U.S. stocks ended mixed on Wednesday as the Nasdaq extended its climb while the Dow and S&P 500 slipped, weighed down by declines in industrials, energy, and financials. Growth sectors outperformed, led by continued strength in tech and consumer discretionary. Nvidia (NVDA) hit another all-time high, reinforcing momentum in the semiconductor space, while Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) followed suit on persistent AI enthusiasm. BlackBerry (BB) spiked after issuing upbeat guidance, and QuantumScape (QS) rallied on encouraging updates around its solid-state battery tech. Amazon (AMZN) gained following news of a major AI infrastructure investment in the UK, and Uber (UBER) rose as travel demand stayed strong heading into the July 4th holiday. Carnival (CCL) also advanced on firm cruise booking trends. On the downside, Caterpillar (CAT) and Chevron (CVX) pressured the Dow amid commodity weakness and global demand concerns, while JPMorgan (JPM) and Goldman Sachs (GS) slipped ahead of tonight’s Fed bank stress test results. Despite the sector split, sentiment remained cautiously constructive, with traders staying positioned but watchful ahead of tomorrow’s critical inflation print. Market Drivers: 📱Technology: Nvidia Surges, BlackBerry Jumps: Nvidia (NVDA) led tech gains as renewed AI momentum pushed the stock to fresh all-time highs. BlackBerry (BB) soared after issuing stronger-than-expected guidance and highlighting traction in its cybersecurity division, sparking interest across legacy tech plays with AI pivot potential. 🏦 Financials: Goldman Sachs Gains, Regions Steady: Goldman Sachs (GS) advanced on improving sentiment around deal flow and fixed-income trading ahead of the Fed’s stress test results. Regions Financial (RF) held steady as regional banks consolidated gains from earlier in the week amid stable credit and deposit metrics. 🚗 Automotive: QuantumScape Rallies, Ford Pressured: QuantumScape (QS) jumped after announcing positive milestones in solid-state battery development, lifting sentiment across EV innovation names. Ford (F), however, slipped on signs of sluggish EV inventory turnover and growing margin pressure tied to price cuts in global markets. 🏥 Healthcare: Dexcom Gains, Pfizer Softens: Dexcom (DXCM) rose on increased optimism around its next-gen glucose monitoring platform and positive data from ongoing clinical studies. Pfizer (PFE) eased, extending its recent underperformance as investors remain cautious on vaccine-related revenues and pipeline execution. 🍔 Consumer Discretionary: Amazon Climbs, Wayfair Drops: Amazon (AMZN) moved higher after announcing a multibillion-dollar AI investment in UK infrastructure, adding to confidence in its cloud and retail expansion strategy. Wayfair (W) lagged behind peers, with analysts pointing to weak furniture demand and tepid consumer discretionary trends. Are income stocks overrated? Not when they yield 33%[ad] |