The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) was up 307.65 (0.63%) points today, reaching 49,482.15. The primary narrative driving the market was a stronger-than-expected Q4 GDP Second Estimate and resilient Initial Jobless Claims data. This "soft landing" optimism boosted sentiment across blue-chip sectors, particularly in technology and healthcare, as investors recalibrated expectations for the Federal Reserve's policy path through the remainder of 2026.
Leading the gainers was IBM (IBM), which was up 3.65% to $237.54 following reports of expanded enterprise AI integration contracts. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) also saw significant momentum, up 3.53% to $284.20, as analysts upgraded the healthcare giant on improved medical loss ratio projections. Heavyweight Microsoft (MSFT) was up 2.29% to $400.60, while financial leaders American Express (AXP) and Visa (V) were up 1.97% and 1.87% respectively, driven by robust consumer spending data.
Conversely, Home Depot (HD) was down 2.31% to $375.57, making it the index's biggest laggard as higher-for-longer interest rate concerns weighed on the housing market outlook. Sherwin-Williams (SHW) was down 2.05% to $357.25, while aerospace giant Boeing (BA) was down 1.33% to $230.36. Other notable laggards included Salesforce (CRM), down 1.30%, and Merck (MRK), which was down 1.19% to $122.46, as capital rotated out of defensive stocks into cyclical growth names.
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.