US Markets: Tech-Led Gains Keep Bulls in Control

Wall Street closed firmly higher on Friday as technology giants and AI-linked names outperformed, offsetting weakness in small caps and select consumer names.

• Nasdaq Composite: 21,450.02 (+0.98%) – Lifted by strong gains in Apple (+4.24%), Alphabet (+2.44%), and Micron (+6.28%), with AI enthusiasm continuing to underpin semiconductor sentiment.

• S&P 500: 6,389.45 (+0.78%) – Broad-based gains with technology (+13.29% YTD) and communication services (+16.83% YTD) leading.

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 44,175.61 (+0.47%) – Gains muted by defensive underperformance.

• Russell 2000: 2,218.42 (+0.17%) – Lagged as small-cap growth struggled amid higher rates.

• VIX: 15.15 (-8.57%) – Volatility sank to multi-month lows, signaling calm despite mixed macro signals.

The US Dollar Index rose to 98.26 (+0.09%), supported by firm Treasury yields:

• 10-Year: 4.285% (+0.97%)

• 30-Year: 4.855% (+0.81%)

Europe: Modest Gains but Caution Persists

European equities inched higher, buoyed by strength in luxury and financials, while energy and industrials lagged.

• MSCI Europe: 2,420.61 (+0.48%)

• CAC 40: 7,743.00 (+0.44%)

• FTSE 100: 9,095.73 (-0.06%) – Pressured by a stronger British pound (134.49, +0.04%).

• DAX: 24,162.86 (-0.12%) – Dragged by weakness in exporters amid euro volatility (Euro Index: -0.28%).

Asia: Japan Outperforms, China & HK Slip

• Nikkei 225: 41,820.48 (+1.85%) – Powered by tech and robotics exporters, aided by a weaker yen (USD/JPY: 147.69, +0.41%).

• Shanghai Composite: 3,635.13 (-0.12%) – Sluggish as investors await stimulus clarity.

• Hang Seng: 24,858.82 (-0.89%) – Selling in property and tech weighed.

• S&P/ASX 200: 8,807.10 (-0.28%) – Commodity softness hit miners.

• KOSPI: 3,210.01 (-0.55%) – Dragged by chipmakers and auto weakness.

Commodities: Precious Metals Shine, Energy Mixed

• Gold: $3,491.30 (+1.09%) – Supported by softer real yields and geopolitical hedging.

• Silver: $38.54 (+0.65%) – Tracking gold higher.

• Copper (Sep 25): $4.4715 (+1.66%) – Industrial demand optimism lifted base metals.

• Brent Crude: $66.59 (+0.24%) – Holding gains despite US crude weakness ($63.35, -0.83%).

• Natural Gas (Sep 25): $2.99 (-2.51%) – Mild weather forecasts pressured prices.

Cryptocurrencies: Ethereum Leads, Bitcoin Pauses

• Bitcoin (BTC-USD): $116,472 (-0.30%) – Consolidating near record highs.

• Ethereum (ETH-USD): $4,061.59 (+3.49%) – Outperformed amid staking inflows.

• XRP: $3.2923 (-1.80%) – Profit-taking after sharp multi-week rally.

• Solana (SOL-USD): $177.64 (+1.78%) – Gains supported by DeFi activity.

Sectors: Communication Services and Materials Dominate YTD

Healthcare remains the only major sector in negative territory YTD.

Notable Stock Movers

Winners:

• HTFL (HeartFlow): +51.32% – Surged on regulatory approval news.

• NEGG (Newegg): +34.24% – Meme-stock momentum returned.

• BMNR (Bitmine Immersion): +24.59% – Crypto-mining play fueled by BTC rally.

• FNMA / FMCC: +20%+ – Boosted by speculation over privatization.

Losers:

• UAA (Under Armour): -18.07% – Earnings miss spurred sell-off.

• AFRM (Affirm): -8.40% – Weak forward guidance weighed.

• SNOW (Snowflake): -7.11% – Analysts trimmed price targets.

Private Markets: AI and Space Dominate Valuations

• SpaceX: $465.20B valuation (+91.59% YoY)

• OpenAI: $324.62B valuation (+62.17% YoY)

• Anthropic: $177.80B valuation (+440.50% YoY)

• xAI: $92.03B (+232.92% YoY)

Private AI firms continue to attract outsized funding, reinforcing sectoral leadership in global capital flows.

Outlook for Monday, August 11, 2025

• Macro Watch: US CPI report mid-week could test market optimism; bond yields and USD strength remain key risk factors.

• Sector Focus: Technology momentum likely to persist into next week unless yields spike sharply.

• Commodity Play: Gold’s breakout above $3,500 could invite further momentum buying.

• Crypto Watch: Ethereum’s staking-led rally could extend toward $4,250 resistance.

Bottom Line:
Markets are showing remarkable resilience, led by technology and AI-driven optimism, even as macro risks linger. The balance between growth enthusiasm and rate reality will set the tone for the week ahead.