Nasdaq, S&P 500 Hold Firm Ahead Of Inflation Report: SN, ATEYY, ASX In Focus | Stock Market Today

Market overview (rates/inflation backdrop)

The video characterizes the market as “holding firm,” but mostly trading in a choppy range rather than making clear upside progress.

A key driver is the 10-year Treasury yield, which rose to about 5.29% during the session before pulling back modestly into the close, ending around 5.24–5.25%.

Despite pressure in bonds, major indexes finished relatively stable:

• NASDAQ Composite: down about 0.1%
• NASDAQ 100 / QQQ: up about ~2%
• S&P 500: down about 0.2%
• Dow: down about 0.25%
• Russell 2000: down about 0.4%, described as weakening due to higher/volatile yields weighing on small caps

Technical/positioning analysis: resilience vs. direction

Hosts emphasize resilience—the NASDAQ and S&P 500 appear to be holding key technical levels even as yields remain stubborn.

Technical points mentioned include:

• NASDAQ: described as holding prior lows/gaps and testing key moving-average levels, though it hasn’t “broken out” cleanly
• S&P 500: said to be holding above the 50-day moving average, but slightly below the 21-day

A major theme is “equal-weight vs. mega-cap leadership”:

• The S&P 500 is being helped by the “Magnificent 7”
• The other 493 stocks are lagging, suggesting broader participation is weaker

Sector and factor performance

Semiconductors / chip equipment

• Chip equipment was the top-performing industry group, up roughly 3.5%

Oil/energy weakness

• Oil stocks (XLE) were described as coming in, with notable underperformance
• Oil itself was down about ~3.5%, below $90/barrel (around $89 electronically)

Gold / gold miners

• GLD and related miners were described as stronger than expected earlier
• However, the group is still viewed as damaged after a recent failed attempt to move higher

U.S. dollar pressure

• The U.S. dollar index (DXY) is described as strengthening alongside the bond selloff
• This is framed as a reason gold is pressured, since gold often moves inversely to a stronger dollar

Stock ideas highlighted (outside and within semiconductors)

1. Advantest (Japan, ADR) — ticker “ATY”

   • Presented as technically constructive
     • Break above a trend line
     • Strong close near the day’s highs
     • Higher-than-average volume (about 40% above average per narration)
     • Gain about ~3.4%
   • Notes that “gappiness” is normal due to overseas market hours/currency and the ADR structure

2. ASML-related manufacturing / semiconductor theme — “ASX” (Taiwan chip manufacturing)

   • Discussed as part of broader semiconductor manufacturing strength
   • Framed as a “cup” pattern/pause followed by a renewed push to challenge resistance
   • Volume described as elevated versus the 50-day average
   • Price up about ~3.5%

3. Shark Ninja (SN) — outside tech

   • Highlighted as another area of strength
     • Came out of a base earlier in June and stayed above the 21-day moving average
     • Recently crossed back above nearby resistance (around 180)
   • Host suggests it could matter into an end-of-month window dressing period
   • Video also flags Micron earnings the next day as a potential catalyst for related memory/semiconductor sentiment

Inflation report and rate-hike expectations

The upcoming inflation report is framed as a major focus because it could affect whether the Fed delivers another hike.

Fed-futures odds mentioned:

• For the next meeting (Oct. 28), the chance of an additional hike is roughly about 50/50
• The probability for a second hike possibility is said to have drifted lower to around ~40%

Presenters / contributors

• Justin Nielsen — Market Research Director, Investors Business Daily (host)
• Ken Shrieves — Senior Markets Reporter, Investors Business Daily (contributor; appears to drop off during the segment)