Today At A Glance:

U.S. stocks cooled after a strong run: the S&P 500 slipped, the Dow fell more, and the Nasdaq edged lower, marking just the second down day in 10 sessions. Dell’s pullback weighed on broader indices, while Delta and PepsiCo gains helped limit losses. A fresh NHTSA probe pressured Tesla and curbed some megacap enthusiasm. Gold retreated below $4,000/oz as risk assets paused near highs. Breadth was soft, with decliners outpacing advancers, as investors digested earnings and awaited clearer rate signals.

Today’s Index Performance:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: The Dow opened today at 46,622.31 and closed today at 46,358.42, with the percentage change of −0.57%.
• S&P 500: The S&P 500 opened today at 6,760.50 and closed today at 6,735.11, with the percentage change of −0.38%.
• Nasdaq Composite: The Nasdaq opened today at 23,045.30 and closed today at 23,024.63, with the percentage change of −0.09%.

Gainers Of Note:

• Akero Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AKRO) – Clinical-stage biotech; jumped after Novo Nordisk said it would acquire the company in a deal that could reach $5.2B pending approval of its lead candidate.
• Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) – Major U.S. airline; rose on stronger-than-expected summer profits and upbeat Q4 profit guidance.
• PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) – Global beverages & snacks; gained after delivering a quarterly profit beat and noting improving North American beverage momentum.

Losers Of Note:

• Ferrari (NYSE: RACE) – Luxury automaker; tumbled after unveiling its first EV alongside financial forecasts that underwhelmed analysts.
• Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) – EV manufacturer; slipped as regulators opened a preliminary evaluation into its Full Self-Driving system.
• Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) – PCs/AI infrastructure; fell as investors took profits following big AI-driven gains earlier in the week.

Active Traders Of Note:

• Costco (NASDAQ: COST) – Warehouse retail; heavy volume after the company reported ~8% September revenue growth.
• Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) – Lithium producer; active as shares jumped on a raised price target and tailwinds from China export curbs.
• MP Materials (NYSE: MP) – Rare-earths miner; elevated trading after news of Chinese export curbs lifted sentiment toward domestic supply.

Looking Forward:

With indexes near records, positioning may hinge on earnings follow-through and any fresh guidance from the Fed; a soft patch in breadth argues for selectivity. Headline-sensitive names (autos/AI/retail) could stay volatile as regulatory and demand narratives evolve. Watch early earnings and sector updates for signs of rotation, especially if rate-cut hopes ebb or macro data remain delayed.

Note: The stock performance summaries are based on general trends observed over the past ten trading days and are not indicative of future results.

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