Stock Market Today: S&P 500 and Nasdaq Rise as Chip Stocks Rally, Oil Eases Ahead of Fed Decision

New York, Oct. 27, 2026 — U.S. stocks traded higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite advancing as a rally in semiconductor and AI-linked shares, combined with easing oil prices, offset caution ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy decision and a busy week of Big Tech earnings.

The S&P 500 gained 0.16% to 7,689.22 in early trading, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.38% to 26,267.46 . The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged, slipping 0.14% to 52,287.66, weighed down by a 3.4% drop in Sherwin-Williams following a quarterly profit miss .

Why Did the Stock Market Rise Today?

1. Chipmakers and AI shares extended their rebound. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 1.8%, marking its third consecutive session of gains after a bruising few weeks . Broadcom climbed more than 2% after a consortium of banks including Bank of America, Citi, Morgan Stanley, and Blackstone announced $63 billion in financing for the purchase of Broadcom’s technology for Anthropic . Micron Technology gained over 2%, AMD added nearly 2%, and Nvidia rose about 1% .

2. Oil prices eased for a second session. West Texas Intermediate futures shed nearly 1% to trade around $101 per barrel**, while **Brent crude** slipped about **1%** to roughly **$114, as investors hoped for a de-escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict . Lower energy prices supported risk appetite by easing inflation concerns.

3. Strong corporate results boosted sentiment. UPS rose more than 1% after reporting better-than-expected third-quarter results . Royal Caribbean surged 6.5% after lifting its full-year profit forecast, while General Motors gained 5% following its plan to switch its stock listing to Nasdaq . Coca-Cola inched up after raising its annual profit outlook .

Which Stocks Moved the Most?

On the upside:

• JetBlue jumped more than 11% despite a wider-than-expected quarterly loss, as the airline said it expects further margin expansion in the fourth quarter .
• Tesla climbed close to 3%, building on its more than 5% gain from the previous session .
• CoreWeave and Nebius traded sharply higher as the AI trade recovered .

On the downside:

• Boeing fell 1.8% after reporting a bigger-than-expected loss in the third quarter .
• Whirlpool dropped 7% after posting a surprise quarterly loss .
• Xylem tumbled 8.8% after trimming its full-year forecasts .
• Meta Platforms slipped 1.1% after increasing its largest-ever equity fundraising to $97.5 billion** to fund AI expansion, with Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom expressing interest in contributing up to **$5 billion combined .

What Are Treasury Yields and the VIX Saying?

The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.992%, up slightly but well below its 52-week high of 5.310% reached earlier this month . Yields have declined over the past three weeks as investors sought safety amid equity volatility.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) was down 5.5% to 18.39, signaling reduced short-term anxiety despite the Fed meeting and looming earnings .

What’s Next for Investors?

All eyes are on the Federal Reserve’s October 27-28 meeting, with the central bank widely expected to hold rates steady at the 3.75%-4.00% range following September’s hike . However, markets are pricing in at least two more hikes by mid-2027 as inflation indicators remain elevated amid the U.S.-Iran conflict .

The bigger test comes later this week when Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon report earnings. Their results and guidance on AI capital expenditures will be scrutinized for evidence that massive investments are translating into growth. As Peter Andersen of Andersen Capital Management noted: “If we see positive surprises and raises on any of these AI stocks… I think it’s a very positive environment for the companies” .

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Key Takeaways (Quick Summary)

• S&P 500 rose 0.16% to 7,689.22; Nasdaq gained 0.38%; Dow slipped 0.14% on Sherwin-Williams weakness
• Semiconductor index rose 1.8% for a third straight session, led by Broadcom’s $63 billion Anthropic financing deal
• Oil eased for a second day: WTI fell nearly 1% to ~$101, Brent slipped to ~$114
• Royal Caribbean surged 6.5% on raised guidance; GM gained 5% on Nasdaq listing switch
• Boeing fell 1.8% on a bigger-than-expected Q3 loss; Whirlpool dropped 7% on surprise loss
• 10-year Treasury yield held near 4.99%; VIX fell 5.5% to 18.39
• Fed decision due Wednesday; Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon report later this week