Nasdaq 100: Retail Earnings Lift US Indices, Chips Lag Behind

Wall Street Pushes Higher as Retail Earnings Outperform

Stocks are climbing on Tuesday with the Dow up more than 550 points, supported by stronger retail earnings and delayed economic data that landed without disrupting market expectations.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are also advancing, though gains are less pronounced as weakness in semiconductors limits momentum across tech. Broader participation is improving, with NYSE advancers outpacing decliners nearly 3-to-1, and small caps gaining traction as the Russell 2000 rises 1.5% toward a two-week high.

Healthcare and consumer discretionary names are setting the tone early, while chip stocks remain under pressure. Eight of eleven S&P sectors are trading higher, giving buyers more breadth than seen in recent sessions.

What Sectors Are Leading Today?

Healthcare is pacing the advance with a 2.04% gain, supported by defensive rotation and traders stepping away from stretched tech valuations. Consumer discretionary is close behind at 1.88% following strong retail earnings.

Homebuilders are participating as December rate cut expectations firm, pushing Builders FirstSource up nearly 7% and D.R. Horton, Lennar, and PulteGroup close to 5%.

Materials and financials are firm, up 1.4% and 1.12% respectively, as lower-rate expectations support borrowing conditions and construction activity. Industrials are also participating, rising 1.1%, with Amentum Holdings jumping 21% after its revenue beat revived interest in engineering and infrastructure names.

Technology is the outlier, slipping 0.21% as chip weakness overshadows pockets of strength. Nvidia is down 4.5% and AMD 7.2%, dragging the SOX lower by 1.6%. Alphabet is modestly higher—up around 1%—on talk of a potential Meta partnership for Google’s chips.

Energy is lagging with a 0.84% decline as crude softens and recent winners see profit-taking. Utilities are slightly red, consistent with rising risk appetite.

Which Stocks Are Moving the Market?

Retail names are delivering standout results. Kohl’s is surging 34% after reporting adjusted EPS of 10 cents versus the expected 20-cent loss.

Abercrombie is up 33% on strong Hollister sales, while Best Buy is adding nearly 6% after raising guidance tied to renewed demand for electronics.

Burlington is the session’s notable retail miss, falling 9% after revenue narrowly missed estimates.

Tech and automation names are also generating interest. Symbotic is up 35% after beating Q4 revenue estimates, Zoom is gaining nearly 13% on a clean earnings beat and strong guidance, and Keysight Technologies is higher by 7% after posting solid results and announcing a $1.5 billion buyback.

Chips remain under strain, although Applied Materials is bucking the sector’s weakness with a 2% gain following a UBS upgrade tied to DRAM spending.

Crypto-linked equities are soft as Bitcoin slips, pulling Strategy down 3%, Coinbase down 4%, and Robinhood down 1%.

What Do Today’s Economic Updates Mean for Traders?

Delayed Commerce Department data show September retail sales lagging expectations, while producer prices ticked higher on energy and tariff effects. Markets are taking the reports in stride. Rate cut expectations for December are steady near 83%, supported by recent comments from Fed officials Williams and Waller. Traders are also watching for clarity on the next Fed Chair following comments from Treasury Secretary Bessent that an announcement could come before Christmas.

Market Forecast: Can the Rally Hold?

Short-term sentiment leans cautiously bullish. Retail strength and firm rate-cut expectations are giving buyers confidence, but the rally needs broader participation from tech—especially chips—to sustain upside through month-end.

More Information in our Economic Calendar.