Stocks rose on Tuesday after another round of earnings results impressed investors.
Key market catalysts still loom over the market this week, including Big Tech earnings, a Federal Reserve rate decision and a potential China trade deal.
Earnings reports are due Wednesday and Thursday from several “Magnificent Seven” names, including Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms and Microsoft, which together account for roughly one quarter of the S&P 500′s total value. So far, the third-quarter earnings season is off to a strong start.
Amazon announced it will begin layoffs on Tuesday that will amount to the largest cuts to its workforce in the company’s history, CNBC reported, adding to the slew of job cuts seen in the tech industry this year.
Tuesday also marks the start of the two-day Fed meeting, where the central bank is expected to cut its benchmark rate rate for a second time this year. Traders hoping for a signal from Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday that the central bank will cut once more at its final meeting of the year in December, partly driven by concerns about a weakening labor market. The Fed is dealing with an economic data blackout given the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
“Another batch of solid earnings, signs of easing inflation pressures, firming rate cut expectations, and confirmation of a President Trump-Xi meeting later this week underpinned the buying pressure,” LPL Financial chief technical strategist Adam Turnquist said in a note. “Fundamental strength will be in the spotlight this week, as 30 companies in the NDX report earnings.”
Investors during Monday’s session cheered cooling tensions between the U.S. and China ahead of a highly-anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and China President Xi Jinping on Thursday. Both nations have agreed on a framework for a potential trade deal, which addresses China rare earth minerals restrictions, soybean purchases and TikTok.
The S&P 500 in the previous session recorded its first-ever close above the 6,800 level, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and the Dow Jones Industrial Average likewise closed at record highs. The Russell 2000 small-cap benchmark finished at a new all-time high as well.