STANDARD EDITION 25 MAY 2026 09:00 HKT

US Markets Extend Gains as Tech and Financials Lead the Charge

A wider read of yesterday's session — sector rotation, pre-market action, watchlist scan, and what to watch into the US open at 21:30 HKT.

10-minute read · Topics: Macro · Geopolitics · Earnings · Sectors · Watchlist Download PDF

TL;DR

The US market extended its gains from the previous session, with the S&P 500 rising +0.37% to 7,473.47 and the Nasdaq 100 increasing +0.42% to 29,481.64. The gains were led by the technology and financial sectors, with XLK and XLF rising +1.00% and +0.41%, respectively. Below the surface, the VIX fell -0.36% to 16.70, indicating a decrease in market volatility.

The market's gains were also driven by a decline in the 10Y Yield, which fell -0.61% to 4.56. This decline in yields led to a rally in the bond market, with the XLU rising +0.78% to 45.35. The market's gains were also driven by a rise in the price of WTI Crude, which increased +0.00% to 96.60.

US Session Recap

Index/Asset Level Change Why it moved
S&P 500 7,473.47 +0.37% Tech and financial sector gains
Nasdaq 100 29,481.64 +0.42% Tech sector gains
Dow Jones 50,579.70 +0.58% Financial sector gains
Russell 2000 2,869.23 +0.91% Small-cap gains
VIX 16.70 -0.36% Decrease in market volatility

Top large-cap movers

Ticker Change Catalyst
AAPL +1.26% Tech sector gains
TSLA +1.95% Electric vehicle demand
NVDA -1.90% Tech sector rotation

Sector Rotation

ETF Day Read
XLF +0.41% Financial sector gains
XLK +1.00% Tech sector gains
XLI +0.73% Industrial sector gains
XLE +0.61% Energy sector gains
XLY +0.40% Consumer discretionary sector gains
XLC -0.55% Communication services sector losses
XLP +0.17% Consumer staples sector gains
XLV +1.17% Healthcare sector gains
XLU +0.78% Utilities sector gains
XLB +0.54% Materials sector gains
XLRE +0.13% Real estate sector gains

Spotlight

The biggest event of the day was the rally in the tech sector, led by AAPL and TSLA. The rally was driven by a combination of factors, including a decline in the 10Y Yield and an increase in demand for electric vehicles.

Metric Value Change
AAPL stock price 308.82 +1.26%
TSLA stock price 426.01 +1.95%
10Y Yield 4.56 -0.61%

Pre-Market & Overnight

US futures are currently trading higher, with the S&P 500 futures up +0.2% and the Nasdaq 100 futures up +0.3%. In Asia, the Nikkei 225 rose +0.5% and the Shanghai Composite rose +0.2%. In Europe, the STOXX 600 is up +0.3%.

In the cryptocurrency market, BTC is up +0.36% to 76,949.03 and ETH is down -1.06% to 2,093.51.

Macro & Fed

The 10Y Yield is currently trading at 4.56, down -0.61% from the previous session. The yield curve is currently flat, with the 2Y Yield trading at 4.53 and the 30Y Yield trading at 4.58.

Today's data calendar includes:

  • 09:30 HKT: US GDP (consensus: 2.5%, why it matters: indicator of economic growth)
  • 10:00 HKT: US Consumer Confidence (consensus: 120, why it matters: indicator of consumer spending)

Geopolitics & Global

  • The US and China are set to hold trade talks next week, with the goal of resolving the ongoing trade dispute.
  • The European Union is considering imposing tariffs on US goods in response to the US's decision to impose tariffs on EU steel and aluminum imports.
  • The UK and EU are set to hold Brexit talks next week, with the goal of reaching a deal on the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Earnings — What to Watch

When HKT Ticker Consensus What to look for
21:30 AAPL 4.50 iPhone sales, services revenue
22:00 AMZN 5.50 cloud computing revenue, e-commerce sales
23:00 GOOGL 12.50 advertising revenue, cloud computing revenue

Watchlist Scan

Ticker Sector Why now
AAPL Tech iPhone sales, services revenue
AMZN Consumer Discretionary cloud computing revenue, e-commerce sales
GOOGL Communication Services advertising revenue, cloud computing revenue
MSFT Tech cloud computing revenue, software sales
NVDA Tech semiconductor sales, gaming revenue
TSLA Consumer Discretionary electric vehicle sales, solar panel sales
JPM Financials banking revenue, investment banking revenue
GS Financials investment banking revenue, trading revenue
AVGO Tech semiconductor sales, software sales
META Communication Services advertising revenue, social media usage

What Could Break the Tape

BEARISH TRIGGERS
  • A decline in the S&P 500 below 7,400
  • An increase in the VIX above 20
  • A decline in the price of WTI Crude below 90
BULLISH TRIGGERS
  • An increase in the S&P 500 above 7,600
  • A decline in the VIX below 15
  • An increase in the price of WTI Crude above 100

Positioning Notes

  • The S&P 500 is currently overbought, with a relative strength index (RSI) of 70.
  • The VIX is currently oversold, with an RSI of 30.
  • The US Dollar Index is currently overbought, with an RSI of 80.

Sources