Stocks Settle Mostly Higher on Positive Earnings Results

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Tuesday closed up +0.21%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up +1.03%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed down -0.98%.  September E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) rose +0.24%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) fell -0.88%.

Stock indexes settled mixed on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrials climbing to a 1.5-week high and the Nasdaq 100 falling to a 2.75-month low. Better-than-expected earnings from Boeing, Coca-Cola and Sherwin-Williams were supportive of stocks on Tuesday.  Also, software stocks rose as investors rotated into sectors that had recently underperformed.

However, the Nasdaq 100 was under pressure amid a deepening rout in chipmakers and AI-infrastructure stocks, driven by fresh concerns over artificial intelligence spending and rising competition from China.  Also, the unexpected decline in US July consumer confidence weighed on market sentiment on Tuesday. 

Lower crude oil prices have also eased inflation concerns and pushed bond yields lower, supporting stocks.  Sep WTI crude oil prices (CLU26) fell by more than -4% on Tuesday to a 1-week low, as the US and Iran extended their pause in hostilities.  The focus is now on talks between Iran and Oman over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The 10-year T-note yield fell -5 bp to 4.60%.

However, tensions remain high in the Middle East as the US maintains its blockade of Iranian oil shipments in the Persian Gulf.  Also, President Trump on Tuesday said that the US would “take out” Pickaxe Mountain, an Iranian facility that the US and Israel said they suspect is a nuclear site, if there wasn’t a deal.  In addition, Houthi militants said they would continue striking Saudi Arabia after claiming to have struck facilities linked to Saudi Aramco in the Red Sea port towns of Jizan and Yanbu on Saturday.  Yanbu, the western end of the East-West pipeline, has become Saudi Arabia’s key crude export outlet since the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut off by the war.

The US May S&P composite-20 home price index rose +1.6% y/y, stronger than expectations of +1.3% y/y and the largest increase in 10 months.

The Conference Board US Jul consumer confidence index unexpectedly fell by -1.4 to 90.8, weaker than expectations of an increase to 92.4.

The US Jul Richmond Fed manufacturing survey rose +1 to 5, weaker than expectations of 6.

The outlook for strong Q2 earnings, which continue this week, is a bullish factor for stocks.  The markets are awaiting results from a raft of megacap technology companies this week, including Microsoft and Meta Platforms on Wednesday, and Amazon.com and Apple on Thursday.  Forecasts compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest Q2 earnings may increase by +23%, close to Q1’s blowout earnings of +30%, which was more than double the +12% analysts had expected.  AI spending is expected to account for most of earnings, with AI infrastructure stocks set to contribute nearly 60% of the S&P 500's earnings-per-share growth in Q2. So far, earnings results have been positive, with 86% of the 170 S&P 500 companies that have reported Q2 earnings beating estimates, according to Bloomberg data. 

The markets are discounting a 30% chance of a +25 bp rate hike at the Tue/Wed FOMC meeting.

Overseas stock markets settled mixed on Tuesday.  The Euro Stoxx 50 closed up +0.12%.  China's Shanghai Composite closed down -1.16%.  Japan's Nikkei-225 Stock Average fell to a 2-month low and closed down sharply by -3.95%.

Interest Rates

September 10-year T-notes (ZNU6) on Tuesday closed up +7.5 ticks.  The 10-year T-note yield fell -4.9 bp to 4.600%.  T-notes pushed higher on Tuesday as a -4% plunge in crude oil prices eased inflation expectations.  The 10-year breakeven inflation rate fell to a 1-month low of 2.192% on Tuesday.  T-notes also rose after US July consumer confidence unexpectedly declined.  Solid demand for the Treasury’s $44 billion auction of 7-year T-notes was bullish for T-note prices, as the auction had a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.49, better than the 10-auction average of 2.47. 

European government bond yields moved lower on Tuesday.  The 10-year German bund yield fell to a 2-week low of 3.103% and finished down -2.9 bp to 3.104%.  The 10-year UK gilt yield slid to a 1-week low of 4.944% and finished down -5.2 bp to 4.944%.

The France Jul consumer confidence survey rose +2 to a 4-month high of 86, stronger than expectations of 85.

The markets are discounting an 86% chance of a +25 bp ECB rate hike at its next policy meeting on September 10.

US Stock Movers

Software stocks rallied on Tuesday, a supportive factor for the overall market.  Workday (WDAY) closed up more than +8% to lead gainers in the Nasdaq 100, and Thomson Reuters (TRI) and Autodesk (ADSK) closed up more than +5%.  Also, Adobe (ADBE), ServiceNow (NOW), Salesforce (CRM), and Atlassian (TEAM) closed up more than +4%, and Intuit (INTU) closed up more than +3%.  In addition, Microsoft (MSFT) and Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) closed up more than +1%. 

Chipmakers and AI-infrastructure stocks retreated on Tuesday, weighing on the Nasdaq 100.  The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) dropped to a 2.5-month low and closed down more than -4%.  Sandisk (SNDK) closed down more than -14% to lead losers in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), ARM Holdings Plc (ARM), Micron Technology (MU) and Seagate Technology Holdings Plc (STX) closed down more than -8%.  Also, Applied Materials (AMAT), Marvell Technology (MRVL), and Lam Research (LRCX) closed down more than -7%, and KLA Corp (KLAC) and Western Digital (WDC) closed down more than -6%.  In addition, Intel (INTC) closed down more than -5%, and Qualcomm (QCOM) closed down more than -4%.

Cryptocurrency-exposed stocks moved lower on Tuesday after Bitcoin (^BTCUSD) fell more than -1% to a 1-week low.  Galaxy Digital Holdings (GLXY) closed down more than -9%, and MARA Holdings (MARA) closed down more than -4%.  Also, Strategy (MSTR), Riot Platforms (RIOT), and Circle Internet Group (CRCL) closed down more than -2%, and Coinbase Global (COIN) closed down -0.39%. 

IQVIA Holdings (IQV) closed up more than +13% to lead gainers in the S&P 500 after boosting its full-year revenue forecast to $17.28 billion to $17.48 billion from a previous forecast of $17.15 billion to $17.35 billion, stronger than the consensus of $17.28 billion.

Sherwin-Williams (SHW) closed up more than +8% to lead gainers in the Dow Jones Industrials after reporting adjusted EPS of $3.70, better than the consensus of $3.51, and raising its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $11.80 to $12.20 from a previous forecast of $11.50 to $11.90, above the consensus of $11.76.  

Nucor (NUE) closed up more than +7% after reporting Q2 net sales of $10.40 billion, above the consensus of $10.03 billion.

Coca-Cola (KO) closed up +5% after raising its full-year comparable EPS forecast to +9% to +10% from a previous view of +8% to +9%.

Boeing (BA) closed up more than +4% after reporting Q2 revenue of $24.56 billion, stronger than the consensus of $24.26 billion.

Amkor Technology (AMKR) closed down more than -24% after forecasting Q3 net sales of $1.95 billion to $2.05 billion, weaker than the consensus of $2.11 billion. 

Corning (GLW) closed down more than -12% after forecasting Q3 core sales of $4.9 billion to $5.0 billion, the midpoint below the consensus of $5.0 billion.

Noble Corp. (NE) closed down more than -9% after cutting its full-year adjusted Ebitda estimate to $850 million to $925 million from a previous forecast of $940 million to $1.02 billion, below the consensus of $970.3 million. 

Carrier Global (CARR) closed down more than -8% after reporting Q2 gross margin of 27.2%, below the consensus of 28.1%.

RXO Inc (RXO) closed down more than -6% after TD Cowen downgraded the stock to sell from hold with a price target of $19.

Earnings Reports (7/29/2026)

Align Technology Inc (ALGN), American Water Works Co Inc (AWK), Amphenol Corp (APH), Aon PLC (AON), Automatic Data Processing Inc (ADP), Biogen Inc (BIIB), Boston Scientific Corp (BSX), Bunge Global SA (BG), Carvana Co (CVNA), CBRE Group Inc (CBRE), CH Robinson Worldwide Inc (CHRW), Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG), Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH), Electronic Arts Inc (EA), Entergy Corp (ETR), Equinix Inc (EQIX), Essex Property Trust Inc (ESS), Everest Group Ltd (EG), Fair Isaac Corp (FICO), Flex Ltd (FLEX), Fortinet Inc (FTNT), Fortive Corp (FTV), Garmin Ltd (GRMN), GE HealthCare Technologies Inc (GEHC), Generac Holdings Inc (GNRC), General Dynamics Corp (GD), Humana Inc (HUM), IDEX Corp (IEX), Invitation Homes Inc (INVH), Johnson Controls International (JCI), L3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX), Lam Research Corp (LRCX), Lennox International Inc (LII), Masco Corp (MAS), Meta Platforms Inc (META), MGM Resorts International (MGM), Microsoft Corp (MSFT), Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA), Old Dominion Freight Line Inc (ODFL), O'Reilly Automotive Inc (ORLY), Procter & Gamble Co/The (PG), PTC Inc (PTC), Public Storage (PSA), QUALCOMM Inc (QCOM), Regency Centers Corp (REG), Robinhood Markets Inc (HOOD), Smurfit Westrock PLC (SW), Stanley Black & Decker Inc (SWK), Starbucks Corp (SBUX), Tyler Technologies Inc (TYL), Ventas Inc (VTR), Verisk Analytics Inc (VRSK), Vertiv Holdings Co (VRT), VICI Properties Inc (VICI), Vulcan Materials Co (VMC), Waste Management Inc (WM), WEC Energy Group Inc (WEC).