) fell 4.3%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) rose 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) advanced 0.5%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 0.6%.CommoditiesCrude oil slipped 0.9%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) fell 1.7%. Natural gas dropped 2.8%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) lost 2.9%.Gold on Comex fell 1.3%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) declined 1.7%. Silver dropped 1.8%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) slumped 3% lower.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) added 2.4%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) rose 2.3%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) gained 2.4%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) rose 0.5%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) added 1.9%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) advanced 1.8%.HealthcareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) rose 2%, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) added 1.8%, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) gained 1.6%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell 0.5%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) slipped 0.2%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) fell, and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) edged higher.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell 0.8%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) shed 0.8%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was down 2.6%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 1.2% lower.

Japan63d ago

Update: US Equity Indexes Mixed as Slumping Technology Pushes Nasdaq, S&P 500 Lower

(Updates with index/price moves and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes traded mixed as a sell-off in chipmakers pushed technology sharply lower, while UnitedHealth's (UNH) strong Q2 results helped lift the price-weighted Dow Jones Industrial Average.The Nasdaq declined 0.8% to 26,063.2, and the S&P 500 fell 0.2% to 7,557.6 after midday Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the intraday trend, up 0.2% to 52,769.1.Consumer staples, healthcare, and real estate topped the gainers, while technology slumped, down 1.8% intraday.Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) retreated 2.6% after the firm earmarked an additional $100 billion to increase its chipmaking capacity in the US, raising its total planned investment to $265 billion, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing a US official. Taiwan Semiconductor also reported Q2 results on Thursday, with year-over-year earnings and net revenue rising and Q3 sales guidance beating consensus.Among stocks with market capitalization exceeding $200 billion each, 15 out of the bottom 20 names were from the technology sector, according to data compiled by Finviz. Half of the decliners were semiconductor firms, the data showed. The worst performer was SanDisk (SNDK), down 9.5%.In company news, UnitedHealth's shares jumped 3.5%, making it one of the Dow's top gainers, after the company posted higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue and raised its 2026 adjusted EPS outlook.In geopolitical news, Iran has asked Yemen's Houthi movement to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the US strikes Iranian power infrastructure, Reuters reported, citing three sources.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate was little changed at $79.61 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent was steady at $84.96 a barrel. Both crude oil types traded lower earlier in the session.Most US Treasury yields rose after midday, with the 10-year up 2.8 basis points to 4.57%.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$SNDK$TSM$UNH

Commodities63d ago

Exchange-Traded Funds Lower, Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Thursday Amid Semiconductor Stock Weakness

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.3%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) retreated 0.9% in Thursday's premarket activity, amid weakness in semiconductor stocks.US stock futures were mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gaining 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures slipping 0.5% before the start of regular trading.US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 208,000 in the week ended July 11 from an upwardly revised 216,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a level of 217,000 in a survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.The New York Federal Reserve's services index jumped to 8.7 in July from minus 10.1 in June.US retail sales rose by 0.2% in June, as expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following the previous month's revised 1.0% increase.The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's monthly manufacturing index jumped to 41.4 in July after rising to 10.3 in June, compared with expectations for a much smaller increase to a reading of 12.5 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET.Reports releasing at 10:00 am ET include the pending home sales data for June, business inventories data for May, and home builder sentiment data for July.Weekly natural gas stocks data will be released at 10:30 am ET.Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson is slated to speak on Thursday.In premarket action, bitcoin was down by 1.2%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.1% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated 1.9%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 2.1%.Power Play:Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 1%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) gained 0.8%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) rose 0.9%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) increased marginally by 0.02%.UnitedHealth Group (UNH) stock was up more than 5% premarket after the company reported higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue.Winners and Losers:IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) retreated 0.9%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was down 0.7% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.GE Aerospace (GE) stock was down more than 3% before the opening bell, even after the company reported higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 0.4%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) gained 0.7%, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) advanced marginally by 0.03%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) increased 0.4%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was down 0.6%.Honda Motor (HMC) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell after a 0.7% decline at the prior close. Nikkei reported that the company plans to begin production of its UC3 electric motorcycle in Vietnam as early as September, shifting manufacturing from Thailand as it looks to capitalize on growing demand for electric two-wheelers in the country.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.3%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.4% lower.UBS Group (UBS) shares traded down 2% in early hours activity following a 2.3% gain in the previous session. Bloomberg News reported, citing an internal memo, that the company hired former Goldman Sachs (GS) managing director Takehiro Sakuramoto to head its debt capital markets division in Japan.EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.9%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.04%.TotalEnergies (TTE) stock was down more than 2% before market open, extending losses from its 0.7% retreat at the end of Wednesday's session. The company said it expects Q2 hydrocarbon production to be nearly 2.4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, supported by about 4% organic growth.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 1.5%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1.2% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 0.7%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) declined 2.7%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell by 3.7%.Nvidia (NVDA) shares were down more than 1% in premarket activity after advancing 0.3% at Wednesday's close. The company said it is working with Noetra to launch a factory of central processing units and graphics processing units to support the development of a national "Physical AI" infrastructure.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced by 1% to $80.41 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up by 0.8% to $2.95 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) was up 0.4%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.8% higher.Gold futures for July retreated 0.5% to $4,032.80 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures retreated by 0.7% to $57.02 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) decreased 1.4%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 2.9% lower.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$BETH$BITO$EEM$EETH$EXI$FAS$FAZ$GE$GLD$GS$HMC$IBB$IGM$IGV$IPK$IVV$IWM$IYE$IYH$IYJ$IYK$IYW$NVDA$PMR$QQQ$RTH$SLV$SOXX$SPY$TTE$UBS$UNG$UNH$USO$VDC$VHT$VIS$XLE$XLF$XLI$XLK$XLP$XLV$XLY$XRT$XSD

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$BIDU$SKHY$STM$STX$TSM$UNH$WDC

Update: US Equity Futures Edging Lower Pre-Bell as Traders Cautious on Tech, US Strikes Iran Targets Anew

(Updates with economic data, recent oil price movement, world markets' overview and corporate stock movements.)US equity futures were edging lower pre-bell Thursday as traders saw tech stocks trend downwards and the US unleashed another round of strikes against Iran.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% higher, S&P 500 futures were down 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures were 1% lower.SK Hynix (SKHY) stock fell more than 11% in Seoul and 8% in premarket activity on the Nasdaq.US Central Command said in a post on X that it completed another wave of attacks against Iran, holding the nation "accountable" at the direction of President Donald Trump.Iran warned that it would hit key infrastructure in the Gulf region if the US followed through on Trump's threats on Tuesday to strike Iranian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants if progress on peace talks was not achieved.Traders took note of the latest round of earnings with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) posting higher Q2 earnings and revenue.Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 1.3% at $86.06 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 1.3% higher at $80.66 per barrel.US retail sales rose by 0.2% in June, following a 1.0% gain in the prior month and meeting expectations in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. Initial jobless claims dropped to 208,000 in the week ended July 11 from 216,000 in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 217,000. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's monthly manufacturing index rose to 41.4 in July from 10.3 in June, compared with expectations for a smaller increase to a reading of 12.5.The July US housing market index, slated for 10 am ET, is expected at 35, unchanged from the prior month. Pending home sales for June are expected to decline by 0.5% after a gain of 3.8% in the prior month.Federal Reserve Dallas President Lorie Logan, Kansas City President Jeffrey Schmid, and Vice Chair Philip Jefferson are slated to speak on Thursday.In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 2.8% lower, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1.3% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 1.9% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was down 0.4%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.9% lower in Europe's early afternoon session.In equities, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing shares were 4.2% lower despite the company's Q2 earnings and revenue surpassing analysts' consensus estimates. Stocks of STMicroelectronics (STM), Western Digital (WDC), and Seagate Technology (STX) were down as part of a larger decline in the tech sector. STMicroelectronics shares fell 4.8%, Western Digital stock was down 7.7%, and Seagate Technology shares dropped 6.5%.On the winning side, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) stock was up 6.7% after the company reported Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue that beat analyst estimates, as well as boosting its 2026 outlook. Baidu (BIDU) stock was up 2.1% after the company said its board approved a plan to pursue a voluntary conversion to a dual-primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, while maintaining its primary listing on the Nasdaq.

US Markets63d ago

Stocks Mostly Down Pre-Bell as Investors Await More Earnings, Retail Sales Data

US equity markets were mostly tracking in the red before the opening bell Thursday as traders await the latest round of earnings and the June retail sales report.The S&P 500 edged down 0.1% and the Nasdaq was off 0.5% in premarket activity, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%. The three main indexes finished Wednesday trading higher for the second consecutive session.UnitedHealth (UNH), GE Aerospace (GE), Abbott Laboratories (ABT), Prologis (PLD), US Bancorp (USB), State Street (STT) and Citizens Financial (CFG) are expected to report their latest financial results before the bell, among others. Streaming giant Netflix (NFLX) posts its earnings after the markets close.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing's (TSM) US-listed shares declined 3.9% pre-bell after the semiconductor manufacturer reported its second-quarter results. United Airlines (UAL) was down 2.3% as the air carrier flagged an additional $6 billion in fuel costs for 2026 amid rising oil prices.J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) jumped 6.4% as the transportation and logistics company's second-quarter results topped market estimates. Apple (AAPL) added 0.2% after finishing Wednesday with a 4% gain amid media reports that the iPhone maker has held talks with bankers in recent months about possible acquisitions of chip companies.Last month's retail sales report is out at 8:30 am ET.Government data showed Wednesday that producer prices unexpectedly dropped on a monthly basis in June amid a steep decline in the cost of energy products. Earlier in the week, an official report showed that consumer prices decreased last month for the first time in more than six years."While still nominally elevated at a dangerously high level, the relative improvement in inflation in June emboldens the more dovish argument that price pressures are already cooling and could retreat further into year-end as the lingering impact from tariffs falls off and energy prices potentially normalize amid -- still tentative -- but ongoing, US-Iran peace negotiations," Stifel said in a note Wednesday.US Treasury yields were up in premarket action, with the two-year rate increasing 3.2 basis points to 4.16% and the 10-year rate adding 2.8 basis points to 4.57%.Thursday's economic calendar also has the weekly jobless claims bulletin at 8:30 am, along with the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index for July. The housing market index for the current month and the pending home sales index for June are both out at 10 am.Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson, Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan and Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid are all slated to speak on Thursday.Inflation is more likely to accelerate than cool given price pressures arising from an artificial intelligence boom and major supply shocks, Fed Governor Lisa Cook said Wednesday. Separately, New York Fed President John Williams said that inflation should ease in the next few quarters as energy prices retreat.West Texas Intermediate crude oil dipped less than 0.1% to $79.59 a barrel before the open, while Brent nudged down 0.3% to $84.72.The US Central Command said Wednesday its forces disabled an unladen oil tanker attempting to transit towards an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf. The US resumed its naval blockade on Iranian ships and ports earlier this week.A spokesperson for Iran's top military command reportedly said Thursday that it will destroy key infrastructure in the Middle East if the US follows through on President Donald Trump's threat to attack power plants and bridges in the country in case a deal isn't finalized, CNBC reported.Gold decreased 0.3% to $4,039 per troy ounce, while bitcoin fell 1.1% to $64,176.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$ABT$CFG$GE$JBHT$NFLX$PLD$STT$TSM$UAL$UNH$USB

Japan63d ago

US Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell as Traders Cautious on Tech, US Strikes Iran Targets Anew

US equity futures were mixed pre-bell Thursday as traders saw tech stocks trend downwards and the US unleashed another round of strikes against Iran.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.2% higher, S&P 500 futures were down 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.8% lower.SK Hynix (SKHY) stock fell more than 11% in Seoul and 5% in premarket activity on the Nasdaq.US Central Command said in a post on X that it completed another wave of attacks against Iran, holding the nation "accountable" at the direction of President Donald Trump.Iran warned that it would hit key infrastructure in the Gulf region if the US followed through on Trump's threats on Tuesday to strike Iranian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants if progress on peace talks was not achieved.Traders took note of the latest round of earnings with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) posting higher Q2 earnings and revenue.Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 0.5% at $84.52 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.3% lower at $79.37 per barrel.The June retail sales report, slated for 8:30 am ET, is forecast to show a 0.2% increase following a 0.9% gain in the previous month, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The weekly jobless claims bulletin is expected to show 217,000 new unemployment claims for the week ended July 11, up from 215,000 in the prior week. The Philadelphia Fed's regional manufacturing index for July is seen coming in at 12.5, up from 10.3 posted previously.The July US housing market index, slated for 10 am ET, is expected at 35, unchanged from the prior month. Pending home sales for June are expected to decline by 0.5% after a gain of 3.8% in the prior month.Federal Reserve Dallas President Lorie Logan, Kansas City President Jeffrey Schmid, and Vice Chair Philip Jefferson are slated to speak on Thursday.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$SKHY$TSM

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500

Tech Caution Undercuts Wall Street Pre-Bell; Asia Mixed, Europe Off

Wall Street futures pointed moderately lower pre-bell Thursday, as traders weighed tech issues and noted slipping Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) shares after the industry colossus reported strong Q2 results.In the futures, the S&P 500 fell 0.1%, and the Nasdaq declined 0.6%, although the Dow Jones was up 0.3%.The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) traded down 2.2% pre-bell.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing reported a year-on-year revenue increase of 36% in Q2, while net profit rose by 77.4%, topping outlooks. Nevertheless, shares traded down 4.2% pre-bell in New York, with some reports citing concerns regarding rising company capital outlays.Traders also await the 8:30 am ET release of the June retail sales report from Washington, sure to be parsed for clues to consumer behavior.Asian exchanges gyrated overnight, with Hong Kong gaining, while Tokyo lost ground and Seoul's KOSPI Index fell back 6.4% in a tech rout. European bourses tracked moderately south midday on the continent.Also on the economic calendar is the weekly jobless claims report at 8:30 am ET, along with the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index for July.May business inventories, the July NAHB Housing Market Index, and the July NAR Pending Home Sales Index log at 10 am.The weekly EIA natural gas bulletin posts at 10:30 am.Federal Reserve Dallas President Lorie Logan, Kansas City President Jeffrey Schmid, and Vice Chair Philip Jefferson are slated to speak on Thursday.In pre-market action, Bitcoin traded at $64,200, West Texas Intermediate crude oil traded evenly at $76.92, and 10-year US Treasuries offered 4.57%. Spot gold commanded $4,033 an ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$ASML$BLK$BNY$MS

Update: US Equity Indexes Climb as Unexpected Decline in Inflation Helps Counter Sharp Deterioration in Iran Geopolitics

(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data, and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes rose, as a boost from an unexpected drop in producer price inflation helped outweigh a worsening geopolitical environment, including potential complex military operations against Iran and an emerging threat to shut down the maritime gateway to the Red Sea.The Nasdaq rose 0.6% to 26,269.23, the S&P 500 climbed 0.4% to 7,572.40, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.3% to 52,658.64 on Wednesday. Communication services and consumer discretionary topped the gainers, while utilities led the decliners.The US Producer Price Index fell 0.3% in June after a 0.6% increase in May, below consensus for no change in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. Core PPI rose 0.2%, slower than the 0.3% gain expected and a 0.1% rise in May. PPI was up 5.5% year-over-year in June, versus the 6% gain in May, while core PPI climbed 4.7%, up from 4.6% in May.Fed policy is likely to remain unchanged given the divide between inflation optimists and pessimists, Stifel Chief Economist Lindsey Piegza said in a note. Following the PPI data, the CME FedWatch tool showed a 90% probability of the Fed holding rates steady in July, up from 84% on Tuesday, with the rate-pause likelihood also increasing for September, October, and December. Treasury yields retreated, with the 10-year yield falling four basis points to 4.55% and the two-year sliding 6.3 basis points to 4.13%.Geopolitically, the strikes on Iran aimed at forcing open the Strait of Hormuz are also targeting capabilities that the US would like destroyed before executing complex operations in the country, Reuters reported, citing three US officials. The officials said the strikes effectively strengthen Trump's additional military options.In response, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East over the blockade of its ports, the Associated Press reported. "The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one," the Guard was cited as saying. Iran is also signaling it could use Yemen's Houthi allies to shut the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, opening a new front against Washington and putting two of the world's most important energy arteries at risk, a separate report from Reuters said.Despite these tensions, crude oil futures traded off session highs following US inventory data. Brent rose 0.4% to $85.05 a barrel, and the US West Texas Intermediate climbed 0.5% to $79.71 a barrel.US commercial crude oil stocks fell by 1.7 million barrels in the week ended July 10, below the 1.8 million-barrel slide forecast in a Bloomberg-compiled poll. Gasoline stocks fell by 1.5 million barrels during the same period in the US summer driving season, smaller than the 2.0-million-barrel slide expected. Distillate stocks, which power the supply chain comprising commercial trucking and freight trains, rose by 4.6 million barrels, compared with an expected drop of 2.0 million barrels.In company news, Dutch semiconductor equipment supplier ASML (ASML) reported growth in Q2 earnings and sales and raised revenue guidance for the full-year 2026.Mega-cap banks continued to post strong results. Morgan Stanley's (MS) Q2 sales beat the outlook, with robust investment banking and trading driving the top line higher year over year. BlackRock (BLK) also reported higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue, and The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY) reported Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue above market expectations.

US Markets64d ago

Update: Wall Street Extends Gains on Further Signs of Cooling Inflation

(Updates with market moves at the end of the day.)US equities rose Wednesday, driving major indexes higher for a second straight day as traders digested another softer-than-expected inflation report.The Nasdaq Composite closed 0.6% higher at 26,269.2, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.4% to 7,572.4. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3% to settle at 52,658.6. Among sectors, communication services saw the biggest gain, while utilities led the laggards.Technology giant Apple (AAPL) was the best performer on the Dow, up 4%. The iPhone maker has held talks with bankers in recent months about possible acquisitions of chip companies, The Information reported, citing unnamed sources.Other tech majors also advanced, with Alphabet's (GOOGL) class A shares, Amazon.com (AMZN), and Microsoft (MSFT) following Apple on the Dow as the top performers.In economic news, US producer prices unexpectedly dropped on a monthly basis in June amid a steep decline in the cost of energy products, official data showed."We expect to see another weak reading for the July (producer prices index), even though global oil prices have moved higher in the past week," Oxford Economics said in a note.On Tuesday, government data showed that US consumer prices decreased last month for the first time in more than six years amid lower energy costs."While still nominally elevated at a dangerously high level, the relative improvement in inflation in June emboldens the more dovish argument that price pressures are already cooling and could retreat further into year-end as the lingering impact from tariffs falls off and energy prices potentially normalize amid -- still tentative -- but ongoing, US-Iran peace negotiations," Stifel said in a note Wednesday.The probability that the Fed will leave its benchmark lending rate unchanged later this month rose to nearly 90% Wednesday from 84% Tuesday, according to the CME FedWatch tool.Inflation should ease in the next few quarters as energy prices are expected to trend back closer to where they were before the US-Iran war began, New York Fed President John Williams said.Inflation is more likely to accelerate than cool given price pressures arising from an artificial intelligence boom and major supply shocks, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said. Separately, New York Fed President John Williams said that inflation should ease in the next few quarters as energy prices retreat.West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 1.2% at $80.29 a barrel in Wednesday late-afternoon trade, while Brent rose 1.3% to $85.80.The US military conducted fresh strikes on Iran on Wednesday as tensions flare over the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important chokepoint for crude flows, the US Central Command said.US Treasury yields were lower, with the two-year rate down 5.2 basis points at 4.14% and the 10-year rate falling 3.2 basis points to 4.55%.In other company news, PayPal (PYPL) shares jumped 17%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, after Reuters reported that Stripe and Advent International have offered to acquire PayPal in a deal that would value the payments giant at more than $53 billion.Pentair (PNR) shares slid 15%, the worst performer on the S&P 500. The water treatment company late Tuesday reported preliminary second-quarter results below market estimates and lowered its full-year outlook amid headwinds related to its pool segment.Gold edged down 0.2% to $4,060.80 per troy ounce, while silver lost 1.6% to $58.17 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$GOOGL$MSFT$PNR$PYPL

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$PNR$PYPL

US Equity Markets End Higher After Unexpected Decline in Producer Price Index

US equity indexes closed higher Wednesday after an unexpected drop in producer prices.* The US producer price index fell 0.3% in June following a 0.6% increase in May, below the flat consensus in a Bloomberg survey.* The US intensified airstrikes against Iran following Tehran's attacks on ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the Associated Press reported.* August West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $0.92 to settle at $80.26 per barrel, while September Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $1.02 at $85.75.* Payments firm Stripe and Advent International offered to acquire PayPal (PYPL) for $60.50 a share in a deal valuing the company at more than $53 billion, Reuters reported. PayPal shares jumped 17%, the top gainer on the S&P 500.* Pentair (PNR) shares fell 15%, the biggest drop on the S&P, a day after the company reported preliminary Q2 results below market estimates and lowered its full-year outlook.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500

Update: US Equity Indexes Climb After Inflation Unexpectedly Drops, Strikes on Iran Prepping Groundwork for Tedious Operations

(Updates with index/price moves and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes edged up as a boost from an unexpected drop in producer price inflation was partially offset by Washington setting the stage for complex operations in Iran, which has signaled its allies could shut the maritime gateway to the Red Sea.The Nasdaq rose 0.4% to 26,221.8, the S&P 500 climbed 0.2% to 7,559.1, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.2% to 52,611.4 ahead of Wednesday's close. All three gauges briefly traded moderately lower earlier in the session. Communication services and consumer discretionary topped the gainers, while utilities led the decliners.The US Producer Price Index fell 0.3% in June following a 0.6% increase in May, below the flat consensus in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. Excluding food and energy, core PPI rose 0.2%, slower than the 0.3% gain expected and a 0.1% rise in May. PPI was up 5.5% year-over-year in June, versus the 6% gain in May, while core PPI climbed 4.7%, up from 4.6% in May.Most US Treasury yields fell in the final leg of trading, with the 10-year down four basis points to 4.55% and the two-year declining 6.3 basis points to 4.13%.Recent waves of US strikes on Iran aimed at forcing open the Strait of Hormuz are also targeting Iranian military capabilities that the US would want to destroy before executing more complex operations against Iran, three US officials told Reuters.The officials, who were granted anonymity to discuss military matters, said the strikes effectively strengthen Trump's additional military options.Iran currently has no plans for negotiations with the US, CNN reported, citing the country's foreign ministry spokesperson, who added that Tehran would not adhere to any agreement if Washington "breaches its obligations."Iran is now signaling it could use Yemen's Houthi allies to shut the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, opening a new front against Washington and putting two of the world's most important energy arteries at risk, a separate report from Reuters said. As US strikes deepen inside Iran and Houthi attacks escalate in tandem, analysts said Tehran is widening the conflict and seeking to increase pressure on Washington by extending the threat to global trade and energy supplies beyond the Gulf, the news report added.The front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent rose 0.4% to $85.05 a barrel, and the US West Texas Intermediate climbed 0.5% to $79.71 a barrel, albeit off session highs.

US Markets64d ago

Equity Markets Rise Intraday as Big Tech Gains

US benchmark equity indexes were higher intraday, aided by certain mega-cap technology stocks, as traders parsed the latest inflation data.The Nasdaq Composite was up 0.5% at 26,246.1 after midday Wednesday, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.3% to 7,568.2. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2% to 52,620.4. Among sectors, communication services saw the biggest gain, while energy led the laggards.Tech giant Apple (AAPL) was the best performer on the Dow, up 4%. The iPhone maker has held talks with bankers in recent months about possible deals for chip companies, The Information reported, citing unnamed sources.Other tech majors Alphabet's (GOOGL) class A shares, Amazon.com (AMZN), and Microsoft (MSFT) followed Apple on the Dow as the top performers.In economic news, US producer prices unexpectedly dropped on a monthly basis in June amid a steep decline in the cost of energy products, official data showed."We expect to see another weak reading for the July (producer prices index), even though global oil prices have moved higher in the past week," Oxford Economics said in a note.On Tuesday, government data showed that US consumer prices decreased last month for the first time in more than six years amid lower energy costs."While still nominally elevated at a dangerously high level, the relative improvement in inflation in June emboldens the more dovish argument that price pressures are already cooling and could retreat further into year-end as the lingering impact from tariffs falls off and energy prices potentially normalize amid -- still tentative -- but ongoing, US-Iran peace negotiations," Stifel said in a note Wednesday.The probability that the Fed will leave its benchmark lending rate unchanged later this month rose to nearly 90% Wednesday from 84% Tuesday, according to the CME FedWatch tool.Inflation should ease in the next few quarters as energy prices are expected to trend back closer to where they were before the US-Iran war began, New York Fed President John Williams said.West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.4% at $78.99 a barrel intraday, while Brent dropped 0.3% to $84.45.The US military conducted fresh strikes on Iran for 90 minutes, as tensions flare over the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important chokepoint for crude flows, CNN reported Wednesday, citing the US Central Command.US Treasury yields were lower intraday, with the two-year rate down 6.1 basis points at 4.13% and the 10-year rate falling 3.8 basis points to 4.55%.In other company news, PayPal (PYPL) shares jumped 16%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, after Reuters reported that Stripe and Advent International have offered to acquire PayPal in a deal that would value the payments giant at more than $53 billion.Pentair (PNR) shares slid 15%, the worst performer on the S&P 500. The water treatment company late Tuesday reported preliminary second-quarter results below market estimates and lowered its full-year outlook amid headwinds related to its pool segment.Gold edged down 0.7% to $4,042.70 per troy ounce, while silver lost 3.2% to $57.22 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$GOOGL$MSFT$PNR$PYPL

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$ASML$BLK$BNY$MS$PYPL

Update: US Equity Indexes Edge Up After Producer Price Inflation Unexpectedly Drops, Iran Signals Red Sea Disruption

(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic/rates data, and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes ground higher following a surprise decline in the wholesale price inflation rate and a signal from Iran that its allies could shut the maritime gateway to the Red Sea.The Nasdaq rose 0.4% to 26,221.4, the S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to 7,564.7, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.3% to 52,643.8 after midday Wednesday. All three gauges briefly traded moderately lower earlier in the session. Communication services and consumer discretionary topped the gainers, while energy led the decliners.The US Producer Price Index fell 0.3% in June following a 0.6% increase in May, below the flat consensus in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. Excluding food and energy, core PPI rose 0.2%, slower than the 0.3% gain expected and a 0.1% rise in May. PPI was up 5.5% year-over-year in June, versus the 6% gain in May, while core PPI climbed 4.7%, up from 4.6% in May.The probability of the Federal Reserve leaving its policy unchanged in July rose to 90% following the PPI data, from 84% a day ago and 69% a week ago, the CME FedWatch tool showed Wednesday. The likelihood of a pause continuing across September, October, and December also jumped. On Tuesday, market expectations for an unchanged monetary policy surged after the June consumer price inflation rate declined the most since April 2020.Most US Treasury yields fell after midday, with the 10-year down 4.4 basis points to 4.54% and the two-year declining 6.9 basis points to 4.12%.US Central Command struck Iran's coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island during the 90-minute wave on Wednesday, it said. "The strikes further degraded Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." The strikes followed attacks overnight.Iran is now signaling it could use Yemen's Houthi allies to shut the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, opening a new front against Washington and putting two of the world's most important energy arteries at risk, Reuters reported. As US strikes deepen inside Iran and Houthi attacks escalate in tandem, analysts said Tehran is widening the conflict and seeking to increase pressure on Washington by extending the threat to global trade and energy supplies beyond the Gulf, the news report said.The front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent shed 0.2% to $84.53 a barrel, and the US West Texas Intermediate declined 0.4% to $79.05 a barrel, off session highs.Excluding inventories in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, US commercial crude oil stocks fell by 1.7 million barrels in the week ended July 10, following the Labor Day weekend, versus a 1.8 million-barrel decline expected in a Bloomberg-compiled poll and a 3.0-million-barrel gain in the previous week. Gasoline stocks fell by 1.5 million barrels, smaller than the 2.0-million-barrel decrease expected. Further, distillate stocks rose by 4.6 million barrels, compared with an expected drop of 2.0 million barrels.In precious metal markets, gold futures retreated 0.2% to $4,060.90, and silver futures slumped 2.2% to $57.78.In company news, Dutch semiconductor equipment supplier ASML (ASML) reported year-over-year growth in Q2 earnings and sales and raised revenue guidance for the full-year 2026.Mega-cap banks continued to post strong results. Morgan Stanley's (MS) Q2 sales beat the outlook, with robust investment banking and trading driving the top line higher year over year. BlackRock (BLK) also reported higher Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue. The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY) reported its Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue above market expectations.Payments firm Stripe and Advent International have offered to acquire PayPal (PYPL) for $60.50 per share in a deal valuing the company at more than $53 billion, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Dow Jones^EEM^EXI^FAS^FAZ^GLD^IBB^IGM^IGV^IPK^IVV^IWMNasdaq Composite^IYE^IYH^IYJ^IYK^IYW^PMR^QQQ^RTH^SOXXS&P 500^SPY^UNG^USO^VDC^VHT^VIS^XLE^XLF^XLI^XLK^XLP^XLV^XRT^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH

Exchange-Traded Funds Rise, US Equities Mixed After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV edged higher Wednesday afternoon. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) fell 0.9%.US equity indexes were mixed following a surprise decline in the wholesale price inflation rate and a signal from Iran that its allies could shut the maritime gateway to the Red Sea.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each shed about 1.4%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) fell 2.3%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) shed 1%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 1.5%.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) declined 3.9%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) fell 4%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) rose 0.9%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) advanced 2.7%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 2.5%.CommoditiesCrude oil gained 0.1%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) rose 0.1%. Natural gas added 0.5%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 0.1%.Gold on Comex dipped 0.9%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) eased 0.5%. Silver was down 3.7%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 3.3% lower.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) added 0.6%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) rose 0.7%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) was up 0.7%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) rose 1.2%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) added 1.2%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) advanced 1.8%.HealthcareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) rose 0.4%, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) added 0.3%, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) was up 0.4%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was up 0.2%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) slipped 1.1%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also lower.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) rose 0.8%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) added 0.8%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was up 2%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 1.8% higher.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$ASML$PYPL

Update: US Equity Indexes Mixed After Producer Price Inflation Unexpectedly Declines, Iran Signals Potential Red Sea Disruption

(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes traded mixed, giving up intraday gains following a surprise decline in the wholesale price inflation rate and a signal from Iran that its allies could shut the maritime gateway to the Red Sea.The Nasdaq was steady at 26,092.1, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.1% to 7,534.1, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average leaned slightly lower to 52,469.8 after midday Wednesday. All three gauges traded higher earlier in the session.The US Producer Price Index fell by 0.3% in June following a 0.6% increase in May, below expectations for a flat reading in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. Excluding food and energy prices, core PPI rose 0.2%, slower than the 0.3% gain expected and a 0.1% rise in May.Iran is now signaling it could use Yemen's Houthi allies to shut the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, opening a new front against Washington and putting two of the world's most important energy arteries at risk, Reuters reported. As US strikes deepen inside Iran and Houthi attacks escalate in tandem, analysts said Tehran is widening the conflict and seeking to increase pressure on Washington by extending the threat to global trade and energy supplies beyond the Gulf, the news report said.The front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent fell 0.2% to $84.59 a barrel, and the US West Texas Intermediate slid 0.1% to $79.23 a barrel.In company news, Dutch semiconductor equipment supplier ASML (ASML) reported year-over-year growth in Q2 earnings and sales and raised revenue guidance for the full-year 2026.Payments firm Stripe and Advent International have offered to acquire PayPal (PYPL) for $60.50 per share in a deal that would value the company at more than $53 billion, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$ASML$BABA$JNJ$MRK

Update: US Equity Futures Higher Pre-Bell Amid Inflation Data, Middle East Tensions

(Updates with economic data, recent oil price movement, world markets' overview and corporate stock movements.)US equity futures were edging slightly higher pre-bell Wednesday as traders considered the latest inflation data amid the continuing tensions in the Middle East.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.5% higher.The US seasonally adjusted consumer price index, a measure of inflation, fell by 0.4% in June, compared with expectations for a 0.1% decrease in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following a 0.5% increase in May, government data showed.In a post on X, US Central Command said it started another wave of attacks against Iran at 6 am ET, aiming to "further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."President Donald Trump reiterated in a post on Truth Social that the US was reinstating a "full" blockade, "but only on Ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo." Trump also backtracked from a threat to impose a 20% levy on cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the Gulf States would invest in the US instead.Traders also digested the latest round of earnings with ASML (ASML) reporting higher Q2 earnings and sales, and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) posted an increase in Q2 adjusted earnings and sales.Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.4% at $85.04 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.5% higher at $79.72 per barrel.The US Producer Price Index, released at 8:30 am ET, fell 0.3% in June following a 0.6% increase in May, compared with no change expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. The New York Federal Reserve's Empire State manufacturing index jumped to 15.6 in July from 5.7 in June, compared with expectations of a smaller increase to a reading of 9.2.Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh will testify before the Senate Banking Committee at 10 am ET, following a similar presentation Tuesday before the House.Federal Reserve New York President John Williams, St. Louis President Alberto Musalem, and Governor Lisa Cook are slated to speak on Wednesday.In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.5% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1.4% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.3% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was flat, and Germany's DAX index was 0.6% lower in Europe's early afternoon session.In equities, ASML stock was up 3.2% after the company reported its Q2 financial results. Alibaba's (BABA) shares were 4.1% higher after a Bloomberg report cited a company spokesperson as saying that Apple (AAPL) would be integrating the Alibaba's Qwen AI into Chinese iPhones, iPads, and Mac operating systems. Merck (MRK) stock was up 2.3% after the company said the phase 3 trial of its therapy, Keytruda, met the primary endpoint of progression-free survival in patients with mismatch repair-deficient advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.On the losing side, Johnson & Johnson shares fell 2.1% after the company posted its Q2 financial results.

Commodities64d ago

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Higher Pre-Bell Wednesday Amid Economic Reports

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.1%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 0.4% in Wednesday's premarket activity, amid economic data releases.US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.02%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.4% before the start of regular trading.Mortgage applications fell by 2.7% in the week ended July 10 as higher 30-year mortgage rates depressed new home applications, while refinancing activity improved, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday.The New York Federal Reserve's Empire State manufacturing index rose to 15.6 in July from 5.7 in June, compared with a smaller expected increase to a reading of 9.2 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.US producer prices fell 0.3% in June, compared with expectations for no change, while core producer prices rose 0.2%, below forecasts for a 0.3% increase.Fed Chair Kevin Warsh begins his second day of testimony at 10:00 am ET.Weekly crude oil stocks data are set for release at 10:30 am ET, followed by an appearance byNew York Fed President John Williams and Fed Governor Lisa Cook are slated to speak on Wednesday.The Fed's Beige Book report will be released at 2:00 pm ET.In premarket action, bitcoin was up by 0.1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.1% higher, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 0.1%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) retreated 0.01%.Power Play:IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.6%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) rose 1%, while the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.Pentair (PNR) stock fell more than 21% before the opening bell after the water treatment company reported preliminary Q2 results below market estimates and lowered its full-year outlook amid headwinds related to its pool segment.Winners and Losers:FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.4%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 1.1% lower.BlackRock (BLK) shares traded up more than 4% in early hours activity after Bloomberg reported the company is in discussions over providing about $45 million in private credit to Indian e-commerce platform Udaan as part of a proposed $160 million funding package.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced 0.6%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.2% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 1.5%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained 1.1%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 1.4%.ASML (ASML) shares were up more than 3% in premarket activity after the company reported year-over-year growth in Q2 earnings and sales and raised revenue guidance for the full-year 2026.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) retreated 0.01%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was flat, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was up 1.2%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) advanced 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was flat.Lucid (LCID) shares were down more than 2% pre-bell after dropping more than 16% in Tuesday's regular session following rumors of a potential bankruptcy filing that the company quashed.Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) declined 0.6%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.3%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) slipped 0.3%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was up 0.2%.Merck (MRK) stock was up more than 1% premarket after the company said a phase 3 trial of its therapy, Keytruda, met the primary endpoint of progression-free survival in patients with mismatch repair-deficient advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was down 2.5%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) retreated by 0.1%.Oceaneering International (OII) stock was up nearly 1% before market open after the company and Kongsberg were selected by the US Department of War's Defense Innovation Unit to support the US Navy's vision for scalable uncrewed undersea platforms.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced by 0.6% to $79.82 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down by 0.2% to $2.90 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) was up 0.1%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.9% lower.Gold futures for July gained 0.8% to $4,035.90 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures retreated by 1.4% to $58.28 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) decreased 0.4%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 1.2% lower.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$ASML$BETH$BITO$BLK$EEM$EETH$EXI$FAS$FAZ$GLD$IBB$IGM$IGV$IPK$IVV$IWM$IYE$IYH$IYJ$IYK$IYW$LCID$MRK$OII$PMR$PNR$QQQ$RTH$SLV$SOXX$SPY$UNG$USO$VDC$VHT$VIS$XLE$XLF$XLI$XLK$XLP$XLV$XLY$XRT$XSD