01 Stock Market
The U.S. major indexes closed as follows: Dow Jones up 0.04% at 50,135.87; S&P 500 up 0.47% at 6,964.82; NASDAQ up 0.90% at 23,238.67. A stronger close in large-cap tech helped offset weakness in select storage and healthcare names. Software and AI-adjacent leaders were broadly firmer following renewed big-tech spending headlines and upgrades, while select memory and telehealth names lagged on competitive and regulatory developments.
Unusual-move stocks were led by software and AI-heavyweights, while storage and telehealth lagged. APP up 13.19% at $460.38; ORCL up 9.64% at $156.59; MSFT up 3.11% at $413.60; NVDA up 2.50% at $190.04; AMD up 3.63% at $216.00; AVGO up 3.31% at $343.94; VRT up 3.28% at $202.00; PLTR up 5.16% at $142.91; TSLA up 1.51% at $417.32; META up 2.38% at $677.22; GOOG up 0.40% at $324.40. On the downside, HIMS down 16.03% at $19.33; memory and storage names eased with MU down 2.84% at $383.50, STX down 1.01% at $425.00; megacaps were mixed with AAPL down 1.17% at $274.62 and AMZN down 0.76% at $208.72.
News-driven moves stood out across single names. Hardware and AI infrastructure beneficiaries advanced—WDC up 1.21% at $285.99—while semis were broadly firm with INTC down 0.69% at $50.24 amid mixed sentiment. Select smaller caps rallied, including ONDS up 6.71% at $10.34 and CRWV up 7.60% at $96.79. Precious-metals proxies strengthened alongside defensive flows, with silver and gold-linked vehicles notably higher.
02 Other Markets
U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rose by 0.00%, latest at 4.20.
USD/CNH rose 0.0000%, at 6.92; USD/HKD rose 0.0000%, at 7.81.
U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.0083%, at 96.87.
WTI crude futures rose 0.12%, at 64.44 USD/bbl; COMEX gold futures rose 0.30%, at 5,094.70 USD/oz.
03 Top News
1. Oracle was upgraded and is preparing a major capital raise, boosting shares. Brokerage D.A. Davidson upgraded Oracle to Buy, citing improving prospects around AI partners and cloud demand. Separately, media reported Oracle is planning to raise $45–50 billion to expand cloud capacity for large customers including AMD, Meta, and Nvidia. The moves improved sentiment toward Oracle’s cloud growth runway.
2. Workday announced a CEO change, pressuring the stock. Workday said co‑founder Aneel Bhusri returned as CEO while Carl Eschenbach stepped down, aiming to sharpen execution as AI competition intensifies. Investors viewed the transition as abrupt, and the shares fell in recent trading. Management emphasized focus on innovation and customer momentum.
3. Alphabet is seeking to raise about $15 billion via a U.S. dollar bond sale. Reports indicated Alphabet is marketing a high‑grade bond issuance to fund strategic investments and operations. The financing would add flexibility as capex rises with AI infrastructure outlays. Investor demand for high‑grade tech issuers remains resilient.
4. Kyndryl announced CFO departure and a reporting delay, sending shares sharply lower. Kyndryl disclosed material weaknesses in internal controls and said its CFO David Wyshner departed, with Harsh Chugh named interim CFO. The company delayed its quarterly filing while addressing the issues. Shares dropped significantly on the governance and timing uncertainty.
5. Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Orna Therapeutics for up to $2.4 billion cash. Eli Lilly said the deal enhances its pipeline with circular RNA and CAR‑T platform candidates, including ORN‑252 targeting CD19. The acquisition extends Lilly’s reach beyond obesity into oncology and immunology. The stock edged higher on the added innovation optionality.
6. Kroger selected former Walmart executive Greg Foran as CEO, lifting shares. The Kroger board chose Greg Foran, a seasoned retail operator, to steer growth amid intense competition. Investors welcomed leadership clarity and expected operational improvements. The company is focusing on efficiency and customer value to navigate a cautious consumer backdrop.
7. NatWest agreed to buy Evelyn Partners for £2.7 billion to expand wealth management. NatWest said the acquisition, including debt, will materially increase assets under management and fee income. Management expects about £100 million in annual cost synergies and improved returns over time. The deal reallocates capital toward capital‑light, growth businesses.
8. Hims & Hers halted sales of a compounded GLP‑1 pill amid regulatory scrutiny, weighing on shares. Hims & Hers said it stopped offering a compounded version following stakeholder discussions, reducing near‑term product breadth. The decision may lower legal and regulatory risk while benefiting branded GLP‑1 makers. The stock fell on anticipated revenue headwinds.
9. STMicroelectronics signed a multiyear chip deal with Amazon Web Services that includes warrants. STMicroelectronics said the agreement spans connectivity and power‑management components critical for data centers. AWS received warrants that could translate to an equity stake over time. Shares rose on enhanced visibility into hyperscale demand.
10. Samsung prepared large‑scale output of next‑gen HBM, intensifying memory competition. Samsung plans to ramp production of high‑bandwidth memory used in AI accelerators, challenging peers. The expansion could pressure margins for memory suppliers even as demand grows. Shares of competitors such as Micron came under pressure on the outlook shift.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data---Disclaimer: This content is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice.
