Wall Street today: the Dow holds up and tech eases

Wall Street today: Dow firm and Nasdaq lower at the close

S&P 500 and Nasdaq: end-of-session close

Wall Street today leaves a very clear picture for reading the market without noise: money continued to flow in selectively, but it flowed out of technology and semiconductors. The S&P 500 closed at 7,807.24 points, down 0.06%, while the Nasdaq 100 ended at 30,492.70 points, down 0.56%. The message matters: the broad index barely slipped, but the selloff was much more visible in the growth segment, a sign of rotation rather than generalized panic.

The Nasdaq was hit again by weakness in chips, a factor that has been weighing on recent sessions and that once again hurt the market’s risk perception today. Reuters was already warning at the open about pressure in semiconductors and a mixed tone after bank earnings, a combination that ended up setting the pace for the entire session. The official figures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 confirm that reading: the broad index was almost flat, while technology was clearly weaker. For investors, this matters a great deal because the market is not selling everything; it is discriminating.

In addition, the close shows that the U.S. stock market is still digesting two forces at the same time: expectations of a strong earnings season and, on the other side, pressure from yields, inflation tied to energy, and geopolitical tension. If you trade from Madrid, the official close came at 22:00 CET on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 (3:00 p.m. Mexico City). That is the reference point to use, not the partial mid-session move.

Dow Jones: better tone thanks to rotation into banks and defensives

The Dow Jones closed at 51,850.55 points, up 0.38%, and was the index that held up best during the session. That is no coincidence. Money sought relative shelter in more defensive names and part of the financial sector, while the market punished the technology component. When the Dow rises and the Nasdaq 100 falls clearly, what you usually have in front of you is a classic rotation: less appetite for duration and more interest in businesses with more visible short-term earnings.

The big-bank earnings season helped support that reading. JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup drew the market’s attention. The results came with a mixed message: there were solid profits in several cases, but also disappointments in revenue or caution about the rate and inflation environment. That prevented a uniform sector reaction, although it did help avoid a further deterioration in overall sentiment. In other words: banks were not an explosive driver, but they did act as a cushion.

For those following the market from Europe or Latin America, the lesson is useful: it is not enough to look at whether Wall Street is up or down. Today’s U.S. close showed something more valuable, which is where the money hid. And today it hid less in pure growth and more in segments with a more defensive profile or linked to energy and financials.

Russell 2000: small caps lacked the strength to keep up

The Russell 2000 closed at 2,785.95 points, down 0.31%, a sign that small caps also failed to find enough traction to keep up with the Dow. This fits a cautious market: if small companies are not leading, it is hard to talk about broad risk appetite. The data reinforces the idea of a session with very selective buying, with purchases in specific niches and selling in technology, but without a wave of buying that lifts the whole market at once.

Factors that shaped the U.S. close

The first factor was continued pressure on semiconductors and mega-cap technology stocks. That group remains decisive because it carries a huge share of the weight in the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 itself. When it weakens, the market loses momentum even if other sectors hold up. The second factor was the start of bank earnings, which produced enough headlines to move money between sectors, but not a clear sign of complete relief.

The third element was the macro and geopolitical backdrop. Reuters noted during the session that expectations for a robust earnings campaign were offsetting concerns about the U.S. conflict with Iran, the rebound in yields, and inflation linked to oil. That balance explains the close perfectly: the market is not breaking, but it is not running either. And when crude remains a risk variable, energy gains prominence and technology becomes more exposed to profit-taking.

In that context, for Spanish-speaking investors there is a practical takeaway: the Wall Street close continues to set the tone for the next session in Europe and for risk appetite in Latin America. If the Nasdaq 100 weakens and the Dow holds up, it is worth watching the next day’s sector rotation more closely than the headline index move.

Stocks that rose and fell the most today

Among the standout gainers, Goldman Sachs rose about 3% after reporting quarterly results better than expected, supported by a strong surge in its equities business. JPMorgan also managed to finish higher intraday after posting profit above last year’s level, although the figures did not entirely excite the consensus; even so, the market valued its resilience. In the energy block, names such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron were supported by the backdrop in crude and by the search for exposure to sectors less sensitive to multiple compression in technology, in line with the better performance of the energy sector noted by the financial press.

Among the decliners, Wells Fargo came under pressure after disappointing on revenue, despite better-than-expected earnings. Citigroup was also punished: it beat forecasts in some areas and raised its net interest margin guidance, but the market sold the news and it traded clearly lower during the session. And in technology, Micron was one of the weakest names of the day, with declines above 5% in the middle parts of trading, affected by news about advances by Chinese competitors in DRAM. That hit to Micron fits the overall picture of the day: weak chips, a soft Nasdaq 100, and rotation into more resilient sectors.

If you want a visual market reference, the move in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq can also be followed on the S&P 500 historical data pages and in Reuters’ session coverage on Investing. But the trading takeaway is already clear: the U.S. market closed divided, with the Dow holding up, the S&P 500 almost flat, the Nasdaq 100 weaker, and small caps without leadership.

This article is general financial information and does not constitute investment advice.

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