Real estate stocks rise as rate-cut bets return; XLRE ends at $41.99 ahead of payrolls and CPI
Real estate shares in the U.S. climbed on Friday; the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund advanced 1.8% to close at $41.99.
Communication services stocks lag the rebound — what XLC investors need to know before Monday
Communication services names start the week lagging, as their flagship ETF, the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund, lost 0.39% Friday, settling at $115.76.
Copper at $5.88 sets up a busy week for basic materials stocks as jobs, CPI loom
Basic materials shares in the U.S. climbed on Friday. The S&P 500 materials sector index closed up 1.77% at 645.93, leaving the group 12.45% higher year-to-date.
Industrial stocks surge, pushing XLI near a 52-week high after Dow cracks 50,000
Industrial names in the U.S. wrapped up the week on a strong note. The Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund surged 2.86% Friday, closing at $173.18, right at the high end of its 52-week range.
Healthcare stocks in focus: Molina shock, FDA “copycat” warning and XLV set up Monday’s trade
Molina Healthcare plunged 25.5% to $131.72 on Friday, after the company told investors to brace for at least $5 in adjusted earnings per share in 2026—missing what analysts had penciled in. The Medicaid specialist also plans to pull out of Medicare Advantage Part D prescription drug plans starting in 2027. CEO Joseph Zubretsky described 2026 as a “trough year” for Medicaid margins. Molina attributed the trimmed outlook to losses from its Part D business and a fresh Florida Medicaid contract, each dragging estimates by $1 and $1.50 per share. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund didn’t follow Molina lower, instead picking up 1.8% to finish at $157.71.
Financial services stocks rally as XLF jumps, Dow hits 50,000 — what to watch next week
Financial stocks in the U.S. wrapped up the week on a stronger note. The Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund, which tracks the sector, closed Friday at $54.26, up 1.8%. Goldman Sachs advanced 4.3%, JPMorgan Chase tacked on 3.9%, and Citigroup jumped 6.0%.
Cloud computing stocks rebounded — but Amazon’s $200 billion spending plan keeps traders on edge
Cloud computing names caught a bid Friday. First Trust Cloud Computing ETF climbed 4.4%, while WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund tacked on 3.5%. The group’s late-week rally followed a volatile run for tech. Amazon dropped 5.6%. Microsoft managed a 1.8% gain, Alphabet shed 2.5%. Cloudflare and Datadog finished higher.
Big Tech stocks swing on AI spending fears: Amazon slides, Nvidia rebounds as week ahead looms
Investors can't agree on whether the AI surge is worth the price tag as Big Tech heads into next week. Amazon.com slid 5.6% on Friday, while Nvidia soared 7.9%. Thanks to Amazon’s latest moves, expected AI spending by it and cloud giants Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta is now pegged close to $600 billion for 2026. The Dow broke through 50,000 for the first time ever on Friday. Yet the Nasdaq lags, down 0.9% so far this year.
Data Center Stocks Surge Into the Weekend: Digital Realty, Equinix and Vertiv Set Up a Big Week Ahead
U.S. data center stocks ended Friday with a broad lift, led by Digital Realty and Vertiv after a volatile week for AI-linked shares. Digital Realty closed up 4.1% at $171.62, Equinix rose 5.0% to $848.12 and Vertiv jumped 10.0% to $195.58; Iron Mountain climbed 7.7% to $95.78.
Quantum computing stocks bounce hard: IonQ, Rigetti, D‑Wave rally as traders reset for a data-heavy week
Quantum computing names snapped back hard Friday after a tough week, with IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D‑Wave Quantum each racking up double-digit gains to lead the rally.
Defense and space stocks rally, but Trump’s buyback-dividend squeeze is the next test
Space and defense names trading in the U.S. finished in the green Friday. The market’s focus, though, has shifted—earnings aren’t the spark this time, nor is fresh demand for missiles. Instead, investors are eyeing an upcoming Pentagon list that threatens to restrict buybacks and dividends for contractors failing to meet delivery targets.
Ucore Rare Metals stock price jumps as ‘Project Vault’ keeps rare earths on traders’ screens
Ucore Rare Metals shares ended Friday up 14.7% on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange, snapping back a day after a 13% drop, as investors rotated back into small, policy-sensitive critical-minerals names. The stock closed at C$7.97, while its U.S.-quoted shares rose 13.6% to $5.74.
Semiconductor stocks surge as AI capex stays high; Nvidia and AMD lead into next week
Semiconductor names in the U.S. surged Friday, driving the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up 5.7% to close at 8,048.6. Nvidia popped 7.87% to $185.41, Advanced Micro Devices tacked on 8.28% to finish at $208.44, and Broadcom ended up 7.22% at $332.92. Intel moved up 4.87% to $50.59.
Oil stocks jump on Iran risk lift for crude — what to watch before Monday
Oil shares trading in the U.S. jumped on Friday, lifted by a late run-up in crude after renewed U.S.-Iran tensions raised the specter of supply interruptions.
Amazon stock (AMZN) slides on $200 billion AI capex plan — what Wall Street watches next week
Amazon.com slipped 5.6% to finish at $210.32 on Friday, lagging behind a surging Wall Street session that saw the Dow notch a new record above 50,000. The S&P 500 closed up 1.97%, while the Nasdaq climbed 2.18%.
Nvidia stock jumps 8% as AI chip stocks rebound on Big Tech spending — what to watch next week
Nvidia shot up 7.8% on Friday, locking in a strong comeback for AI-linked chip and data center names as traders piled back into “picks-and-shovels” plays. AMD took off with an 8.3% gain, Broadcom rallied 7.1%, and the Philadelphia semiconductor index jumped 5.7%. Amazon, though, dropped 5.6% after warning this year’s capital expenditures would soar over 50%. “There’s real demand” for AI products, said Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird, pointing out that recent selloffs have been quick to attract fresh buyers.
Dow Jones breaks 50,000 for the first time — here’s what Wall Street watches next
The Dow Jones Industrial Average broke through the 50,000 mark for the first time on Friday, ending the day at 50,115.67 after a surge of 1,206.95 points, or 2.47%. Caterpillar rallied 7.1%, handing the price-weighted index its biggest push as it continued to outperform Wall Street’s broader benchmarks this year. “The Dow is kind of the people’s index,” said Chuck Carlson, CEO of Horizon Investment Services.
Home Depot stock price: jobs, inflation and a Feb. 24 earnings test loom
Shares of Home Depot finished Friday at $385.15, up roughly 0.7%. The stock moved in a range from $379.10 to $386.37 during the session.
JPMorgan stock price jumps 4% into weekend as Wall Street braces for a busy data week
JPMorgan Chase & Co jumped 3.95% to wrap up Friday at $322.40, capping the week with a solid gain for the nation’s largest bank.
AbbVie stock price: ABBV ends week near $223 after earnings swing — what to watch next
AbbVie finished Friday’s session 2% higher at $223.43, notching a second day in the green while U.S. equities climbed. The stock remains about 9% shy of its 52-week high. Trading volume landed slightly below its recent average.