U.S. equity markets presented a mixed picture in afternoon trading on Monday, August 11, 2025, as investors digested a strong preceding week and braced for a slew of crucial economic data releases. While the S&P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) hovered near record highs, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) experienced a slight dip, reflecting a cautious sentiment across various sectors. This comes after major indexes posted their best weekly performances since June, fueled by easing concerns over tariffs and a more optimistic outlook on potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
Market Performance Overview
As of afternoon trading, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) was up 0.2%, maintaining its momentum after closing at record highs in the previous two sessions and setting a new all-time high of 21,464.53 during intraday trade. The S&P 500 (SPX) also edged higher by 0.1%, remaining fractionally below its record high set on July 28. Conversely, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) slipped 0.3%. Last week saw significant gains across the board, with the S&P 500 surging 2.4% and the Nasdaq Composite 3.9%, marking their best performance since the week of June 23. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.6% last week, its biggest gain since the week of June 30.
Sector performance on Monday showed a continuation of recent trends. Technology, financials, and healthcare sectors were among the top performers, with the Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK), Financials Select Sector SPDR (XLF), and Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) advancing 1%, 0.9%, and 0.9% respectively. Consumer discretionary and technology were also identified as top-performing major sectors last week. In contrast, the energy sector fared the worst last week after OPEC+ boosted oil production, and healthcare also saw declines, with companies like Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) and Eli Lilly (LLY) experiencing significant drops due to disappointing drug-trial data.
Upcoming Market Events
The week ahead is packed with economic data that could significantly influence market direction, particularly inflation reports. Investors are eagerly awaiting the release of the July Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Tuesday, followed by the Producer Price Index (PPI) on Thursday. These reports are crucial as they will provide the first indications of inflation pressures in July, with a 0.3% rise expected for the "core" CPI, which would bring the 12-month change to 3% from 2.9% in June. The market is also looking for clarity on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy, with expectations for an interest rate cut in September strengthening after a weaker-than-expected July jobs report. The July jobs report showed nonfarm payrolls rising by only 73,000, significantly below the consensus of 104,000, and saw substantial downward revisions for prior months.
Beyond inflation data, other key economic releases this week include U.S. retail sales and consumer sentiment data on Friday. The earnings season for the S&P 500 is winding down, with only a handful of companies scheduled to report this week. Notable earnings releases include Cisco Systems (CSCO) on Wednesday, and Applied Materials (AMAT) and Deere (DE) on Thursday. Additionally, CoreWeave (CRWV) and Circle Internet Group (CRCL) are set to report on Tuesday, potentially offering more insights into AI infrastructure spending and developments in the cryptocurrency industry.
Major Stock News and Developments
Apple (AAPL) has been a significant mover, with its shares down slightly today after three straight days of big gains. Last week, Apple recorded its best weekly performance since July 2020, surging 13%. This rally was largely attributed to CEO Tim Cook's meeting with President Trump at the White House on August 6, where the company pledged to invest approximately $100 billion in the United States over the next four years, aimed at onshoring production and sidestepping threatened tariffs. Investors also benefited from a recent quarterly dividend announcement of $0.26, payable on Thursday, August 14th, to investors of record on Monday, August 11th. Despite the recent surge, concerns linger regarding Apple's artificial intelligence strategy, with the company delaying some key AI features for iPhones until next year. CEO Tim Cook has hinted at the possibility of a major acquisition to accelerate its AI growth.
Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are in the spotlight due to an unprecedented agreement with the U.S. government. Both companies will reportedly give 15% of their chip revenue from sales in China to the U.S. government as a condition of receiving new export licenses for their H20 and MI308 artificial-intelligence chips, respectively. Nvidia shares slipped 1% in early premarket trade, while AMD stock fell 3% on this news, despite both stocks enjoying a strong year. Bank of America Securities recently reiterated a Buy rating on Nvidia (NVDA) with a price target of $220, ahead of the company's fiscal second-quarter results for 2026, set to be announced on August 27. Nvidia also announced new Omniverse Libraries, Cosmos Physical AI Models, and AI Computing Infrastructure today.
Tesla (TSLA) shares rose more than 4% today, extending gains from Friday. This surge is fueled by its aggressive expansion into India's electric vehicle market, bolstered by government incentives and a technical market breakout. Despite the positive price action, Tesla recently reported expectedly poor Q2 financials, with revenues down 12% year-over-year and EPS down 23% year-over-year. Analysts have mixed views, with some lowering price targets due to the loss of U.S. EV tax credits and concerns about the "transition period" CEO Elon Musk mentioned.
Microsoft (MSFT) inched higher in afternoon trading as the tech giant continues its strategic shift from a "software factory" to an "intelligence engine," focusing on making artificial intelligence widely accessible. The company reported strong Q2 2025 earnings on July 30th, beating analyst estimates with $3.65 EPS and $76.44 billion in revenue, representing an 18.1% year-over-year increase. Microsoft's AI integration across its portfolio has driven commercial bookings past $100 billion, with remaining performance obligations hitting $368 billion.
Alphabet (GOOGL) shares lost some ground today. However, the internet search leader has seen its shares return 11.8% over the past month. In Q2 2025, Alphabet's consolidated revenues rose 14% year-over-year to $96.4 billion, with Google Cloud revenues specifically increasing by 32% to $13.6 billion, driven by growth in AI infrastructure and generative AI solutions. The company recently announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Google Cloud to integrate advanced AI capabilities into LivePerson's Connected Experience Platform.
Other notable stock movements include Intel (INTC), which jumped nearly 5% following reports that CEO Lip-Bu Tan is set to visit the White House, days after President Donald Trump called for his resignation. Micron Technology (MU) was up 3% after the memory chip maker raised its fiscal fourth-quarter revenue and earnings outlook, citing improved pricing. In the cryptocurrency space, shares of Coinbase Global (COIN) were up more than 5%, while major Bitcoin buyer MicroStrategy (MSTR) and Bitcoin miner Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) each climbed about 3% as the price of Bitcoin surged, nearing its record high of just over $123,200 set in mid-July. On the downside, C3.ai (AI) plunged after the artificial intelligence software provider reported weak preliminary financial results. Hershey (HSY) shares tumbled as cocoa prices jumped amid concerns about weaker crops in West Africa.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.