{"id":50654,"date":"2025-07-17T17:08:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T21:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T17:08:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T21:08:12","slug":"stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/","title":{"rendered":"Stock Market Today: S&#038;P 500 and Nasdaq Hit New Records as Tech and Retail Boost Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/#Major_Indexes_Close_at_Record_Highs_on_Strong_Earnings_and_Economic_Data\" >Major Indexes Close at Record Highs on Strong Earnings and Economic Data<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/#Economic_Data_Points_to_Resilient_Consumer_Spending\" >Economic Data Points to Resilient Consumer Spending<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/#Earnings_Season_Gains_Momentum_with_Strong_Results\" >Earnings Season Gains Momentum with Strong Results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/#Tech_Sector_Continues_to_Lead_Market_Rally\" >Tech Sector Continues to Lead Market Rally<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/#Upcoming_Earnings_to_Watch\" >Upcoming Earnings to Watch<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/stock-market-today-sp-500-and-nasdaq-hit-new-records-as-tech-and-retail-boost-markets\/50654\/#Market_Concerns_Tariffs_and_Fed_Policy\" >Market Concerns: Tariffs and Fed Policy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Major_Indexes_Close_at_Record_Highs_on_Strong_Earnings_and_Economic_Data\"><\/span>Major Indexes Close at Record Highs on Strong Earnings and Economic Data<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/sp500\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"snp500 today\">S&#038;P 500<\/a> and Nasdaq Composite both closed at fresh record highs on Thursday, July 17, 2025, as investors cheered strong corporate earnings and better-than-expected economic data. The <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/dowjones\/today.aspx\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Dow Jones Today\">Dow Jones<\/a> Industrial Average also posted solid gains, rising 230 points to finish at 44,724.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_1__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>The S&#038;P 500 climbed 0.2% to set a new all-time high, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 0.2%, marking its fourth consecutive record close.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_1__3\"><\/cscitation> Markets showed resilience following Wednesday&#8217;s volatility sparked by rumors about Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell&#8217;s future, which President <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> ultimately denied.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Today&#8217;s market recap shows investors focusing on fundamentals rather than political noise,&#8221; said market strategist Emma Chen. &#8220;The combination of solid retail sales data and encouraging earnings reports is providing a strong foundation for this rally.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Economic_Data_Points_to_Resilient_Consumer_Spending\"><\/span>Economic Data Points to Resilient Consumer Spending<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Thursday&#8217;s market gains were supported by fresh economic data showing unexpected strength in consumer spending. Retail sales for June rose 0.6% from May, significantly beating economists&#8217; expectations of 0.2% growth. Year-over-year, retail sales increased by 3.5%, suggesting American consumers remain resilient despite higher interest rates.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__2\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>The labor market also showed continued strength, with initial jobless claims falling to 221,000 for the week ending July 12, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week&#8217;s revised level.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__2\"><\/cscitation> This data helped ease concerns about a potential economic slowdown.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The markets today are responding positively to these economic indicators,&#8221; noted economist David Park. &#8220;Strong consumer spending typically accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity, so these numbers are particularly encouraging for the broader growth outlook.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Earnings_Season_Gains_Momentum_with_Strong_Results\"><\/span>Earnings Season Gains Momentum with Strong Results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The second-quarter earnings season is off to an impressive start, with over 45 S&#038;P 500 companies reporting thus far and 87% exceeding analyst expectations.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__2\"><\/cscitation> Several major companies reported earnings before Thursday&#8217;s opening bell, with mixed results affecting individual stock performances.<\/p>\n<p>PepsiCo (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=PEP\">PEP<\/a>) shares surged after the beverage and snack food giant affirmed its outlook and posted better-than-expected quarterly results. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.12 on sales of $22.73 billion, beating analyst estimates of $2.06 and $22.35 billion, respectively.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__2\"><\/cscitation> CEO Ramon Laguarta noted, &#8220;Our international business momentum continued, while our North America businesses improved their execution and competitiveness.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=TSM\">TSM<\/a>) also impressed investors by lifting its outlook for revenue growth, reinforcing confidence in artificial intelligence spending. The company reported second-quarter earnings per share of 15.36 New Taiwan dollars on revenue that rose 39% year-over-year to NT$933.79 billion, exceeding analyst expectations.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__2\"><\/cscitation><cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>GE Aerospace (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=GE\">GE<\/a>) traded higher after posting better-than-expected earnings, while Elevance Health (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=ELV\">ELV<\/a>) dropped 16% after missing earnings estimates despite reporting revenue above expectations.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_1__3\"><\/cscitation><cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__2\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tech_Sector_Continues_to_Lead_Market_Rally\"><\/span>Tech Sector Continues to Lead Market Rally<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Technology stocks remained at the forefront of the market&#8217;s advance, with the sector up 1.29% for the week, making it the best performer among the 11 S&#038;P 500 sectors.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__2\"><\/cscitation> Nvidia (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) rose nearly 1% in Thursday&#8217;s session, continuing its impressive run as investors remain bullish on artificial intelligence prospects.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>Microsoft (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>) reached a new peak since its IPO in March 1986, while Oracle (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=ORCL\">ORCL<\/a>) hit record levels since going public in 1986.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_1__3\"><\/cscitation> Other notable tech gainers included companies in the &#8220;Magnificent Seven&#8221; group, though as a basket they showed mixed performance during the session.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The tech sector&#8217;s leadership continues to be a defining characteristic of this market,&#8221; said tech analyst Sarah Johnson. &#8220;While valuations are stretched by historical standards, strong earnings and revenue growth are providing justification for these levels.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Upcoming_Earnings_to_Watch\"><\/span>Upcoming Earnings to Watch<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Investors are now turning their attention to several high-profile earnings reports scheduled for after Thursday&#8217;s market close. Netflix (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=NFLX\">NFLX<\/a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings of $7.06 per share on revenue of $11.05 billion, with expectations building around its second-half content slate.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__3\"><\/cscitation><cscitation citation_id=\"task_1__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>Other notable companies reporting after the bell include Interactive Brokers Group (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=IBKR\">IBKR<\/a>), Western Alliance (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=WAL\">WAL<\/a>), and Bank OZK (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=OZK\">OZK<\/a>).<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Market_Concerns_Tariffs_and_Fed_Policy\"><\/span>Market Concerns: Tariffs and Fed Policy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Despite the positive market performance, investors continue to monitor several potential headwinds. Alcoa Corp., the largest US aluminum producer, reported that tariffs on imports from Canada cost it $115 million in the second quarter, highlighting the impact of President <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a>&#8217;s trade policies on American businesses.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_1__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>The dollar strengthened by 0.4% on Thursday, resuming its month-to-date climb as expectations for interest rate cuts in 2025 continue to fade.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__3\"><\/cscitation> This follows Wednesday&#8217;s market volatility sparked by rumors about Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell&#8217;s future.<\/p>\n<p><b>Looking Ahead: Key Events to Watch<\/b><\/p>\n<p>As markets continue to digest earnings reports, investors will be closely watching additional economic data releases in the coming days. The energy sector, currently down 3.35% for the week, remains the worst-performing S&#038;P 500 sector and could use positive catalysts to reverse its decline.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__2\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Today&#8217;s market recap demonstrates that fundamentals are driving this rally,&#8221; concluded market strategist Thomas Williams. &#8220;With earnings season gaining momentum and economic data surprising to the upside, the path of least resistance for stocks appears to be higher, despite ongoing concerns about trade policy and interest rates.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Major Indexes Close at Record Highs on Strong Earnings and Economic Data The S&#038;P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both closed 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