Nasdaq Gains 0.46%, S&P 500 Rises 0.25% and Dow Adds 0.18% as Software Stocks Offset Yield Pressure 

Mumbai, Oct 1: US stocks opened higher on Thursday, marking the start of October and the fourth quarter, as gains in technology and software shares helped offset pressure from rising Treasury yields and elevated oil prices. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.46% to 26,984.50, while the S&P 500 gained 0.25% to 7,670.93 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.18% to 50,997.80 at the opening bell. 

The opening move followed a mixed close on Wednesday, when the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.24%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.86% and the S&P 500 declined 0.25%. The new month began with technology-related stocks providing support as investors assessed stronger corporate earnings, fresh artificial intelligence developments and persistent pressure in the US government bond market. 

Nasdaq Rises 0.46% as Technology Shares Lead October Opening 

The Nasdaq Composite opened at 26,992.31, compared with its previous close of 26,861.06, and traded within a day range of 26,896.95 to 27,014.47. The index was at 26,895.69, up 34.63 points or 0.13%, at 9:50:14 a.m. EDT in the market data provided. 

Technology shares remained an important source of strength during the opening session. Nvidia gained about 1.04%, Microsoft rose 1.00%, and Palantir Technologies advanced 0.60%. Lam Research gained 2.86%, Applied Materials rose 3.48%, and KLA gained 1.78%. 

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Several software and technology names recorded stronger gains. Cadence Design Systems rose 5.04%, Intuit gained 4.93%, while Synopsys advanced 10.10%. Adobe gained 1.45%, and Automatic Data Processing rose 3.00%. 

The technology-led movement came after semiconductor company Micron reported quarterly results that exceeded expectations and raised its outlook for the following quarter. The results highlighted continued demand for memory products linked to data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure. 

The Nasdaq had also outperformed other major US benchmarks during September. The index gained about 1.9% during the month, while the Dow declined 4.3% and the S&P 500 fell about 0.5%. Within the technology sector, Nvidia gained 5% in September and AMD rose 30%. 

The Nasdaq’s 52-week range in the supplied market data stood at 20,690.25 to 27,288.79, leaving the index close to the upper end of that range during Thursday’s opening trade. 

S&P 500 Gains 0.25% as Software Shares Offset Broader Pressure 

The S&P 500 opened at 7,666.47, compared with Wednesday’s close of 7,651.54, and recorded an early trading range of 7,655.19 to 7,683.65. The index was up 9.49 points or 0.12% at 9:51:25 a.m. EDT in the supplied market snapshot before the later opening-bell reading showed a gain of 0.25% to 7,670.93. 

The index’s technology exposure was supported by gains in several large companies. Nvidia rose 1.01%, Microsoft gained 0.85%, and Lam Research advanced 2.72%. Applied Materials increased 3.71%, while IBM rose 4.25% and Salesforce gained 2.52%. 

The communications sector also contributed to the early movement, with Meta Platforms up 0.44%. Alphabet shares were mixed, with Class A shares down 0.48% and Class C shares down 0.29% in the supplied heatmap. 

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The broader benchmark remained affected by weakness across several sectors. Home Depot declined 1.78%, while Eli Lilly fell 1.10%. Thermo Fisher Scientific declined 1.05%, and industrial company Deere fell 1.65%. 

Financial stocks were also mixed. Visa gained 0.54%, Mastercard rose 0.57% and BlackRock increased 0.59%, while Bank of America fell 1.31%, Citigroup declined 2.26%, Goldman Sachs slipped 0.70% and Morgan Stanley fell 0.90%. 

The S&P 500 had ended September lower after Treasury yields rose sharply during the month. The benchmark’s performance contrasted with the Nasdaq, which continued to gain as technology stocks provided support. 

Dow Holds Near 50,900 as Higher Yields Weigh on Blue Chips 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened at 51,008.36, compared with its previous close of 50,906.05, and moved between 50,853.24 and 51,179.78 during the early session. The index stood at 50,885.36, down 20.69 points or 0.04%, at 9:51:00 a.m. EDT in the supplied market data, before the opening-bell update showed the Dow up 0.18% at 50,997.80. 

The Dow’s movement reflected a mixed performance among its constituents. Nvidia gained 1.01%, Microsoft rose 0.85%, and IBM climbed 4.25%. Salesforce added 2.52%, while Nike gained 1.09%. 

Energy shares also provided some support, with Chevron up 0.60%. Boeing gained 0.47%, while UnitedHealth rose 0.36%. 

However, several major constituents remained lower. Home Depot fell 1.78%, Procter & Gamble declined 1.01%, Amgen dropped 1.06%, and Johnson & Johnson fell 0.68%. JPMorgan Chase declined 0.42%, Goldman Sachs slipped 0.70%, and American Express fell 0.46%. 

The Dow had been the weakest of the three major benchmarks in September, declining around 4.3%. The movement came as Treasury yields rose sharply and higher energy prices added to concerns surrounding inflation and financing conditions. 

Treasury Yield Near 5.3% Keeps Pressure on US Stocks 

The US government bond market remained a key factor at the beginning of October. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to around 5.3%, after briefly reaching approximately 5.34%, its highest level since 2002. The 30-year Treasury yield also reached around 5.66%, marking its highest level since 2002. 

The rise in yields came as concerns over inflation, government debt and higher energy prices continued to affect the bond market. Higher yields can influence borrowing costs across the economy, including mortgages, corporate borrowing and other forms of credit. 

The latest movement followed a difficult quarter for the Treasury market. The benchmark 10-year yield had moved sharply higher during the third quarter, with the bond market recording one of its largest quarterly moves in decades. 

The pressure from higher yields was visible in the difference between sectors during Thursday’s opening session. Technology and software stocks recorded several sizeable gains, while a number of consumer, healthcare, industrial and financial stocks were weaker. 

Oil prices added another layer to the market backdrop. Brent crude moved back above $100 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude traded above $91 a barrel. The increase followed reports concerning Chinese refiners and continued uncertainty surrounding energy supplies amid the conflict involving Iran. 

The combination of higher Treasury yields and elevated oil prices remained an important feature of the opening session, even as technology shares provided support to the major benchmarks. 

Micron Earnings Support AI Stocks Despite Flat Chipmaker Shares 

Micron Technology’s quarterly results provided one of the main corporate catalysts for technology stocks at the beginning of October. The memory-chip company reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $54.23 billion, representing an increase of nearly 400% year on year. 

Adjusted earnings came in at $33.42 per share, exceeding market expectations. The company also raised its outlook for the first quarter, projecting adjusted earnings of $37.15 to $39.15 per share and revenue of $60 billion to $63 billion. 

Despite the strong results, Micron shares were little changed around the opening session. The stock had already gained substantially during the year, with the supplied market coverage stating that its shares had nearly quadrupled as demand for memory components increased alongside artificial intelligence infrastructure development. 

The results nevertheless affected other semiconductor and AI-related companies. Nvidia gained around 1%, while Lam Research and Applied Materials recorded gains of more than 2% and 3%, respectively. 

The earnings also highlighted the continuing importance of memory and storage components in data-centre construction. The company reported strong demand and indicated that supply conditions remained supportive of its business outlook. 

Accenture Surges 21% as Earnings Beat Expectations 

Accenture became one of the biggest large-cap gainers during the opening session after reporting stronger-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter results. 

The professional services company reported quarterly earnings of $3.29 per share on revenue of $18.68 billion, with revenue increasing 6% year on year. Analysts had expected earnings of about $3.19 per share and revenue of $18.04 billion. 

New bookings reached $22.17 billion, up 4% and above expectations of approximately $19.90 billion. The company also forecast fiscal 2027 earnings per share of $14.39 to $14.81, with the midpoint above analysts’ expectations. 

Accenture shares surged by more than 21% in the supplied opening-session data, making the company one of the strongest movers among major US-listed stocks. 

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The company’s results also lifted other technology and consulting companies. Cognizant gained more than 8%, while IBM rose more than 4% in the supplied market data. 

Accenture had entered the session after a difficult first nine months of the year, with its shares having declined substantially before the latest results. The quarterly figures therefore became a significant company-specific development during Thursday’s trading session. 

Synopsys Gains 10.10% After Higher Earnings Outlook 

Synopsys was another major technology stock to record a sizeable early gain. The shares rose 10.10% in the Nasdaq 100 heatmap, while the broader stock gainers data showed the shares at $477.92, up $42.98 or 9.88%. 

The movement followed the company’s outlook for fiscal 2027 adjusted earnings of $19.04 to $19.12 per share, compared with market expectations of approximately $17.32 per share. 

Cadence Design Systems also advanced 5.04%, while several other software and technology companies recorded gains. The movement contributed to the technology-heavy Nasdaq’s stronger opening compared with the Dow. 

The broader software group also received support from Accenture’s results, which showed quarterly revenue of $18.68 billion and bookings of $22.17 billion. 

The combination of company-specific earnings and forecasts produced some of the largest early percentage moves among major technology constituents during the opening session. 

Alphabet Gains 2% After Gemini 4 Argon Launch 

Alphabet shares rose around 2% at the opening bell after the Google parent unveiled Gemini 4 Argon, described as its most advanced artificial intelligence model. 

The company said the model offered improvements in coding, cybersecurity and complex professional work. The release added another technology-specific development to the opening session, alongside the strong earnings reported by Micron and Accenture. 

Alphabet’s shares had also been higher in pre-market trading, while the wider technology sector remained one of the strongest areas of the market. 

The latest artificial intelligence release came as companies continued to expand their spending on data centres and related infrastructure. The supplied market coverage cited estimates that global AI investment could reach around $1 trillion in 2026, including approximately $581 billion in the United States. 

AI-related capital spending was estimated to account for around 10% of US private fixed investment in 2026. Projections cited in the coverage indicated that AI capital expenditure could rise from 1.8% of US GDP in 2026 to 2.5% in 2027 and 2.8% in 2028. 

US Jobless Claims Fall to 197,000 Before Jobs Report 

Fresh labour-market data also arrived as the US stock market began October. Initial unemployment claims fell by 1,000 to 197,000 for the week ended 26 September, compared with economists’ expectations of 200,000. 

Continuing claims declined by 11,000 to 1.7 million for the week ended 19 September. Separate data showed US employers announced 43,281 job cuts in September, down 20% from September 2025. Technology companies accounted for 10,799 of the announced cuts, representing nearly one-third of the total. 

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The labour-market figures came ahead of the monthly US employment report due on Friday. The jobs report was expected to provide further information on employment growth and unemployment conditions. 

The combination of falling weekly claims and lower announced layoffs formed part of the economic data being assessed alongside Treasury yields, inflation and energy prices at the beginning of the fourth quarter. 

Russell 2000 Stays Flat Near 2,797 Amid Mixed Small-Cap Trading 

The Russell 2000 Index was at 2,796.91, up 0.05 points, or effectively 0.00%, at 9:36:55 a.m. EDT. The index opened at 2,794.52 and traded between 2,790.97 and 2,797.67. 

The small-cap index showed a more mixed performance than the technology-heavy Nasdaq. Vicor gained 9.07%, Kodiak Sciences rose 5.55%, and Zeta Global increased 1.71%. Several industrial and technology names also recorded gains. 

At the same time, ImmunityBio fell 3.49%, GRAIL declined 4.08%, and Hims & Hers Health dropped 2.45%. Hut 8 declined 2.40%, while several financial stocks also traded lower. 

The Russell 2000 had declined during September, in contrast with the Nasdaq’s monthly gain. The divergence reflected the different composition of the major US benchmarks as technology-related companies continued to account for a substantial share of the Nasdaq’s early strength. 

Accenture, Synopsys and Technology Stocks Lead Early Gainers 

Several stocks recorded substantial early percentage increases in the broader US market. Accenture led the supplied gainers list at $224.69, up $41.32 or 22.53%, with volume of 7.068 million shares. Enerflex gained 14.83% to $26.17, while Cognizant Technology Solutions rose 11.75% to $64.19. 

Synopsys advanced 9.88% to $477.92, while EPAM Systems gained 8.88% to $117.98. Vicor increased 8.58% to $313.73, and Infosys rose 7.99% to $11.62. 

Other notable gainers included Gartner at 7.33%, Fair Isaac at 7.20%, McKesson at 6.52%, Kyndryl at 5.99%, ExlService Holdings at 5.79%, Genpact at 5.92%, Tower Semiconductor at 5.35%, and Cadence Design Systems at 6.03%. 

IBM rose 4.38% to $229.62, while Amdocs gained 4.35% and United Therapeutics advanced 6.79%. 

The gains were concentrated across technology, consulting, healthcare and semiconductor-related businesses, with company-specific earnings and outlook updates providing several of the day’s principal catalysts. 

Corteva Falls 83.22% as Broader Losers Remain Mixed 

Corteva recorded the largest decline in the supplied stock-loser list, falling 83.22% to $13.03, a decline of $64.64. The shares traded with volume of 10.344 million. 

Liquidia Corporation declined 17.80% to $24.88, while Enlight Renewable Energy fell 6.50% to $64.90. Viridian Therapeutics declined 4.95%, and Cal-Maine Foods dropped 5.05%. 

MP Materials fell 4.69%, Paramount Skydance declined 4.79%, and Ormat Technologies fell 4.68%. NatWest Group declined 4.38%, while Lloyds Banking Group fell 3.64%. 

HSBC Holdings declined 3.60%, and Mizuho Financial Group fell 3.48%. Grindr declined 3.66%, while Celcuity fell 3.57%. 

The list also included declines of 3.37% in Pony AI, 3.48% in ArcelorMittal and 3.35% in GRAIL. The movements illustrated the broader dispersion beneath the modest gains in the major benchmarks. 

Oil Near $100 and Jobs Data Shape October’s Opening 

Oil prices remained elevated as October trading began. Brent crude moved above $100 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate traded above $91 a barrel. The increase followed reports concerning Chinese refiners suspending October fuel exports and continued uncertainty around energy supplies. 

The energy-market movement remained important because higher oil prices can add to inflationary pressure. The US bond market was already dealing with higher yields, with the 10-year Treasury yield reaching levels last seen in 2002. 

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Economic data therefore remained central to the opening session. Initial jobless claims fell to 197,000, while companies announced 43,281 job cuts during September. The next major labour-market release was the monthly employment report due on Friday. 

Manufacturing data were also scheduled during the session, including September manufacturing activity figures and the Institute for Supply Management manufacturing report. These releases followed the latest inflation data, which had come in below expectations and affected expectations surrounding the Federal Reserve’s October policy decision. 

The opening session thus combined three major developments: technology earnings and AI-related announcements, higher Treasury yields and energy prices, and fresh economic data ahead of the September employment report. 

September Ends with Nasdaq Up 1.9% While Dow Falls 4.3% 

The performance gap between the major benchmarks widened during September. The Nasdaq Composite gained approximately 1.9% during the month, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined about 4.3%. The S&P 500 fell approximately 0.5%. 

The Nasdaq’s monthly gain came as several AI-related and technology stocks advanced despite the rise in Treasury yields. Nvidia gained 5% during September, while AMD increased 30%. 

The Dow and S&P 500, meanwhile, were affected by broader weakness across sectors as bond yields and energy prices increased. The 10-year Treasury yield’s movement was particularly significant, with the benchmark reaching levels not seen since 2002. 

The September performance also highlighted the difference between market-cap-weighted benchmarks and broader measures. The S&P 500 equal-weight index underperformed the market-cap-weighted S&P 500 by 4.6 percentage points during September, according to data cited in the supplied market coverage. 

That divergence meant the strength of the headline benchmarks was increasingly concentrated among a smaller group of large technology companies, while a larger number of stocks remained weaker. 

US stocks opened October higher, with the Nasdaq Composite at 26,984.50, the S&P 500 at 7,670.93 and the Dow at 50,997.80. Technology earnings, AI developments, labour-market data, elevated oil prices and Treasury yields remained the principal developments shaping the opening session. 

Source 

• https://www.nasdaq.com/ 

• spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500/ 

• https://www.dowjones.com/ 

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• https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500/ 

• https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/index/comp 

• https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/quotes/nasdaq-ndx-index 

• https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-100/ 

• https://www.lseg.com/en/ftse-russell/indices/russell-us 

• https://www.nyse.com/index 

• https://www.nyse.com/index 

• https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/dow-jones-transportation-average/ 

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• https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/dow-jones-composite-average/ 

• https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/index/sox 

• https://www.cboe.com/tradable_products/vix/