[BRIEFING.COM] The DJIA (+0.5%) captured fresh record highs today, driven by positive reactions to this morning's slate of earnings reports, while the S&P 500 (flat) and Nasdaq Composite (-0.2%) remained near their flatlines as mega-cap and tech names largely underwhelmed. 

Coca-Cola (KO 71.22, +2.78, +4.06%) and 3M (MMM 166.64, +11.86, +7.67%) both beat earnings expectations and contributed to the Dow's outperformance today. 

3M's gain also helped the industrials sector (+0.9%) finish as one of the top-performing S&P 500 sectors. 

RTX (RTX 173.04, +12.33, +7.67%) reached an all-time high after its beat-and-raise earnings report this morning, capturing the widest gain in a sector that saw several leading defense names beat earnings expectations. The sector's largest component, GE Aerospace (GE 306.63, +3.95, +1.31%), was among those names, as were Lockheed Martin (LMT 489.50, -16.40, -3.24%) and Northrop Grumman (NOC 599.35, -2.65, -0.44%), which traded lower despite earnings beats of their own. 

The iShares U.S. Aerospace and Defense ETF closed with a 1.8% gain. 

The consumer discretionary sector (+1.3%) finished as the top gain getter, boosted by General Motors (GM 66.62, +8.62, +14.86%) capturing the widest gain across S&P 500 names today. The company beat top and bottom line expectations and raised its FY25 earnings guidance. Notably, the company expects the impacts of tariffs to be smaller than previously anticipated. 

Ford Motor (F 12.56, +0.57, +4.75%) traded higher in sympathy. 

Elsewhere, the health care sector (+0.2%) got a piece of today's earnings strength through Danaher (DHR 220.77, +12.38, +5.94%), rounding out the three S&P 500 sectors that closed with gains.

Though the information technology sector (-0.2%) could not scratch out a gain, its improvement from an earlier loss helped the S&P 500 move out of negative territory. The sector faced pressure in its chipmaker components, sending the PHLX Semiconductor Index 0.7% lower, though Texas Instruments (TXN 180.84, +1.26, +0.70%) moved higher ahead of its earnings after the close. 

As for today's laggards, the utilities sector (which missed out on yesterday's broad strength) moved 1.0% lower as nearly all of its components closed with losses. 

The communication services sector (-0.9%) faced a similar loss, pressured by Alphabet (GOOG 251.34, -5.68, -2.21%), which moved lower after concerns around an upcoming OpenAI browser announcement.

Mega-cap stocks as a whole never overcame their early sluggishness, with the Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (-0.1%) closing with a slight loss. 

Amazon (AMZN 222.03, +5.55, +2.56%), however, was an exception, as it was the only "magnificent seven" name to finish with a gain wider than 0.2%. 

The S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index (+0.5%) outperformed the market-weighted S&P 500 (flat) as a result. 

The materials sector (-0.7%) also faced pressure as precious metals moved lower today. Gold futures settled $250.30 lower (-5.7%) at $4,109.10 per oz, marking its steepest one-day drop since 2020 as investors took profits after a record-setting rally. The pullback was fueled by stronger U.S. yields, a firmer dollar, and fading safe-haven demand amid improving global risk sentiment.  Newmont Corporation (NEM 86.30, -8.59, -9.05%) retreated the furthest of any S&P 500 name today. 

Outside of the S&P 500, the small-cap Russell 2000 (-0.5%) and S&P Mid Cap 400 (+0.4%) put up mixed performances. 

While investors were kept busy by the large round of earnings reports, other notable developments were slim today. 

The market briefly pulled back just after 1:00 ET after President Trump commented on meeting with Chinese President Xi, saying, "Maybe it won't happen," though there was not much else to report on the trade front. 

There were no economic data releases, and the U.S. government remains in shutdown mode, meaning that earnings will likely remain a key driver of price action throughout the week. 

U.S. Treasuries edged higher on Tuesday, pressuring the 10-year yield past its low from last week to a level not seen since early April. The 2-year note yield settled unchanged at 3.46%, and the 10-year note yields settled down two basis points to 3.96%. 

• Nasdaq Composite: +18.9% YTD
• S&P 500: + 14.5% YTD
• Russell 2000: +11.6% YTD
• DJIA: +10.3% YTD
• S&P Mid Cap 400: +4.9% YTD

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.1%), Nasdaq Composite (-0.1%), and DJIA (+0.6%) continue to trade in a sideways manner, having changed very little since early afternoon. 

Today's action was largely driven by this morning's hefty slate of earnings reports that triggered a fair share of notable stock-specific moves. 

Investors will have another batch of earnings to digest this evening and before the open tomorrow. Among the more notable names are Netflix (NFLX 1241.49, +2.93, +0.24%) and Texas Instruments (TXN 181.02, +1.44, +0.80%), which report after the close today, while Thermo Fisher (TMO 557.77, +13.93, +2.56%), GE Vernova (GEV 589.19, -4.88, -0.82%), and AT&T (T 26.00, -0.10, -0.40%) report before the open tomorrow morning.  

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.1%) and Nasdaq Composite (-0.1%) remain near their baselines, while the DJIA (+0.6%), which notched a new intraday record earlier, holds the bulk of it early gain. 

Like the consumer discretionary (+1.6%) and industrials (+1.0%) sectors, the health care sector (+0.3%) benefits from this morning's batch of earnings reports. 

Danaher (DHR 222.66, +14.27, +6.85%) is the top mover in the sector after beating EPS estimates by $0.17, reporting revenues in-line, and guiding FY 25 EPS expectations above consensus. 

In other earnings news, Zions Bancorp (ZION 52.93, +0.95, +1.83%) trades higher today after beating EPS expectations by $0.02. Perhaps more importantly, the bank eased some concerns around its credit quality after disclosing a $50 million charge-off last week. Excluding the previously disclosed charge-off, the company reported that its remaining net charge-offs were benign at $6 million. 

Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL 76.62, +1.22, +1.61%), which alleged fraud by the same borrower that Zions' charge-off was related to, reports its Q3 earnings after the close today. 

The KBW Regional Bank ETF (+0.1%) holds a slight gain after advancing 2.5% yesterday. 

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.15%) is in second place on Tuesday afternoon, up about 10 points.

Briefly, S&P 500 constituents Halliburton (HAL 24.89, +2.27, +10.04%), Gartner (IT 258.45, +18.97, +7.92%), and Danaher (DHR 223.00, +14.61, +7.01%) pepper the top of the standings. HAL and DHR are higher after earnings, while IT recoups a portion of the stock's recent declines despite a dearth of corporate news.

Meanwhile, Constellation Energy (CEG 357.10, -12.90, -3.49%) is near the bottom of the average, continuing recent weakness.

[BRIEFING.COM] The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (-0.07%) is the only major average in the red on Tuesday afternoon, down about 16 points.

Gold futures settled $250.30 lower (-5.7%) at $4,109.10/oz, marking its steepest one-day drop since 2020 as investors took profits after a record-setting rally. The pullback was fueled by stronger U.S. yields, a firmer dollar, and fading safe-haven demand amid improving global risk sentiment.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index is now up about +0.3% to $98.94.

[BRIEFING.COM] The Dow Jones Industrial Average (+0.57%) is in first place on Tuesday afternoon, up about 265 points.

A look inside the DJIA shows that 3M (MMM 163.72, +8.94, +5.78%), Coca-Cola (KO 71.02, +2.58, +3.77%), and Salesforce (CRM 263.56, +9.28, +3.65%) hold solid gains.

Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase (JPM 298.41, -3.95, -1.31%) is underperforming.

The DJIA is now +3.34% higher off the mid-October lows.

[BRIEFING.COM] A strong batch of Q3 earnings reports lifts the DJIA (+0.7%) today, while some weakness in mega-cap and tech names keeps the S&P 500 (+0.1%) and Nasdaq Composite (-0.1%) near their flatlines. The S&P Mid Cap 400 (+0.7%) holds a solid gain, while the Russell 2000 (-0.1%) remains flattish.

Four S&P 500 sectors currently trade in positive territory. 

The consumer discretionary sector (+1.6%) holds the widest gain, as General Motors (GM 67.10, +9.10, +15.69%) is the top performer in the S&P 500 so far. The company beat top and bottom line expectations and raised its FY25 earnings guidance. Notably, the company expects the impacts of tariffs to be smaller than previously anticipated. 

GM's gain sends other automakers higher, including Ford Motor (F 12.57, +0.58, +4.84%), which reports its Q3 earnings Thursday.

Additionally, Amazon (AMZN 223.27, +6.79, +3.14%) provides strong leadership amid a generally underwhelming day for mega-cap stocks.

The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF is flat for the day, and the S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index (+0.6%) outperforms the market-weighted S&P 500 (+0.2%).

The industrials sector (+1.1%) is another point of strength, supported by strong earnings across its defense names.

Earnings beats from GE Aerospace (GE 306.52, +3.84, +1.27%) and RTX (RTX 172.92, +12.20, +7.59%) contribute to a 1.9% gain in the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF, even as Lockheed Martin (LMT 492.14, -13.76, -2.72%) and Northrop Grumman (NOC -1.4%) move lower after beating EPS expectations but falling short on revenues.

Elsewhere in the sector, 3M (MMM 163.52, +8.74, +5.65%) contributes to the DJIA's outperformance after beating top and bottom line expectations and raising its FY25 EPS outlook.

Coca-Cola (KO 70.80, +2.36, +3.45%) is another Dow component that moves higher after an earnings beat, though its gain is not enough to offset losses in the consumer staples sector (-0.6%). A majority of the sector's components trade lower, with Philip Morris International (PM 147.06, -11.00, -6.96%) holding the widest loss despite beating top and bottom line estimates and guiding FY25 EPS expectations in line.

The communication services sector (-1.6%) is the only S&P 500 sector with a loss wider than 1.0%, as its largest component, Alphabet (GOOG 249.66, -7.36, -2.86%), moves lower after concerns around an upcoming OpenAI browser announcement. 

Despite the sector's loss, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD 20.25, +1.93, +10.53%) is one of the best-performing names in the S&P 500, trading higher after CNBC reported that the company is open to a sale.

The information technology sector (+0.1%) holds just a slight gain, but its move into positive territory was pivotal in lifting the S&P 500 (+0.1%) and Nasdaq Composite (-0.1%) from steeper earlier losses.

Today's heavy slate of earnings reports has kept the market active, even as headlines elsewhere remain subdued. The U.S. government remains shut down, no economic data was released this morning, and trade developments with China have largely been unchanged. 

With the market awaiting the next macro catalyst, Q3 earnings continue to drive price action, as companies generally beat expectations and offer positive guidance.

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.2%), Nasdaq Composite (+0.1%), and DJIA (+0.7%) have spent the past hour trading in a relatively tight range. 

Coca-Cola (KO 70.80, +2.36, +3.44%) trades higher after reporting its Q3 results this morning. The beverage giant beat EPS expectations, with revenue coming in-line, increasing 5.4% year-over-year to $12.5 billion. Encouragingly, total volume increased +1% (-1% in Q2) and reaffirmed its FY25 guidance of organic revenue growth of 5-6% and comparable EPS growth of about 3%.

Despite Coca-Cola's nice gain, the consumer staples sector (-0.6%) moves lower as a majority of its components hold losses. Philip Morris International (PM 146.71, -11.35, -7.18%) retreats the furthest despite beating top and bottom line estimates and guiding FY25 EPS expectations in line. 

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.1%), Nasdaq Composite (flat), and DJIA (+0.7%) are little changed from previous levels at midday. 

A slight gain in the information technology sector (+0.1%) after an earlier loss has improved the standing of the major averages.  

The sector has faced pressure across chipmaker names such as NVIDIA (NVDA 182.23, -0.41, -0.23%), Micron (MU 203.30, -3.47, -1.68%), and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD 238.62, -1.94, -0.81%), keeping the PHLX Semiconductor Index (-0.4%) pinned beneath its flatline. 

Meanwhile, Apple (AAPL 263.98, +1.74, +0.66%) expands upon yesterday's strength, rising to a new record high, while a solid showing in software names helps the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (+1.1%) move higher. 

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.2%), Nasdaq Composite (-0.1%), and DJIA (+0.9%) sit near session highs as mega-cap and tech names shake off some early weakness that has stifled gains this morning despite a strong batch of earnings releases before the open. 

Coca-Cola (KO 70.63, +2.19, +3.20%) and 3M (MMM 162.78, +8.00, +5.17%) reported earnings beats this morning, contributing to the DJIA's outperformance. 

General Motors (GM 66.80, +8.80, +15.17%) and RTX (RTX 175.47, +14.76, +9.18%) beat on their respective top and bottom lines while issuing upside guidance, sending the consumer discretionary (+1.4%) and industrials (+1.3%) sectors to the top of today's leaderboard. 

Six S&P 500 sectors trade in positive territory. The information technology sector (+0.1%) now holds a slight gain after holding a loss wider than 0.5% for much of the morning. 

Meanwhile, the communication services (-1.6%) sector remains well beneath its flat line as it faces weakness in its largest component, Alphabet (GOOG 247.20, -9.82, -3.82%).

The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF is down 0.1%, and the S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index (+0.6%) outperforms the market-weighted S&P 500 (+0.2%). 

The small-cap Russell 2000 (-0.1%) has taken back most of an early loss, while the S&P Mid Cap 400 (+0.6%) outperforms. 

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (+0.1%) continues to oscillate around its baseline, while the Nasdaq Composite (-0.2%) lags and the DJIA (+0.6%) outperforms.

The industrials sector (+1.0%) holds a solid gain, with strong earnings reports pushing a number of defense stocks higher. 

RTX (RTX 174.44, +13.73, +8.54%) is one of the top gainers in the S&P 500 so far after an earnings beat and raised guidance. The sector's largest component, GE Aerospace (GE 305.35, +2.67, +0.88%), also moves higher after an earnings beat and raised guidance. 

Lockheed Martin (LMT 496.56, -9.34, -1.85%) beat EPS expectations but reported revenues in-line, while Northrop Grumman (NOC 599.76, -2.24, -0.37%) also holds a modest loss after beating EPS expectations but missing on revenues. 

Nonetheless, the iShares U.S. Aerospace and Defense ETF is up 1.8% today. 

Elsewhere in the sector, Down component 3M (MMM 162.68, +7.90, +5.10%) holds a solid gain after beating top and bottom line expectations and raising its FY25 EPS outlook.

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (-0.1%), Nasdaq Composite (-0.3%), and DJIA (+0.4%) continue to trade in a mixed fashion, with the S&P 500 briefly moving above its flat line before dipping below. 

The consumer discretionary sector (+1.3%) broadens its gain of the day as General Motors (GM 66.26, +8.26, +14.24%) sees its gain widened. The stock is trading sharply higher after delivering its largest EPS beat since Q3 last year. Revenue dipped 0.3% year-over-year to $48.59 billion but topped expectations. The big upside came from raised FY25 guidance and lower expected tariff impact.

Ford Motor (F 12.38, +0.38, +3.21%) (which reports earnings on Thursday) and CarMax (KMX 44.31, +1.28, +2.97%) are also top movers within the sector, while Amazon (AMZN 222.08, +5.60, +2.58%) outperforms in the mega-cap space. 

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (-0.1%), Nasdaq Composite (-0.3%), and DJIA (+0.2%) sit mixed near their baselines shortly after the open, as a lack of macro catalysts and some weakness in mega-cap names weigh against a strong morning of earnings reports. 

Eight S&P 500 sectors trade in negative territory, with the materials sector (-1.2%) holding the widest loss. Newmont Corporation (NEM 87.00, -7.90, -8.32%) moves sharply lower in sympathy with lower gold prices today, with gold futures currently down $170.30 (-4.0%) to $4189.10 per ozt. 

Meanwhile, the consumer discretionary sector (+0.7%) holds the widest gain, supported by General Motors (GM 65.22, +7.22, +12.44%), which trades higher after beating top and bottom line figures and raising its FY25 EPS and EBIT guidance. 

Amazon (AMZN 220.51, +4.03, +1.86%) also provides strong leadership, holding the widest gain of any "magnificent seven' name so far. 

Mega-caps as a whole are putting up mixed performances, which is certainly preventing gains at the index level. The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF is down 0.3%. 

The stock market remains on track for a flat opening, though this morning's batch of earnings reports has helped pull equity futures from earlier lows. 

Earnings reports are set to be a key driver of price action (at least at the stock-specific level) as the market is devoid of macro developments so far this morning. 

In corporate news, CNBC just reported that Warner Bros Discovery (WBD 19.82, +1.50, +8.2%) is reviewing offers from multiple parties, and is now open to a sale of the company. 

The S&P 500 futures trade three points above fair value. 

Equity indices in the Asia-Pacific region climbed on Tuesday while India's Sensex closed early for a holiday. Sanae Takaichi was elected prime minister by Japan's parliament, which was expected. She named Satsuki Katayama as her administration's finance minister. Australian miners had a strong showing after Australia's Prime Minister Albanese visited the White House and received a commitment for a U.S. investment in a gallium refinery. South Korea's exports through the first 20 days of October were down 8% yr/yr, though chip exports were up 20%.

• In economic data:
  • New Zealand's September trade deficit NZD1.355 bln (last deficit of NZD1.235 bln). September Credit Card Spending 0.2% yr/yr (last 3.3%)

---Equity Markets---

• Japan's Nikkei: +0.3%
• Hong Kong's Hang Seng: +0.7%
• China's Shanghai Composite: +1.4%
• India's Sensex: +0.1%
• South Korea's Kospi: +0.2%
• Australia's ASX All Ordinaries: +0.7%

Major European indices trade near their flat lines while Italy's MIB (+0.9%) outperforms with leadership from Bper Banca after the lender reached a deal with a counterparty to sell derivatives offering exposure to the bank's capital. Elsewhere, HSBC named a new CEO for its U.K. unit. British Chancellor Reeves repeated her pledge to meet fiscal rules while lowering the debt and deficit.

• In economic data:
  • U.K.'s September Public Sector Net Borrowing GBP20.20 bln (expected GBP20.70 bln; last GBP18.00 bln)
  • Swiss September trade surplus CHF4.073 bln (expected surplus of CHF5.22 bln; last surplus of CHF3.876 bln)

---Equity Markets---

• STOXX Europe 600: +0.1%
• Germany's DAX: +0.1%
• U.K.'s FTSE 100: +0.3%
• France's CAC 40: +0.4%
• Italy's FTSE MIB: +0.9%
• Spain's IBEX 35: flat

The S&P 500 futures currently trade three points above fair value. 

This morning's earnings reports continue to beat expectations, with a majority of names that reported ticking higher as a result. 

General Motors (GM 64.50, +6.50, +11.2%) is the early standout, surging double digits in the pre-market after beating EPS and revenue expectations and raising its FY25 EPS guidance. Importantly, the company expects the impacts of tariffs to be lighter than previously thought. 

Meanwhile, the mega-cap cohort (many of which report earnings next week) sit mixed in the pre-market, keeping futures flattish.

In Washington, Politico reports that Republicans are discussing a longer continuing resolution to fund the government into 2026 while promising Democrats to hold a separate vote on Obamacare subsidies.

Equity futures point to a flat opening after yesterday's action saw the major averages capture gains of 1.0% or wider across the board. 

While the information technology sector paced the early advance, all nine S&P 500 sectors that closed in positive territory also finished at least 1.0% higher.

The market is currently receiving a sizable batch of earnings reports that includes some notable blue chip names. So far, this morning's reports have largely come in better than expected, helping drive futures off of their early morning session lows. 

Macro developments are quiet this morning, with some more amicable commentary from President Trump towards China adding to yesterday's positive sentiment. There are no consequential economic data releases slated for today.

In corporate news:

• Apple's (AAPL 261.70, -0.54, -0.2%) target price was raised to $279 from $266 at Goldman Sachs. The stock closed at a record high yesterday after reports of strong iPhone 17 sales. 
• Coca-Cola (KO 70.10, +1.66, +2.4%) beat EPS expectations by $0.04, reported revenues in-line, and guided FY25 EPS in-line. 
• General Motors (GM 63.18, +5.18, +8.9%) beat EPS expectations by $0.51, beat revenues, and raised its FY25 EPS and EBIT guidance. 
• 3M (MMM 159.00, +4.22, +2.7%) beat EPS expectations by $0.12, beat revenue expectations, and raised its FY25 EPS outlook. 
• Zions Bancorp (ZION 52.70, +0.72, +1.4%) beat EPS expectations by $0.02. Excluding the previously disclosed $50 million charge-off, the company said the remaining net charge-offs were very benign at $6 million.

Reviewing overnight developments:

Equity indices in the Asia-Pacific region climbed on Tuesday while India's Sensex closed early for a holiday. Japan's Nikkei: +0.3%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng: +0.7%, China's Shanghai Composite: +1.4%, India's Sensex: +0.1%, South Korea's Kospi: +0.2%, Australia's ASX All Ordinaries: +0.7%.

In news:

• Sanae Takaichi was elected prime minister by Japan's parliament, which was expected.She named Satsuki Katayama as her administration's finance minister.
• Australian miners had a strong showing after Australia's Prime Minister Albanese visited the White House and received a commitment for a U.S. investment in a gallium refinery.
• South Korea's exports through the first 20 days of October were down 8% yr/yr, though chip exports were up 20%.

In economic data:

• New Zealand's September trade deficit NZD1.355 bln (last deficit of NZD1.235 bln). September Credit Card Spending 0.2% yr/yr (last 3.3%)

Major European indices trade near their flat lines while Italy's MIB (+1.0%) outperforms with leadership from Bper Banca after the lender reached a deal with a counterparty to sell derivatives offering exposure to the bank's capital. STOXX Europe 600: +0.2%, Germany's DAX: +0.1%, U.K.'s FTSE 100: +0.3%, France's CAC 40: +0.5%, Italy's FTSE MIB: +1.0%, Spain's IBEX 35: +0.1%.

In news:

• HSBC named a new CEO for its U.K. unit.
• British Chancellor Reeves repeated her pledge to meet fiscal rules while lowering the debt and deficit.

In economic data:

• U.K.'s September Public Sector Net Borrowing GBP20.20 bln (expected GBP20.70 bln; last GBP18.00 bln)
• Swiss September trade surplus CHF4.073 bln (expected surplus of CHF5.22 bln; last surplus of CHF3.876 bln)

[BRIEFING.COM] The stock market advanced on widespread gains today, driven by a mix of trade, macroeconomic, and corporate developments that lifted the major averages throughout the session.

The S&P 500 (+1.1%), Nasdaq Composite (+1.4%), and DJIA (+1.1%) closed just off of their all-time closing levels, with today's gains placing the major averages back at levels last seen before the sharp pullback on October 10.  Meanwhile, the small-cap Russell 2000 (+2.0%) and S&P Mid Cap 400 (+1.2%) also advanced on today's broad strength.

Nine S&P 500 sectors finished the day in positive territory, all of which closed with gains of 1.0% or wider. 

The information technology sector (+1.1%) paced the early gains, boosted by strength in its chipmaker names that saw the PHLX Semiconductor Index close 1.6% higher. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD 240.56, +7.48, +3.21%) traded to a new all-time high, and Super Micro Computer (SMCI 55.04, +2.86, +5.48%) captured one of the widest gains across the S&P 500. 

Apple (AAPL 262.24, +9.95, +3.94%) provided the sector with strong leadership, moving higher after reports of solid iPhone 17 sales in the U.S. and China. Loop Capital upgraded the stock to Buy from Hold with a $315 target, while Evercore ISI added the stock to its Tactical Outperform list.

The financials sector (+1.2%) was another top performer today. Robinhood Markets (HOOD 135.80, +5.89, +4.53%) traded higher, with CNBC reporting that a handful of large investors increased their stakes.

Regional banking names performed well, with investors seemingly reassured that recent credit quality issues are isolated and not systematic. Zions Bancorp (ZION 51.98, +2.31, +4.65%) traded higher ahead of its earnings report this afternoon, and the KBW Regional Banking ETF gained 2.5%. 

The communication services sector (+1.5%) finished as the best-performing S&P 500 sector. The Trade Desk (TTD 52.50, +2.52, +5.03%) captured the widest gain, while Netflix (NFLX 1238.56, +39.20, +3.27%) moved higher ahead of its earnings release this week. 

Meta Platforms (META 732.17, +15.26, +2.13%) and Alphabet (GOOG 257.02, +3.23, +1.27%) provided strong leadership and contributed to strength across mega-cap names, sending the Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF 1.6% higher. 

Only the consumer staples (-0.1%) and utilities (-0.1%) sectors finished slightly lower. 

Though the ongoing government shutdown has had little effect on the path of equities, hints of a potential resolution added to the positive sentiment today, with White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett saying the shutdown "is likely to end sometime this week."

The shutdown prevented any data releases today, but rate cut expectations remain firm ahead of Friday's delayed release of the September Consumer Price Index (Briefing.com consensus: 0.4%).

Renewed optimism on U.S.-China trade served as an additional tailwind. President Trump said he expects a fair deal after upcoming talks in South Korea and plans to visit China in early 2026, signaling a more conciliatory approach.

With major averages back near record levels, investors appear confident in continued earnings growth and trade and economic stability heading into the busy reporting week.

U.S. Treasuries had a quiet start to the new week with slight relative strength in the long bond pressuring the 30-year yield past last week's low to a level last seen in early April while the 2-year note underperformed, ending little changed.

The 2-year note yield finished unchanged at 3.46%, the 10-year note yield settled down two basis points to 3.99%, and the 30-year note yield settled down three basis points to 4.58%. 

• Nasdaq Composite: +19.1% YTD
• S&P 500: + 14.5% YTD
• Russell 2000: +12.1% YTD
• DJIA: +9.8% YTD
• S&P Mid Cap 400: +4.5% YTD