S&P 500 — daily market movers
Macro backdrop
Risk appetite rebounded sharply, with all three indices higher. The Nasdaq jumped +2.26% to a record high — its best day since early August — the S&P 500 rose +1.49%, and the Dow gained +0.71%. The main driver was a sharp drop in oil prices, as Saudi Arabia restored pipeline capacity and crude exports recovered from August lows, while President Trump signaled willingness to meet Iran's president at the UN and set a summit with China this week — easing geopolitical risk premiums and inflation worries. Long-end rates also fell (the 10-year Treasury yield eased from around 5.00% to roughly 4.95%), together fueling buying in tech, semiconductors and growth stocks. Communication services and technology led, while energy lagged on the oil decline.
Top 10 gainers
| # | Ticker | Company / business | Change | Likely Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AKAM | Akamai CDN content delivery, cloud computing and cybersecurity services | +12.33% | Surged on an analyst upgrade re-rating it as an AI-infrastructure and security play rather than legacy tech, reinforced by an ITV World Cup streaming (TrafficPeak) deal, and rode the broad growth rally. |
| 2 | MRNA | Moderna mRNA vaccines and oncology vaccine research | +12.27% | Extended the cancer-vaccine trade, with FDA vaccine approvals and oncology catalysts plus analyst upgrades piling on. |
| 3 | INTC | Intel Chip design and foundry/semiconductor manufacturing | +12.14% | A Wall Street upgrade backing its AI turnaround, improving pricing power and reported SK Hynix partnership talks lifted shares amid the chip rally. |
| 4 | META | Meta Platforms Social media and digital advertising | +11.34% | Wells Fargo raised its price target to $796 and AI optimism (its 'Muse' effort) built ahead of the Meta Connect event. |
| 5 | WBD | Warner Bros. Discovery Film and TV studios, cable networks and streaming | +10.79% | Media M&A optimism as Paramount Skydance antitrust settlement talks advanced, lifting the sector. |
| 6 | AMD | Advanced Micro Devices CPUs, GPUs and AI accelerator chips | +9.95% | Broad AI-chip demand drove a semiconductor-wide rally, pushing the stock to fresh record highs. |
| 7 | QCOM | Qualcomm Mobile and wireless communications chips | +9.29% | An Amazon deal, a 'port once' AI software stack and Snapdragon Summit anticipation added to the chip-sector strength. |
| 8 | GDDY | GoDaddy Domain registration and web hosting for small businesses | +7.50% | Rode the growth and software rally on falling yields, with no standalone company-specific catalyst on the day. |
| 9 | APP | AppLovin Mobile ad-tech and AI-driven ad placement engine | +7.18% | AI ad-tech strength as yields fell; no standalone single-name catalyst on the day. |
| 10 | DDOG | Datadog Cloud observability and monitoring SaaS | +6.58% | Software names benefited from lower yields and AI enthusiasm, rebounding with the broader market. |
- 1. AKAM+12.33%AkamaiCDN content delivery, cloud computing and cybersecurity servicesSurged on an analyst upgrade re-rating it as an AI-infrastructure and security play rather than legacy tech, reinforced by an ITV World Cup streaming (TrafficPeak) deal, and rode the broad growth rally.
- 2. MRNA+12.27%ModernamRNA vaccines and oncology vaccine researchExtended the cancer-vaccine trade, with FDA vaccine approvals and oncology catalysts plus analyst upgrades piling on.
- 3. INTC+12.14%IntelChip design and foundry/semiconductor manufacturingA Wall Street upgrade backing its AI turnaround, improving pricing power and reported SK Hynix partnership talks lifted shares amid the chip rally.
- 4. META+11.34%Meta PlatformsSocial media and digital advertisingWells Fargo raised its price target to $796 and AI optimism (its 'Muse' effort) built ahead of the Meta Connect event.
- 5. WBD+10.79%Warner Bros. DiscoveryFilm and TV studios, cable networks and streamingMedia M&A optimism as Paramount Skydance antitrust settlement talks advanced, lifting the sector.
- 6. AMD+9.95%Advanced Micro DevicesCPUs, GPUs and AI accelerator chipsBroad AI-chip demand drove a semiconductor-wide rally, pushing the stock to fresh record highs.
- 7. QCOM+9.29%QualcommMobile and wireless communications chipsAn Amazon deal, a 'port once' AI software stack and Snapdragon Summit anticipation added to the chip-sector strength.
- 8. GDDY+7.50%GoDaddyDomain registration and web hosting for small businessesRode the growth and software rally on falling yields, with no standalone company-specific catalyst on the day.
- 9. APP+7.18%AppLovinMobile ad-tech and AI-driven ad placement engineAI ad-tech strength as yields fell; no standalone single-name catalyst on the day.
- 10. DDOG+6.58%DatadogCloud observability and monitoring SaaSSoftware names benefited from lower yields and AI enthusiasm, rebounding with the broader market.
Common Themes
The gainers reflect a clear return of AI/tech risk appetite: the three big semiconductor names (INTC, AMD, QCOM) led, alongside mega-cap and growth software stocks (META, AKAM, APP, DDOG, GDDY), all benefiting from the twin tailwinds of falling oil and lower yields. Two non-tech names stood apart with their own catalysts — MRNA on continued cancer-vaccine momentum and WBD on media M&A optimism.
Top 10 losers
| # | Ticker | Company / business | Change | Likely Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MPC | Marathon Petroleum Oil refining and fuel marketing | -5.30% | Crude's sharp drop hit refiners, which gave back gains after an outsized recent run. |
| 2 | VLO | Valero Energy Crude oil refining and fuel production | -4.84% | Another refiner pulling back alongside the fall in crude prices. |
| 3 | UPS | United Parcel Service Parcel delivery and logistics | -4.35% | Bank of America downgraded the stock to Sell and cut its price target. |
| 4 | HPQ | HP Inc. Personal computers and printers | -4.22% | Warned that the PC industry would decline by mid-single digits in 2027. |
| 5 | PSX | Phillips 66 Refining and midstream energy | -4.17% | Fell with the refining/energy complex as oil prices retreated. |
| 6 | CHTR | Charter Communications Cable broadband and pay-TV | -3.76% | Weak cable subscriber trends and rotation out of value/defensive names pushed it toward a 52-week low. |
| 7 | UNP | Union Pacific Freight rail transportation | -3.49% | Rotation out of value/cyclical names, with no fresh single-stock catalyst on the day. |
| 8 | CF | CF Industries Nitrogen fertilizer production | -3.47% | Materials/value rotation and a softer energy complex weighed on the shares. |
| 9 | COP | ConocoPhillips Oil and gas exploration and production | -3.26% | The crude sell-off dragged on oil and gas producers. |
| 10 | XOM | Exxon Mobil Integrated oil and gas major | -3.20% | Fell with crude as an integrated oil and gas name. |
- 1. MPC-5.30%Marathon PetroleumOil refining and fuel marketingCrude's sharp drop hit refiners, which gave back gains after an outsized recent run.
- 2. VLO-4.84%Valero EnergyCrude oil refining and fuel productionAnother refiner pulling back alongside the fall in crude prices.
- 3. UPS-4.35%United Parcel ServiceParcel delivery and logisticsBank of America downgraded the stock to Sell and cut its price target.
- 4. HPQ-4.22%HP Inc.Personal computers and printersWarned that the PC industry would decline by mid-single digits in 2027.
- 5. PSX-4.17%Phillips 66Refining and midstream energyFell with the refining/energy complex as oil prices retreated.
- 6. CHTR-3.76%Charter CommunicationsCable broadband and pay-TVWeak cable subscriber trends and rotation out of value/defensive names pushed it toward a 52-week low.
- 7. UNP-3.49%Union PacificFreight rail transportationRotation out of value/cyclical names, with no fresh single-stock catalyst on the day.
- 8. CF-3.47%CF IndustriesNitrogen fertilizer productionMaterials/value rotation and a softer energy complex weighed on the shares.
- 9. COP-3.26%ConocoPhillipsOil and gas exploration and productionThe crude sell-off dragged on oil and gas producers.
- 10. XOM-3.20%Exxon MobilIntegrated oil and gas majorFell with crude as an integrated oil and gas name.
Common Themes
The losers were dominated by energy: refiners and oil majors (MPC, VLO, PSX, COP, XOM) sold off broadly on the sharp drop in crude. The remainder reflected rotation out of value/defensive/cyclical names (CHTR, UNP, CF). Two were idiosyncratic single-name stories — UPS on a Bank of America downgrade to Sell, and HPQ on its 2027 PC market warning.
Overall read
Money rotated distinctly out of energy and value/defensive sectors and into technology, AI, semiconductors and growth. Falling oil and lower long-end yields simultaneously pressured energy and rate-sensitive value stocks while providing valuation fuel for high-multiple growth and chip names, pushing the Nasdaq to a record high. This was a macro-driven (oil and rates) risk-on rotation rather than an earnings-season sector split.