Nasdaq Jumps 1.69% as Oil Slips and Treasury Yields Retreat After Fed Rate Hike

Mumbai, Sept 18: US equities closed sharply higher in the closing session as technology shares led a broad rebound, with oil prices easing and Treasury yields retreating after the Federal Reserve’s first rate increase in more than three years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 316.14 points, or 0.61%, the S&P 500 rose 85.95 points, or 1.14%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 439.88 points, or 1.69%. The Russell 2000 advanced 17.95 points, or 0.63%. The session marked a recovery from the prior day’s sell-off, which followed the central bank’s decision to lift borrowing costs. 

Dow Jones Gains 316 Points as Oil Slides and Yields Retreat Today 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened at 51,882.53, touched an intraday high of 51,935.97 and a low of 51,607.65, before closing at 51,778.04, a gain of 316.14 points, or 0.61%, from its previous close of 51,461.90. Volume stood at 404,271,597, while the average volume was 493,032,419.  

The index’s 52-week range was 45,057.28 to 54,744.33. Among Dow constituents, Cisco rose 2.26%, Caterpillar gained 2.06%, Amazon added 2.12%, Merck advanced 1.53% and Microsoft rose 1.52%. Decliners included Salesforce, down 2.80%, Verizon, down 2.80%, Boeing, down 2.46%, Disney, down 1.54% and Walmart, down 0.67%.  

The session followed the Federal Reserve’s 25 basis point rate increase and a pullback in crude oil prices, which affected trading across major US equities. The blue-chip index’s advance came as investors assessed the central bank’s signal that another increase could follow this year, while a decline in energy costs offered relief from inflation pressure. 

S&P 500 Gains 85.95 Points as Lower Yields Lift Broader Market Today 

The S&P 500 opened at 7,631.44, reached an intraday high of 7,646.86 and a low of 7,611.81, before closing at 7,637.76, up 85.95 points, or 1.14%, from its previous close of 7,551.81. Volume was 2,873,100,000, against an average volume of 5,167,496,129, and the 52-week range stood at 6,316.91 to 7,816.70.  

The index’s advance was supported by technology, communication services and consumer discretionary shares. Intel surged 7.68%, AMD gained 6.30%, Micron added 5.50%, Oracle rose 5.17%, Dell advanced 4.50% and Sandisk climbed 6.18%. Among decliners, Berkshire Hathaway Class B fell 2.06%, T-Mobile dropped 5.58%, Verizon lost 2.80%, AT&T declined 1.84% and RTX slipped 1.67%.  

The benchmark’s closing performance came as falling Treasury yields and weaker oil prices shaped market trading. Market breadth remained weak beneath the surface, with just over half of the S&P 500’s constituents trading below their 200-day moving averages. Recent names to slip below that level included Starbucks, J.B. Hunt, Goldman Sachs, KLA Corp., RTX and Colgate-Palmolive. The 200-day moving average is a widely followed measure of long-term momentum, and a growing share of stocks falling below it can indicate that headline index strength is not mirrored across the broader market. 

Also Read: What Is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)?

Nasdaq Composite Gains 439.88 Points as Technology Stocks Lead Broad Rebound Today 

The Nasdaq Composite opened at 26,377.86, touched a high of 26,460.64 and a low of 26,289.94, before closing at 26,418.30, a gain of 439.88 points, or 1.69%, from its previous close of 25,978.42. Volume was 8,887,460,000, with an average volume of 8,670,812,580, and the 52-week range was 20,690.25 to 27,190.21. Technology and growth-oriented shares led the index higher.  

Intel rose 7.68%, Arm Holdings gained 8.56%, AMD advanced 6.30%, Micron added 5.50%, Marvell Technology rose 4.76%, Nvidia gained 2.50% and Broadcom added 2.33%. Decliners included T-Mobile, down 5.58%, Intuit, down 1.57%, Netflix, down 1.42%, AppLovin, down 1.50% and PDD Holdings, down 1.35%. The technology-heavy benchmark responded to the Fed’s policy decision and the subsequent decline in Treasury yields during the session.  

The index’s move higher marked a sharp reversal from the prior session, when the three major averages closed lower for the seventh time in eight sessions. Crypto-linked stocks also gained during the session as bitcoin traded around $76,500, modestly higher over the preceding 24 hours, while Coinbase added approximately 4%, Robinhood increased around 3% and Strategy advanced roughly 4%. 

Russell 2000 Gains 17.95 Points as Smaller Stocks Post Modest Advance Today 

The Russell 2000 opened at 2,883.20, recorded an intraday high of 2,901.33 and a low of 2,875.96, and closed at 2,876.76, up 17.95 points, or 0.63%, from its previous close of 2,858.81. Its 52-week range was 2,303.46 to 3,069.71.  

Smaller-cap shares recorded mixed movement. Vicor surged 17.82%, IonQ gained 9.58%, SiTime rose 8.99%, Twist Bioscience advanced 8.73%, D-Wave Quantum added 8.73%, Applied Digital climbed 8.20% and Riot Platforms rose 7.52%.  

Decliners included Jackson Financial, down 5.55%, VSE Corporation, down 5.30%, Brinker International, down 5.08%, AAR Corporation, down 4.21% and CoreWeave, down 4.18%. The benchmark’s performance reflected broader market gains as Treasury yields eased, with smaller companies drawing support from the same macroeconomic backdrop that lifted the larger indices, although the advance remained more modest than those recorded by the technology-heavy benchmarks. 

S&P 100 Gains 52.62 Points as Large-Cap Shares Track Higher Market Today 

The S&P 100 opened at 3,801.08, traded between a low of 3,788.41 and a high of 3,808.07, and finished at 3,807.97, a gain of 52.62 points, or 1.40%, from its previous close of 3,755.35. Its 52-week range was 3,074.00 to 3,853.17. Large-cap constituents moved with the broader market as technology and consumer discretionary shares advanced.  

The index’s daily performance reflected the same macroeconomic backdrop that lifted the major US benchmarks, including lower oil prices and a retreat in Treasury yields after the Fed’s rate increase. The S&P 100’s advance was recorded as the index approached the upper end of its 52-week range, with the day’s trading band remaining relatively narrow compared with the moves recorded in technology-focused benchmarks. 

Dow Composite Gains 101.27 Points as Transport and Utility Advance Market Today 

The Dow Jones Composite Average opened at 16,252.58, moved between 16,186.74 and 16,284.24, and closed at 16,238.05, up 101.27 points, or 0.63%, from its previous close of 16,136.78. The Dow Jones Transportation Average opened at 20,211.89, reached a high of 20,352.34 and a low of 20,123.46, before closing at 20,184.06, up 108.65 points, or 0.54%, from its previous close of 20,075.41. Its 52-week range was 15,064.48 to 24,825.70.  

The Dow Jones Utility Average opened at 1,049.71, touched a high of 1,058.13, and closed at 1,057.35, up 9.51 points, or 0.91%, from its previous close of 1,047.84. Its 52-week range was 647.81 to 1,058.13. Movements in transport and utility constituents reflected the day’s broader market recovery, with the utility average closing near the top of its annual range. 

Philadelphia Semiconductor Index Gains 353.38 Points as US Chip Stocks Rally Today 

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) opened at 11,568.47, reached an intraday high of 11,643.88 and a low of 11,533.95, and closed at 11,599.49, a gain of 353.38 points, or 3.14%, from its previous close of 11,246.11. Its 52-week range was 1,119.37 to 11,643.88. Semiconductor-related constituents posted strong gains.  

Intel rose 7.68%, Arm Holdings advanced 8.56%, AMD gained 6.30%, Micron added 5.50%, Marvell Technology rose 4.76%, Nvidia gained 2.50%, Broadcom added 2.33% and Qualcomm rose 2.07%. Texas Instruments declined 0.97%. The sector benchmark’s move came as technology shares led the broader US market higher, with the index closing close to its intraday peak and within reach of its 52-week high. 

Also Read: How to invest in US stocks

NYSE Composite Gains 153.47 Points as Broader US Shares Track Market Today 

The NYSE Composite Index opened at 23,934.14, traded between 23,934.14 and 24,157.22, and closed at 24,087.61, up 153.47 points, or 0.64%, from its previous close of 23,934.14. Its 52-week range was 20,906.44 to 24,866.75. Movements across industrial, financial, energy and consumer shares contributed to the index’s performance.  

The broader market’s advance followed the Fed’s rate decision and the decline in oil prices, which affected trading across US equity segments. The composite’s gain reflected participation beyond the technology sector, with the benchmark moving higher alongside the other major indices during the closing session. 

S&P MidCap 400 Gains 24.44 Points as SmallCap 600 Edges Higher Today 

The S&P MidCap 400 opened at 3,640.57, reached a high of 3,688.90 and a low of 3,640.57, and closed at 3,665.01, up 24.44 points, or 0.67%, from its previous close. Its 52-week range was 3,107.41 to 3,928.98. The S&P SmallCap 600 opened at 1,704.57, traded between 1,698.82 and 1,719.93, and closed at 1,698.90, up 1.00 point, or 0.059%, from its previous close of 1,697.90. 

 Its 52-week range was 1,364.16 to 1,832.20. The two benchmarks reflected mixed movement among mid- and small-cap shares as the wider market closed higher, with the mid-cap gauge recording a more pronounced advance than the small-cap index during the session. 

Oil Falls and Treasury Yields Retreat as Fed Rate Hike Settles Markets 

The principal market catalyst was the Federal Reserve’s 25 basis point rate increase, its first in three years, which lifted the overnight federal funds rate to a range of 3.75% to 4%. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said inflation remained too high.  

Treasury yields retreated, with the 10-year yield falling below 5% to 4.947%, down 0.0590 or 1.18%. Oil prices also declined as supply disruption concerns eased, with Saudi Arabia reportedly deciding to make more crude cargoes available to Asian refiners through ship-to-ship transfers near the Sohar port in Oman.  

These developments coincided with gains across the major US equity benchmarks. The Bank of England held its benchmark bank lending rate steady at 3.75% in a 6-3 vote, which also shaped global market trading, while the central bank paused its government bond sales for six months. The Securities and Exchange Commission granted a five-year exemption to platforms offering tokenised stocks, easing regulatory hurdles for blockchain-based share trading. 

Volatility Data Unavailable as All Major US Benchmarks Close Higher This Session 

Volatility index data for the session was not included in the available closing references. The major US benchmarks nevertheless closed higher, with the Dow Jones up 0.61%, the S&P 500 up 1.14%, the Nasdaq Composite up 1.69% and the Russell 2000 up 0.63%.  

The absence of volatility figures did not alter the session’s broad market direction, which was shaped by the Fed’s rate increase, lower oil prices and retreating Treasury yields. The day’s trading followed a prior session in which the three major averages closed lower after the Fed’s decision, with the Dow industrials shedding more than 600 points on that occasion. 

Technology Sector Leads S&P 500 Gains as Nine US Sectors Advance Today 

Performance across the S&P 500 sectors was broadly positive, with nine of the 11 sectors in the green. The S&P 500 Information Technology Sector rose 2.1%, the strongest move among the 11 industries tracked by the benchmark. Intel and Super Micro Computer led the sector with advances of more than 9%.  

The broader S&P 500 was up 0.6% in midday trading before closing 1.14% higher. The sector movements followed the Fed’s policy decision, the decline in oil prices and the pullback in Treasury yields, with technology shares accounting for the most significant contribution to the benchmark’s advance during the closing session. 

Magnificent Seven Stocks Rise as Nvidia Amazon Microsoft Lead Major Gains Today 

Among the Magnificent Seven, Nvidia rose 2.50%, Apple gained 1.37%, Microsoft added 1.52%, Amazon advanced 2.12%, Alphabet Class A rose 1.28%, Alphabet Class C gained 1.25%, Meta Platforms added 1.31% and Tesla climbed 2.23%. Their daily movements contributed to the performance of the major US equity benchmarks.  

The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF closed nearly 2% higher. The gains came as technology and growth shares recovered from the prior session’s Fed-induced sell-off, with all seven constituents finishing higher during the closing session. 

Also Read: US Stock Market Timings 

Semiconductor Financial Energy AI US Stocks Show Mixed Daily Closing Moves Today 

Semiconductor stocks were higher, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising 3.14%. Financial stocks recorded mixed movement, with Goldman Sachs gaining 1.42%, JPMorgan up 0.13%, Bank of America up 0.44%, Morgan Stanley up 0.52%, Wells Fargo down 0.19% and Citigroup down 0.19%. Energy stocks moved alongside changes in crude oil prices, as Brent crude fell and WTI declined. AI and growth stocks were higher, with Nvidia, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel and AMD contributing to the technology-heavy indices. The mixed performance across financial and energy shares contrasted with the broad advance recorded by technology-related constituents during the session. 

Jobless Claims Fall to 196,000 as US Housing Data Comes Light Today 

The latest US economic data showed initial jobless claims at 196,000 for the week ending 12 September, down 10,000 from the prior period and below the 207,000 consensus. Continuing claims stood at 1.73 million, down 39,000 from the prior week. Building permits in August totalled 1.394 million, off 2.7% from July and slightly below the 1.4 million estimate.  

Housing starts totalled 1.275 million, down 2.6% monthly and below the 1.3 million forecast. Pending home sales climbed 0.3% in August from a month earlier but were down 4.7% from a year ago, against expectations of a 3.9% year-on-year decline. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.95% from 6.76% a week earlier, its highest since late January 2025 and the biggest weekly jump since April 2025. 

Fed Raises Rates 25 Basis Points as US Treasury Yields Retreat Today 

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points for the first time in three years, taking the overnight federal funds rate to 3.75% to 4%. Policymakers signalled that another hike could come this year, with Fed Chair Kevin Warsh saying inflation remains too high. The 10-year Treasury yield moved below 5%, dropping more than 7 basis points to 4.93%, and later stood at 4.947%, down 0.0590 or 1.18%.  

Traders priced a 53% likelihood of another quarter-point increase at the late-October meeting and an 87% likelihood of at least one quarter-point increase in December, which comes after the US midterm elections. The Bank of England held rates at 3.75% in a 6-3 vote and paused government bond sales for six months to stabilise volatile fixed-income conditions. 

Brent Crude Falls as Gold Copper and Natural Gas Move Markets Today 

Brent crude traded at about $104 per barrel, down 1.7%, while US West Texas Intermediate crude stood at $101.25, down 1.2%. Earlier in the session, Brent fell more than 2% to $103.70 and WTI dropped 1.7% to $100.70. The decline marked a second consecutive session of losses for oil. Gold rose as much as 2.8% to pass $4,380 an ounce before gold futures edged 0.1% lower to $4,385.  

Copper settled at $14,491.50 a metric ton in London, up 1.8%, after hitting a high of $14,433 per metric tonne, supported by rising Chinese spot demand reflected in a spike in import premiums at Shanghai’s Yangshan port. Natural gas futures rose 1% to a one-week high of $2.921 per mmBtu after a smaller-than-expected storage build of 44 billion cubic feet against expectations of 49 bcf. 

Also Read: What Are Fractional Shares?

US Dollar Index Slips as Major Currencies Track Rate Expectations Market Today 

The US Dollar Index moved 0.1% lower to 100.20. The index tracks the value of the greenback against a basket of foreign currencies. Currency movements followed the Federal Reserve’s rate increase and the subsequent retreat in Treasury yields. The Bank of England’s decision to hold rates at 3.75% also shaped currency market trading.  

The dollar’s modest decline coincided with gains across major US equity benchmarks and a pullback in oil prices, with the currency finishing the session slightly weaker against a basket of major counterparts. 

The closing session was shaped by the Federal Reserve’s 25 basis point rate increase, alongside lower oil prices and retreating Treasury yields. The major US indices finished higher, while sector, bond, commodity and currency markets recorded the changes outlined above. These figures provide a factual summary of the session and its key market developments. 

Source 

• https://www.nasdaq.com/ 

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

• https://www.dowjones.com/ 

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

• 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/ 

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

• 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/