U.S. stock indexes closed mixed on Thursday as sector rotation produced divergent returns across the market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.14% to reach a new all-time high at the NYSE close, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.01% and the Nasdaq Composite gave up 0.80%.
Sectors did not move in unison. Healthcare, Utilities and Basic Materials were among the stronger groups and helped lift a portion of the market, while Technology, Consumer Goods and Industrials weighed on broader benchmarks.
Notable moves on the Dow
Within the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) was the session's top gainer, advancing 4.84% - a rise of 14.25 points - to finish at 308.63. McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) added 4.07%, or 10.96 points, to close at 280.39, and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) rose 3.91% or 3.74 points to 99.45.
On the downside, Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) fell 3.70% or 4.33 points to end at 112.68. Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) declined 2.83% - a move of 28.08 points - to close at 963.34, and NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) was down 1.56% or 3.08 points to 194.50.
S&P 500 and Nasdaq extremes
The best performers within the S&P 500 included Genuine Parts Co (NYSE:GPC), which surged 12.92% to 132.57, Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA), which climbed 10.01% to settle at 79.76, and Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX), which gained 6.10% to close at 172.07.
At the other end of the S&P 500, Teradyne Inc (NASDAQ:TER) fell 13.63% to 369.09, KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) lost 11.51% to finish at 235.55, and Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) declined 10.86% to close at 196.67.
On the Nasdaq Composite, the largest percentage advances were posted by ClearOne Inc (NASDAQ:CLRO), which jumped 100.62% to 6.48, CaliberCos Inc (NASDAQ:CWD), which rose 85.96% to 1.20, and Big Tree Cloud Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:DSY), which gained 54.17% to end at 4.44.
Conversely, Token Cat Ltd DRC (NASDAQ:TC) dropped 38.13% to 2.97, Elicio Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ELTX) lost 37.35% to settle at 3.22, and Linkhome Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:LHAI) fell 37.04% to 1.73.
Market breadth, volatility and notable highs
Rising stocks outnumbered decliners on the New York Stock Exchange by 1,614 to 1,110, with 101 issues unchanged. On the Nasdaq, 1,855 stocks fell while 1,554 advanced and 158 were unchanged. Moderna reached a 52-week high during the session, finishing up 10.01% or 7.26 at 79.76.
The CBOE Volatility Index, a gauge of implied volatility for S&P 500 options, was lower by 2.71%, ending the day at 16.14.
Commodities and currencies
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for August delivery rose 1.32% or 53.92 to $4,136.32 a troy ounce. Crude oil for August delivery edged down 0.13% or 0.09 to $68.49 a barrel, while the September Brent contract was up 0.04% or 0.03 at $71.60 a barrel.
On the currencies front, the euro strengthened against the dollar, with EUR/USD up 0.49% to 1.14, while USD/JPY fell 0.91% to 161.08. The U.S. Dollar Index Futures decreased 0.52% to 100.63.
Context and takeaway
Thursday's session presented a mixed backdrop where heavyweight gains in several Dow constituents helped lift the blue-chip gauge to a record while tech and industrial pressures restrained the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. Market breadth was split across exchanges, and volatility eased as measured by the VIX.
Investors navigated a market in which sector leadership diverged, producing pockets of strong single-stock performance alongside steep declines in other names. Commodities and FX moves were modest, with gold stronger and oil showing small mixed changes.