S&P 500 — daily market movers
Macro backdrop
Narrow, tech-led session. The S&P 500 was little changed overall on Thursday, with tech standing out as effectively the only sector to advance — powered by Nvidia's blowout earnings and a cluster of enterprise-software beats — while retail, casino and consumer-facing names dragged after cautious earnings commentary about a strained, deal-hunting consumer.
Top 10 gainers
| # | Ticker | Company / business | Change | Likely Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CRM | Salesforce Cloud-based CRM software for managing sales, service and marketing | +22.58% | Q2 earnings beat, a gain on its Anthropic investment, and a raised full-year guide. |
| 2 | CRWD | CrowdStrike Cloud-native cybersecurity for endpoint and cloud threat protection | +20.50% | Q2 beat with much stronger FY27 guidance on rising AI-driven security demand. |
| 3 | VEEV | Veeva Systems Cloud software for life-sciences clinical, regulatory and commercial data | +15.20% | Q2 earnings came in stronger than analysts expected. |
| 4 | SNPS | Synopsys Electronic design automation software and IP for chip design | +13.39% | Q3 earnings beat, lifted by AI-driven chip design demand. |
| 5 | PANW | Palo Alto Networks Network, cloud and endpoint cybersecurity platforms | +12.83% | Read-through rally from CrowdStrike's strong earnings ahead of its own report. |
| 6 | NOW | ServiceNow Cloud platform for enterprise IT, HR and workflow automation | +10.04% | Commentary pointing to accelerating subscription growth into 2026. |
| 7 | FTNT | Fortinet Network security, firewalls and unified threat management | +9.67% | Q2 revenue up 26% and beat estimates, with guidance raised. |
| 8 | NVDA | Nvidia Designs GPUs and AI accelerator chips for data centers and gaming | +8.74% | Blowout Q2 results and surprisingly strong forward guidance. |
| 9 | DDOG | Datadog Cloud monitoring and observability platform for IT infrastructure | +6.70% | Rode the AI-software rally; analysts have been hiking targets on AI-driven demand. |
| 10 | ADSK | Autodesk Design and engineering software for architecture, construction and manufacturing | +6.21% | Q2 earnings beat lifted the stock into and after its release. |
- 1. CRM+22.58%SalesforceCloud-based CRM software for managing sales, service and marketingQ2 earnings beat, a gain on its Anthropic investment, and a raised full-year guide.
- 2. CRWD+20.50%CrowdStrikeCloud-native cybersecurity for endpoint and cloud threat protectionQ2 beat with much stronger FY27 guidance on rising AI-driven security demand.
- 3. VEEV+15.20%Veeva SystemsCloud software for life-sciences clinical, regulatory and commercial dataQ2 earnings came in stronger than analysts expected.
- 4. SNPS+13.39%SynopsysElectronic design automation software and IP for chip designQ3 earnings beat, lifted by AI-driven chip design demand.
- 5. PANW+12.83%Palo Alto NetworksNetwork, cloud and endpoint cybersecurity platformsRead-through rally from CrowdStrike's strong earnings ahead of its own report.
- 6. NOW+10.04%ServiceNowCloud platform for enterprise IT, HR and workflow automationCommentary pointing to accelerating subscription growth into 2026.
- 7. FTNT+9.67%FortinetNetwork security, firewalls and unified threat managementQ2 revenue up 26% and beat estimates, with guidance raised.
- 8. NVDA+8.74%NvidiaDesigns GPUs and AI accelerator chips for data centers and gamingBlowout Q2 results and surprisingly strong forward guidance.
- 9. DDOG+6.70%DatadogCloud monitoring and observability platform for IT infrastructureRode the AI-software rally; analysts have been hiking targets on AI-driven demand.
- 10. ADSK+6.21%AutodeskDesign and engineering software for architecture, construction and manufacturingQ2 earnings beat lifted the stock into and after its release.
Common Themes
Nine of the ten gainers are enterprise software or semiconductor names, and eight of them reported earnings within the same 48-hour window (Aug 25-27), making this look far more like a synchronized earnings-season pop than ten unrelated stories. Nvidia's blowout report was the anchor event: it validated continued AI capex, and that read-through lifted cybersecurity (CRWD, PANW, FTNT), SaaS (CRM, NOW, VEEV, DDOG, ADSK) and chip-design software (SNPS) almost as a single basket. PANW in particular moved on CRWD's numbers rather than its own, which is a useful reminder that not every mover here has a standalone catalyst.
Top 10 losers
| # | Ticker | Company / business | Change | Likely Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HRL | Hormel Foods Packaged foods including Spam and Skippy peanut butter | -10.25% | Q3 miss, with management citing consumers squeezed by inflation and fuel costs. |
| 2 | CASY | Casey's General Stores Midwest convenience-store and gas-station chain | -5.42% | No clear same-day catalyst found in available coverage. |
| 3 | TPR | Tapestry Owns fashion brands Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman | -5.38% | No fresh Aug 27 news found; likely a continuation of prior Kate Spade-recovery concerns. |
| 4 | MRNA | Moderna mRNA vaccines and oncology vaccine research | -4.60% | Profit-taking after a sharp prior run-up tied to cancer-vaccine breakthrough news. |
| 5 | GNRC | Generac Manufactures backup power generators and energy technology | -4.52% | Investors digesting a lack of a hyperscaler data-center deal and recall headlines. |
| 6 | BBY | Best Buy Consumer electronics retailer | -4.44% | Beat on revenue but shares fell on soft margins and a deal-hunting consumer. |
| 7 | EXPE | Expedia Group Online travel booking platform for flights, hotels and packages | -4.35% | No clear same-day catalyst found in available coverage. |
| 8 | LVS | Las Vegas Sands Operates casino resorts in Macau and Singapore | -4.30% | No standalone catalyst found; part of a broader casino-sector pullback. |
| 9 | DLTR | Dollar Tree Discount variety retailer | -3.92% | Beat estimates but guidance flagged tariff pressure, denting the stock. |
| 10 | WYNN | Wynn Resorts Operates luxury casino resorts in Las Vegas and Macau | -3.66% | No clear same-day catalyst found; moved with the casino-sector pullback. |
- 1. HRL-10.25%Hormel FoodsPackaged foods including Spam and Skippy peanut butterQ3 miss, with management citing consumers squeezed by inflation and fuel costs.
- 2. CASY-5.42%Casey's General StoresMidwest convenience-store and gas-station chainNo clear same-day catalyst found in available coverage.
- 3. TPR-5.38%TapestryOwns fashion brands Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart WeitzmanNo fresh Aug 27 news found; likely a continuation of prior Kate Spade-recovery concerns.
- 4. MRNA-4.60%ModernamRNA vaccines and oncology vaccine researchProfit-taking after a sharp prior run-up tied to cancer-vaccine breakthrough news.
- 5. GNRC-4.52%GeneracManufactures backup power generators and energy technologyInvestors digesting a lack of a hyperscaler data-center deal and recall headlines.
- 6. BBY-4.44%Best BuyConsumer electronics retailerBeat on revenue but shares fell on soft margins and a deal-hunting consumer.
- 7. EXPE-4.35%Expedia GroupOnline travel booking platform for flights, hotels and packagesNo clear same-day catalyst found in available coverage.
- 8. LVS-4.30%Las Vegas SandsOperates casino resorts in Macau and SingaporeNo standalone catalyst found; part of a broader casino-sector pullback.
- 9. DLTR-3.92%Dollar TreeDiscount variety retailerBeat estimates but guidance flagged tariff pressure, denting the stock.
- 10. WYNN-3.66%Wynn ResortsOperates luxury casino resorts in Las Vegas and MacauNo clear same-day catalyst found; moved with the casino-sector pullback.
Common Themes
Three threads run through the losers. First, staples and discount retail (HRL, BBY, DLTR) all pointed to the same theme in their own words — a strained, price-conscious consumer — even where headline numbers technically beat estimates. Second, casino and travel names (LVS, WYNN, EXPE) fell together with no single stock offering a distinct catalyst, consistent with sector-wide rotation rather than company-specific news. Third, MRNA and GNRC look like giveback trades, unwinding sharp prior run-ups rather than reacting to new bad news.
Overall read
Money rotated hard into AI-adjacent software, security and semiconductors on the back of Nvidia's and several SaaS peers' earnings, while it rotated out of consumer-facing sectors — retail, casinos and travel — where earnings commentary consistently flagged a more cost-conscious shopper. The result was a market that looked flat at the index level but was anything but calm underneath.
Sources
- Benzinga - Salesforce Stock Rockets 20% on Anthropic Windfall
- CNBC - Salesforce stock jumps on AI growth and Anthropic gain
- Yahoo Finance - CrowdStrike shares surge after Q2 beat
- StockStory - Why Veeva Systems (VEEV) Stock Is Trading Up Today
- StockTitan - Synopsys Q3 FY2026 Earnings Date
- FX Leaders - PANW Stock Eyes Records after CRWD Q2
- Yahoo Finance - ServiceNow Sees Subscription Sales Accelerating
- Yahoo Finance - Fortinet Q2 Earnings & Revenues Beat Estimates
- The Motley Fool - Stock Market Today, Aug. 27: Nvidia Surges
- Timothy Sykes - Datadog Stock Jumps As Analysts Hike AI-Driven Targets
- Traders Union - Autodesk gains on Q2 earnings release
- The Motley Fool - Why Hormel Foods Stock Swooned by 10% Today
- 247wallst - Tapestry Crushed Earnings but the Stock Plunged
- TradingKey - Moderna Inc Stock (MRNA) Moved Down on Aug 27
- Quiver Quantitative - Generac shares slide on data-center rally digestion
- The Motley Fool - Why Did Best Buy Stock Drop Today?
- Investing.com - Dollar Tree stock falls despite earnings beat
- TheStreet - Tech stands alone as sole S&P 500 sector to advance