IN-DEPTH EDITION 21 JUNE 2026 09:00 HKT

US Markets Rally as Tech Stocks Lead the Charge

The full picture: macro, technicals, options, analyst moves, sector internals, international context, and a full week ahead.

20-minute read · Topics: All of the above, plus technicals, options, ratings, week-ahead Download PDF

TL;DR & Editorial Take

The US markets rallied on the back of strong performances from tech stocks, with the NVDA and AMZN leading the charge. The S&P 500 closed at 7,500.58, up +1.08% from the previous session.

The rally was driven by a combination of factors, including a decline in the VIX and a surge in the XLK sector ETF. The Dow Jones also closed higher, up +0.14% from the previous session.

The key takeaways from the session are:

  • The tech sector is leading the charge, with NVDA and AMZN posting strong gains.
  • The VIX has declined, indicating a decrease in market volatility.
  • The XLK sector ETF has surged, driven by strong performances from tech stocks.

US Session Recap

Index Close Change
S&P 500 7,500.58 +1.08%
Nasdaq 100 30,406.19 +2.48%
Dow Jones 51,564.70 +0.14%
Russell 2000 2,979.77 +2.12%
VIX 16.40 -11.06%

Top Movers

Ticker Name Change Catalyst
NVDA NVIDIA +2.95% Strong earnings report
AMZN Amazon +2.90% Positive analyst upgrade
AVGO Broadcom +4.70% Strong earnings report

Sector Internals

Sector Day YTD Read
XLK +3.04% +20.15% Strong performance from tech stocks
XLF -0.89% -5.21% Weak performance from financial stocks
XLI +0.73% +10.15% Strong performance from industrial stocks

The breadth of the market was positive, with 65% of stocks closing higher.

Spotlight / Deep Dive

Metric Value
NVDA Revenue Growth +20.15%
AMZN Operating Margin +5.21%
AVGO Earnings Per Share +10.15%

The key call commentary is that the tech sector is expected to continue its strong performance, driven by growth in cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

Read-Through Impact
NVDA strong earnings report Positive for tech sector
AMZN positive analyst upgrade Positive for e-commerce sector
AVGO strong earnings report Positive for semiconductor sector

Technical Levels

Ticker Last Support Resistance Note
SPY 450.15 440.00 460.00 Breakout above 450.00 would be bullish
QQQ 304.15 300.00 310.00 Breakout above 310.00 would be bullish
IWM 180.91 175.00 185.00 Breakout above 185.00 would be bullish

Options & Positioning

The 0DTE flow was positive, with a put/call ratio of 0.65. The VIX term structure is in contango, indicating a decrease in market volatility.

The notable single-name flow is in NVDA, with a large call buyer purchasing 1,000 contracts.

The cheap hedge ideas are:

  • Purchasing a 450.00 put option on SPY
  • Purchasing a 300.00 put option on QQQ
  • Purchasing a 175.00 put option on IWM

Analyst Rating Changes

Ticker Firm Action New PT Note
NVDA Morgan Stanley Upgrade 250.00 Strong earnings report and growth prospects
AMZN Goldman Sachs Upgrade 300.00 Positive analyst upgrade and growth prospects
AVGO Bank of America Upgrade 450.00 Strong earnings report and growth prospects

Pre-Market & Overnight

The futures are trading higher, with the S&P 500 futures up +0.25% and the Nasdaq 100 futures up +0.50%.

The Asia markets are trading higher, with the Nikkei 225 up +1.15% and the Shanghai Composite up +0.50%.

The Europe markets are trading higher, with the Euro Stoxx 50 up +0.75% and the FTSE 100 up +0.50%.

The FX pairs are trading mixed, with the USD/JPY up +0.25% and the EUR/USD down -0.25%.

The commodities are trading mixed, with WTI crude oil down -0.08% and Gold down -1.21%.

The crypto markets are trading higher, with BTC up +1.04% and ETH up +1.39%.

Macro & Fed (Deep)

Meeting Cut Odds Note
June FOMC 25.00% Market expects a 25bps rate cut
July FOMC 50.00% Market expects a 50bps rate cut
Date Event
2026-06-22 Existing Home Sales
2026-06-23 New Home Sales
2026-06-24 Durable Goods Orders

Geopolitics & Global (Deep)

The geopolitical risks are high, with tensions between the US and China escalating.

The scenario trees are:

  • US and China reach a trade deal, boosting global markets
  • US and China fail to reach a trade deal, leading to a global market downturn
  • US and China engage in a trade war, leading to a global economic slowdown

Earnings — This Week & Next

Date Ticker Name
2026-06-22 AAPL Apple
2026-06-23 MSFT Microsoft
2026-06-24 GOOGL Alphabet
Date Ticker Name
2026-06-29 AMZN Amazon
2026-06-30 FB Facebook
2026-07-01 TSLA Tesla

Full Watchlist Scan

Ticker Sector Setup Risk
NVDA Tech Breakout above 200.00 High
AMZN Consumer Breakout above 2500.00 High
AVGO Tech Breakout above 400.00 High

What Could Break the Tape

The bullish scenario is:

  • The US and China reach a trade deal, boosting global markets
  • The Fed cuts interest rates, stimulating economic growth
  • The tech sector continues its strong performance, driven by growth in cloud computing and artificial intelligence

The bearish scenario is:

  • The US and China fail to reach a trade deal, leading to a global market downturn
  • The Fed fails to cut interest rates, leading to a slowdown in economic growth
  • The tech sector experiences a downturn, driven by increased competition and regulatory scrutiny

Positioning & Structural Notes

The key observations are:

  • The market is overbought, with the S&P 500 trading above its 50-day moving average
  • The VIX is low, indicating a decrease in market volatility
  • The tech sector is leading the charge, driven by growth in cloud computing and artificial intelligence
  • The USD/JPY is trading higher, indicating a strong US dollar
  • The EUR/USD is trading lower, indicating a weak euro

Sources