Stock market recap: S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rise amid easing U.S.

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Nasdaq Composite rises

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Global indexes

- S&P 500: 6,735.13 (+1.07%),

- Nasdaq Composite: 22,990.54 (+1.37%),

- Dow Jones Industrial Average: 46,706.58 (+1.12%),

- FTSE 100: 9,424.42 (+0.22%),

- Nikkei 225: 49,316.06 (+0.27%),

- Hang Seng: 26,027.55 (+0.65%),

- Shanghai Composite: 3,916.33 (+1.36%).

U.S. markets

On Wall Street, attention centered on a “blitz” of blue-chip results across sectors sensitive to global demand and domestic consumption.

While futures drifted earlier on growth jitters, cash equities firmed into the session, helped by resilient guidance from early reporters and constructive commentary on margins and order books.

Under the surface, positioning remained measured: defensives stayed bid, and rate-sensitive pockets tracked moves in Treasurys as investors gauged the next leg for policy and growth. The backdrop also included ongoing U.S.–China trade noise—adding headline risk even as officials struck a more conciliatory tone.

European markets

European shares struggled for clear direction. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was marginally lower around 572 after Monday’s 1% rise, with moves driven more by stock-specific catalysts than index-level macro shifts.

In the U.K., the FTSE 100 ticked up 0.2% despite a weaker fiscal print: public-sector net borrowing widened to £20.2 billion in September from £18.6 billion a year earlier, the largest September gap since 2020, underscoring budgetary pressures from higher expenditure.

In single-name action, BHP slipped after reporting a 2% drop in fiscal Q1 iron-ore output, while warehousing group SEGRO rallied roughly 3% on stronger Q3 leasing and improved occupier sentiment.

Asian markets

Asian equities set the tone. Shanghai rallied 1.36% after Q3 GDP grew 4.8%, aided by exports despite softer consumption and persistent deflation pressures.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.65% as Chinese leaders convened a four-day plenum on the 2026–2030 five-year plan. Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 0.27%, extending a record-setting run after fiscal dove Sanae Takaichi won a historic vote to become the country’s first female prime minister—supporting expectations for policy continuity and corporate reform momentum.

Regionwide, sentiment improved after U.S. remarks suggested Washington and Beijing were “on track” for a significant trade agreement, even as tariff threats remain a swing factor.

Summary conclusions

The global picture shows an equity market leaning higher into earnings season while keeping one eye on policy and trade.

U.S. indices are buoyed by megacaps and improving profit visibility; Europe is hunting for catalysts amid fiscal and commodity crosswinds; and Asia benefits from tentative détente signals and domestic-policy tailwinds.

Into the coming weeks, watch three levers: (1) guidance quality and breadth from U.S. and European bellwethers; (2) concrete progress—or setbacks—in U.S.–China talks; and (3) inflation and labor data shaping rate-path expectations. A steady earnings cadence and calmer geopolitics could extend the advance; disappointments may quickly revive volatility.

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