Wall Street today: AI boosts the Nasdaq into the close

Wall Street today: close with a strong Nasdaq and AI still alive

S&P 500 and Nasdaq: session close

Wall Street today sent investors a very clear message: the market is still rewarding growth, earnings, and the artificial intelligence narrative when numbers come in that support the story. At the official close at 22:00 Madrid time (15:00 Mexico City time), the S&P 500 ended at 7,764.09 points, up 0.67%, while the Nasdaq 100 closed at 29,894.72 points, with a gain of 1.37%. The session was clearly favorable for technology and growth, with buying concentrated in names tied to AI infrastructure and large momentum stocks.

What matters is not only that the Nasdaq 100 rose more than the rest, but why it did so. The market had been sensitive after recent doubts about the profitability of the AI investment cycle, and today it found fuel in corporate earnings that restored confidence. SpaceX surged after reporting better-than-expected results and pointing to a possible merger with Tesla, while Super Micro Computer delivered a preliminary revenue and margin guide above expectations. That combination reignited appetite for chips, servers, and the entire data center spending chain. Reuters summed up that shift in tone well by noting that the Nasdaq led gains on improved appetite for AI-linked stocks. Reuters’ report distributed by Yahoo Finance captured that market turn precisely.

Dow Jones: more moderate advance but constructive tone

The Dow Jones closed at 52,800.01 points, up 0.58%. Here the performance was more subdued than in the Nasdaq 100, which is logical on a day when technology once again took the lead. Even so, the Dow’s close was also solid and confirms that the session was not a narrow bounce driven by just two or three names, but a much broader improvement in sentiment.

To interpret this move properly, it helps to separate speed from quality. The Dow did not need to run as much as the Nasdaq to send a positive signal: it followed the market higher, stayed in the green, and reflected that money did not flee industrials and large mature companies. That gives the close more consistency. When technology rises and the Dow also follows suit, the underlying message is usually more constructive than when everything depends on just a handful of mega caps.

Russell 2000: small caps also join in

The Russell 2000 closed at 2,789.60 points, up 0.58%. This matters because it shows that risk appetite was not limited to the giant technology names. Small- and mid-cap stocks also participated, albeit without the Nasdaq’s shine. For those who follow market breadth, this detail matters: a session gains credibility when small caps are not left completely behind. For Europe and Latin America, the practical takeaway is simple: if Wall Street buys technology but also supports cyclicals and smaller companies, the close sends a healthier risk signal into the next global open.

Factors that shaped the close in the U.S.

The main driver of the day was earnings season. The market wanted proof that AI spending is still generating real traction, and today it found it. SpaceX rose around 10.7% after posting its first profit as a listed company, boosted by its artificial intelligence and connectivity divisions, while Super Micro jumped about 12% after improving its quarterly revenue and margin outlook. In addition, Reuters noted that Dell and HPE also benefited from positive spillover within the technology infrastructure ecosystem. That follow-through effect was key to the Nasdaq’s stronger relative performance. (finance.yahoo.com)

The second factor was energy. During the session, WTI crude slipped about 0.6% to around $97.22, according to market updates reported by Yahoo Finance, while the market remained attentive to the conflict in the Middle East and weekly U.S. crude inventories. Softer oil eased some inflation pressure and supported risk sentiment. At the same time, attention shifted to earnings from giants like Tesla and Meta after the close, which also encouraged repositioning during the session. Another market update on Yahoo Finance highlighted precisely the WTI pullback and the decline in U.S. commercial inventories. (finance.yahoo.com)

Stocks that rose and fell the most today

Among the day’s biggest gainers were SpaceX, with a gain of nearly 10.7% after better-than-expected results, a first profitable quarter as a listed company, and the added factor of a possible corporate transaction with Tesla; Super Micro Computer, which jumped about 12% on a preliminary revenue and margin guide above forecasts; and Equifax, which rose more than 11% in premarket trading and was singled out as one of the S&P 500’s biggest winners after beating adjusted third-quarter profit estimates. Dell and HPE also showed strength, joining the rebound in the AI infrastructure segment. (finance.yahoo.com)

On the weak side, Netflix was one of the hardest hit names after guidance that failed to convince the market, with declines of more than 6% before the open and continued pressure through the session. Abbott also fell after posting adjusted earnings per share slightly below expectations despite revenue growth, and Accenture was among the decliners after a rating downgrade on valuation grounds. The lesson for investors is powerful: in this market, growth alone is not enough; companies must beat expectations and, above all, convince with forward guidance. That is the real filter behind today’s close. (finance.yahoo.com)

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

Keep reading on the blog: Wall Street today: tech rebound and flat Dow at the close and Wall Street today: technology weighs on the market and the Dow holds up.