01 Stock Market
The U.S. major indexes closed as follows: Dow Jones down 0.83% at 48,501.27; S&P 500 down 0.94% at 6,816.63; NASDAQ down 1.02% at 22,516.69. A risk-off tone weighed on equities as technology and cyclical shares lagged. Defensive pockets offered limited shelter, while broad-market ETFs tracked the declines into the close.
Semiconductors and high-beta tech led the pullback, while a few megacaps held firmer. NVIDIA (NVDA) down 1.33% at $180.05; Tesla (TSLA) down 2.70% at $392.43; memory and chip peers were weak with Micron (MU) down 7.99% at $379.68, AMD (AMD) down 3.86% at $190.95, Intel (INTC) down 5.27% at $43.10, and TSMC (TSM) down 4.33% at $353.13. In internet and software, Alphabet (GOOG) down 0.91% at $303.56, Apple (AAPL) down 0.37% at $263.75, and Amazon (AMZN) up 0.16% at $208.73, while Microsoft (MSFT) rose 1.35% to $403.93 and Palantir (PLTR) gained 1.41% to $147.22. Among consumer and Asia-linked names, Sea (SE) fell 16.53% to $87.82, Alibaba (BABA) down 4.89% at $135.59, and PDD (PDD) down 2.05% at $100.71.
Factor and thematic ETFs reflected the rotation: Direxion Daily Semiconductors Bull 3x (SOXL) down 14.88% at $53.42, ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) down 3.22% at $48.10, while ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) up 3.23% at $72.87. Precious-metals vehicles softened with iShares Silver Trust (SLV) down 8.45% at $74.68, ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ) down 16.45% at $147.62, and SPDR Gold (GLD) down 4.46% at $468.14. Broad benchmarks also eased: SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) down 0.88% at $680.33, Invesco QQQ (QQQ) down 1.07% at $601.58, Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO) down 0.88% at $625.72; energy major Occidental (OXY) slipped 0.98% to $53.68.
02 Other Markets
U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rose by 0.00%, latest at 4.06%.
USD/CNH rose 0.00%, at 6.90; USD/HKD rose 0.00%, at 7.81.
U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.01%, at 99.06.
WTI crude futures rose 0.43%, at 74.88 USD/bbl; COMEX gold futures fell 0.22%, at 5,112.50 USD/oz.
03 Top News
1. Moderna Agreed To Pay Up To $2.25 Billion To Settle A COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Dispute. The agreement with Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma resolves U.S. and international claims over lipid nanoparticle technology used in its vaccine. Moderna said the deal includes an upfront component and contingent payments and ends royalty obligations for future vaccines under the settlement.
2. Apple Launched A New Generation Of MacBook Laptops Starting At $1,099. The refreshed MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines feature in‑house M‑series chips, emphasizing performance and battery life. Apple is targeting demand in education and creative segments as it navigates a softer PC market.
3. Peter Thiel Moved To Sell About $280 Million In Palantir Shares. A regulatory filing indicated a planned sale of roughly 2 million shares by the co‑founder, one of Palantir’s largest holders. The disclosure pressured the stock in recent trading as investors assessed insider activity and float dynamics.
4. Blackstone’s Flagship Private Credit Fund Allowed Elevated Redemptions, Driving Net Outflows Of About $1.7 Billion. Blackstone permitted withdrawals of roughly 7% of its $82 billion BCRED fund, above typical limits, while new commitments totaled about $2 billion. The moves underscore rising redemption pressure across private credit and weighed on peers in recent sessions.
5. The U.S. Continued Operations Against Iran As President Trump Declared Talks “Too Late.” The statement signaled a hard line as U.S. military actions persisted, intensifying geopolitical uncertainty. Markets monitored potential energy and trade impacts amid the rhetoric and operational developments.
6. AutoZone Reported Lower Adjusted EPS And Higher Net Sales For Its Fiscal Quarter. AutoZone posted adjusted EPS of about $27.63, down year over year, with revenue near $4.27 billion rising versus the prior period. Shares traded lower as investors weighed margin trends against top-line growth.
7. Elliott Investment Management Built A $1 Billion Stake In Pinterest. The activist investment lifted Pinterest shares as investors anticipated potential strategic or operational changes. The move highlights ongoing interest in social-commerce monetization and cost discipline.
8. Best Buy’s Adjusted EPS Beat Street Expectations While Sales Slightly Missed. Best Buy reported adjusted EPS around $2.61 with revenue near $13.81 billion, reflecting resilient profitability despite modest top-line softness. The print supported a rebound in the stock as the market focused on earnings leverage and guidance cadence.
9. Target Guided Annual Sales Above Consensus As A New Leadership Era Begins. Target projected net sales growth around the low single digits, topping prevailing estimates and aided by cost savings and advertising. The outlook pointed to improving discretionary demand and operational efficiency, lifting sentiment on execution.
10. Applied Digital Launched A $2.15 Billion High‑Yield Bond Offering To Fund An AI Data Center. Proceeds are earmarked for a large‑scale facility underpinned by a lease with an investment‑grade hyperscaler, bolstering visibility on cash flows. The financing supports infrastructure expansion tied to accelerating AI compute demand.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data
Disclaimer: This content is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice.