U.S. stocks wrapped up a volatile month on a high🦂 note Friday, as major indexes surged in late trading to close near session highs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.6% to close at a record high for the f🥀ourth time this week, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite gained 1% and 1.1%, respectively.
After sharp declines early in the month amid mounting concerns about a possible recession, all three major indexes managed to finish August with monthly gains, as investors' economic fears have subsided and expectations have ♏increased that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates soon.
The early-Friday release of the Fed's preferred measure of inflation 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:showed that price pressures continued to ease in July, reinforcing the notion that central bank will be in a position to cut its benchmark lending rate. 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Fed Chair Jerome Powell has signaled that rate cuts are coming, possibly as soon as the September meeting of the central bank's p💞olicy committee, but has said that incoming data will drive the decisions on the pace and depth of the easing.
The yield on 10-year Treasurys, which is sensitive to expectations aroun♔d interest rates, rose to😼 3.91%, near its highest level in two weeks.
Among stocks on the move Friday, Dell Technologies (DELL) gained 4.3% after reporting 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:better✤-than-expected quarterly results on the strength of AI-related sales. Shares in MongoDB (MDB) soared 18% after the company reported strong earnings and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:boosted its full-year guidance amid robust AI demand.
Chipmakers, which have been among the more volatile stocks in recent weeks, posted solid gains Friday, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) up 2.6%. Marvell Technology (MRVL) rose 9.2% after a positive earnings report, while Intel (INTC) gained 9.5% following reports the chipma🎀ker is considering the spin-off or sale of its foundry business.
Mega-cap tech stocks were mostly higher, led by a 1.5% gain for AI investor favorite Nvidia (NVDA), which recovered from a sharp decline yesterday after its 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:highly anticipated earnings report fell short of the most optimistic expectations on Wall Street. Microsoft (MSFT), Meta Platforms (META), Amazon (AMZN) and Alphabet (GOOGL) were also higher, while Apple (AAPL) fell slightly.
Gold futures were down about 1% to around $2,530 per ounce, while bitcoin was down slightly to just below $59,000.
Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Friday
Advancers
- Intel (INTC) shares notched the best performance in the S&P 500, soaring 9.5% following reports that the chipmaker is 澳洲幸🌼运5开奖号码历史查询:considering a possible spinoff or sale of its foundry business. According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the matter said Intel is exploring multiple options for the section of the company that makes semiconductors for other firms. However, it may take time for Intel to make a move, with board members likely to discuss the possibilities at their meeting in September.
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I-Hwa Cheng / AFP / Getty Images
- Shares of GE Vernova (GEV), the energy-focused business that spun off from General Electric in April, jumped 4.8% to an all-time high. Brokerage firm William Blair initiated coverage of the stock on Thursday with an "outperform" rating. According to analysts, the high demand for energy to power artificial intelligence (AI) technology will likely require more natural gas and natural gas turbines. GE Vernova is well-positioned to benefit from turbine service contracts.
- Western Digital (WDC) shares were up 4.1% on the day. Earlier this week, analysts at Citi boosted their sales estimates for solid-state drives, predicting favorable supply-and-demand dynamics. Western Digital also received approval this week for a project to expand hard disk production in Thailand.
- Shares of networking and IT services provider Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) gained 3.7% ahead of the company's upcoming earnings report, which is set for release on Wednesday afternoon. Following HPE's most recent quarterly report in June, the stock surged to a record high, boosted by strong sales of AI-optimized servers.
Decliners
- Ulta Beauty (ULTA) shares dropped 4.0%, losing the most ground of any S&P 500 stock after the cosmetics retailer's quarterly sales and profits came in below estimates. Ulta reported an unexpected decline in 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:comparable store sales amid restrained discretionary spending and heightened competition. The makeup seller also reduced its full-year forecasts, noting market share challenges.
- Shares of oil and gas exploration firm APA Corp. (APA) sank 2.9% on Friday. Although APA beat quarterly sales and profit estimates in its most recent report, released at the end of July, the stock plunged following those results and has been trending downward since then. Last quarter's strong performance reflected increased production following the acquisition of Callon Petroleum, which closed on April 1, and APA boosted its forecast for cost synergies while noting it was ahead of schedule with the integration.
- Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares dropped 2.5%, extending steep losses posted earlier this week after the server and data storage firm said it would 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:postpone its annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Supermicro's move to delay its 10-K came a day after a report by activist investment firm Hindenburg Research flagged irregularities in the company's accounting practices, particularly relating to revenue recognition processes.
A Bumpy Month for Stocks
The major stock in🦩dexes will finish August with gains for the month, but it was an awfully volatile ride along꧟ the way.
August got off to a shaky start, to say the least. The major indexes tumbled as soft manufacturing and jobs data raised concerns that the Federal Reserve had waited too long to start cutting rates and risked nudging the economy into recession. At the same time, a surprise rate hike from the Bank of Japan sparked the rapid unwinding of the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:yen carry trade, adding fuel to the U.S. equities sell-off. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) spiked to 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:a 4-year high, and the S&P 500 shed more than 6% of its v🌼alue, or nearly $3 trillion, in the month’s first three trading days alone.
Then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the tide turned anﷺd stocks had their best week of the year as labor market concerns subsided and Wall Street mulled earnings reports, which showed corporate profits grew in the second quarter at their fastest rate since🌠 2021.
But August's rally looked very different than what came before it. The Magnificent Seven, which led the market for most of the last year and a half, have failed to fully recover from their 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:longest slump in years. Meanwhile, Consumer Staples, Real Estate, and Healthcare were, in that order, the S&P 500’s best-performing sectors in August as investors, anticipating interest rate cuts, flocked to rate-sensitive stocks and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:dividend payers.
Intel Rises on Report of Possible Foundry Business Sales
A report that Intel Corp. () is considering the spin-off or sale of its foundry busines♊s lifted the tech giant's stock Fr🐷iday.
Shares of Intel were more than 7% higher in recent trading following the Bloomberg report, which cited peo💜ple familiar with the 🅷matter. An Intel spokesperson declined to comment.
Intel's foundry business makes chips for outside companies. A move isn’t likely in the immediate term, however, with multiple options expected to be presented at a September board meeting, the report said.
The company said in early August it would 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:lay off 15% of its workforce alongside disappoint🌼ing quarterly results, which sent shares to the꧋ir lowest level since 2013.
Intel stock is down 60% in 2024, making it the second-worst performing stock among the S&P 500 index.
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Marvell Soars as AI Demand Boosts Earnings
Marvell Technology (MRVL) shares surged Friday 🐻after the maker of networking circuits posted better-than-expected quarterly sales, driven by demand for equipment to support artificial intelligence.
The company reported fiscal 2025 second-quarter revenue fell 5.1% from a year ago to $1.27 billion, slightly above estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. Marvell's adjusted loss of 30 cents per share was in line with forecasts.
CEO Matt Murphy said the results were driven by AI demand, ༒as the company saw “strong growth from our electro-optics products and our custom AI programs began to ramp.”
Murphy added that in the current quarter, “we expect our combined enterprise networki꧟ng and carrier end markets to return to growth, while our data center end market growth accelerates.”
Marvell shares were up 🎀9% recently, 🏅trading at a three-month high.
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Major Indexes Poised to Finish August With Monthly Gains
After a rough start to the month, the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have recovered from steep losses a🍨nd are poised to finish August with monthly gains.
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MongoDB Price Levels to Watch Amid Post-Earnings Surge
Shares in MongoDB (MDB) jumped in early trading Friday after the company reported better-than-expected earnings and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:boosted its full-year guidance amid robust demand for 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:generative artificial intelligence software.
Amid post-earnings upside in MongoDB shares, investors should watch key chart levels at $294, $323🍸, and $370🐼.
During pullbacks, investors should monitor the $265 area, which wil𒅌l likely attract buying interest near the double bottom’s necܫkline.
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Read our full 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:technical analysis piece here.
Futures Tied to Major Indexes Higher Ahead of Key Data
Futures tied to the Dow Jones Inꦦdustrial Average were up 0.2%.
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S&P 500 futures were up 0.5%.
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Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.8%.
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