S&P 500 & Nasdaq Notch New All-Time Closing Highs
Markets lost a bit of steam mid-session this Monday, but a late surge into the close brought the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq indexes to new record closing highs. The Dow dipped slightly: -64 points, -0.14%, while the S&P 500 grew a mere 1 point, +0.02%, and the Nasdaq came up +70 points, +0.33%. The small-cap Russell 2000 also finished the day slightly in the red: -4 points, -0.19%.
From April 9th lows — the day President Trump put a pause on his draconian tariff policy with nearly all U.S. trading partners — we see sizable gains across the board: the Dow +16%, the Russell 2000 +21%, the S&P 500 +23% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq, carrying the lion's share of the AI trade which has led markets all year, is up close to +30% over these 16 some-odd weeks.
Earnings Reports After Today's Close
Electronic design automation software company Cadence Design Systems CDNS is up big after an impressive showing in its Q2 report released after the closing bell. Earnings of $1.65 per share improved over the $1.57 in the Zacks consensus, which itself depicted growth of more than +22% year over year. Revenues of $1.28 billion neatly overtook estimates of $1.26 billion — also up big year over year. Guidance for full-year 2025 is the icing on the cake. Shares are up +7.5% in late trading at this hour.
Household durable goods manufacturer Whirlpool WHR, on the other hand, missed expectations on its bottom line by two solid dimes to $1.34 per share, while meeting the $3.77 billion in the Zacks consensus exactly on the top line. North America orders outperformed expectations, but still came in -4.6% year over year. Full-year guidance for earnings is well off what analysts had previous thought, and have come down on the top line too. Shares have fallen -12.5% in the after market.
What to Expect from the Stock Market on Tuesday
Tomorrow will be a big day for both earnings releases and economic reports. A new U.S. Trade Balance joins Retail/Wholesale Inventories for June, Case-Shiller Home Prices for May, Consumer Confidence for July and a new JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) report, also for June.
Of these, the JOLTS report marks the first metric hitting the tape for 'Jobs Week,' albeit a month in arrears from jobs data coming out later in the week. Expectations are for 7.5 million job openings last month, down from the 7.74 million reported a month ago — the highest month of the year, bouncing off March near-term lows of 7.2 million. Accommodation and Food Services, particularly in the South, had by far the most amount of job openings in last month's report.
Q2 earnings also revs up Tuesday morning, when we hear from Boeing BA, Procter & Gamble PG, Merck MRK, UnitedHealth UNH, PayPal PYPL and UPS UPS, all in the morning. After tomorrow's close, we'll get results from Starbucks SBUX and Visa V.
Finally, the first day of the two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings commence. On Wednesday, the Fed will decide on new interest rate policy, but there is a more than +95% chance that no move is made on the 4.25-4.50% Fed funds rate we've seen since December of last year. Expect to hear from President Trump on this matter, however.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include
Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience
Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip
Stock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the Market
Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth
Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.
Download Atomic Opportunity: Nuclear Energy's Comeback free today.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The Boeing Company (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report
Visa Inc. (V): Free Stock Analysis Report
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH): Free Stock Analysis Report
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report
Procter & Gamble Company (The) (PG): Free Stock Analysis Report
Starbucks Corporation (SBUX): Free Stock Analysis Report
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS): Free Stock Analysis Report
Whirlpool Corporation (WHR): Free Stock Analysis Report
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS): Free Stock Analysis Report
PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL): Free Stock Analysis Report
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Globe and Mail
15 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Pre-Markets Up Again on Big News Morning
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Globe and Mail
15 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Apple, Amazon, MAGS, FNGS and TOPT
For Immediate Release Chicago, IL – July 29, 2025 – announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Microsoft MSFT, Meta Platforms META, Apple AAPL, Amazon AMZN, Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF MAGS, MicroSectors FANG+ ETN FNGS and iShares Top 20 U.S. Stocks ETF TOPT. Here are highlights from Monday's Analyst Blog: Big Tech Earnings Coming Up: Spotlight on Mag 7 ETFs The second-quarter earnings season has turned into high gear, and the so-called "Magnificent 7" companies are in focus. Four of the "Magnificent 7" members — Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Apple and Amazon — are slated to report this week, accounting for almost a third of the S&P 500 members. The second-quarter earnings of the "Mag 7" companies are expected to be up 14% from the same period last year on 11.9% higher revenues. These expectations are a blend of actual results from Alphabet and Tesla and estimates for the remaining five, of which four are on deck to report this week. Microsoft and Meta Platforms will report after market close on July 30, while Apple and Amazon will report on July 31. NVIDIA is likely to report later next month. The whole group has led the market's rebound from the April lows to new all-time highs. Only Apple is the laggard, as the company has not yet reaped the benefits of AI. Other members of the "Magnificent 7" are leaders in the AI space and are actively investing in setting up datacenters and related infrastructure that will enable them to run the large-language models (read: Mag 7 ETFs Surge: Will the Rally Keep Rolling?). Microsoft Microsoft has an Earnings ESP of -0.64% and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). According to our methodology, the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. 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Additionally, Amazon's earnings surprise history is impressive, with the four-quarter average surprise being 20.68%. Amazon currently has a Wall Street analyst recommendation of 1.15 made by 55 brokerage firms. Of these, 48 are Strong Buy and six are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 87.27% and 10.91% of all recommendations. Based on short-term price targets offered by 53 analysts, the average price target for Amazon comes to $254.38, ranging from a low of $195.00 to a high of $305.00. Amazon continues to dominate the e-commerce business and is expanding its footprint in cloud computing, advertising and various other sectors. The world's largest online retailer projected revenues of $159-$164 billion for the second quarter of 2025. Blockbuster Prime Day Event sales are likely to boost revenues for the company. Like other tech companies, Amazon is ramping up investments in data centers, chips and the power needed for AI workloads. It is also investing in its own computer chips and those developed by NVIDIA. However, CFO Brian Olsavsky, on the last earnings call, issued a cautious outlook due to uncertain consumer demand in the face of President Trump's shifting tariff policies. ETFs to Tap Given this, investors may want to invest in these stocks through ETFs. Below, we have highlighted some ETFs with the largest exposure to Mag 7. Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF: It is the first-ever ETF offering investors equal-weight exposure to the Magnificent 7 stocks. MicroSectors FANG+ ETN: This ETN is linked to the performance of the NYSE FANG+ Index, which is equal-dollar weighted and designed to provide exposure to a group of highly traded growth stocks of next-generation technology and tech-enabled companies. The note accounts for a 10% share in each of the seven stocks. MicroSectors FANG+ ETN has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 (see: all the Technology ETFs here). iShares Top 20 U.S. Stocks ETF: It offers exposure to the potential growth of mega-cap stocks, which may benefit from their scale and resources. The in-focus four firms account for a combined 38% share. TOPT has a Zacks ETF Rank #2. Boost Your Portfolio with Our Top ETF Insights Zacks' exclusive Fund Newsletter delivers actionable information, top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, straight to your inbox every week. Don't miss out on this valuable resource. It's free! Get it now >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@ Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Higher. Faster. Sooner. Buy These Stocks Now A small number of stocks are primed for a breakout, and you have a chance to get in before they take off. At any given time, there are only 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. On average, this list more than doubles the S&P 500. We've combed through the latest Strong Buys and selected 7 compelling companies likely to jump sooner and climb higher than any other stock you could buy this month. You'll learn everything you need to know about these exciting trades in our brand-new Special Report, 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Download the report free now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Inc. (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report MicroSectors FANG+ ETN (FNGS): ETF Research Reports Meta Platforms, Inc. 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Globe and Mail
15 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Should You Buy, Sell, or Hold MSTR Stock Before Q2 Earnings?
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Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, has been soaring due to increasing acceptance as a non-sovereign asset, as well as higher institutional and corporate adoption. MSTR is expected to have benefited from increasing bitcoin yield, which was 13.7% year to date (as of April 28, 2025). This is expected to keep the company on track to reach the full-year target of 25% and the bitcoin dollar gain target of $15 billion. Bitcoin gains in dollar terms were $4.1 billion in the first quarter of 2025 and $5.8 billion as of April 28, 2025. Strategy is expected to have benefited from growing software subscription revenues that surged 62% year over year to $37.1 million and accounted for 33% of first-quarter 2025 total revenues. Subscription billings grew 38% year over year to $24.5 million. The trend is expected to have continued in the to-be-reported quarter. 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The improving favorable regulatory environment bodes well for Strategy, although Bitcoin's volatility is a headache. Strategy estimates to generate net proceeds of $2.474 billion from the initial public offering of 28,011,111 shares of Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (the 'STRC Stock'), at a public offering price of $90 per share. Strategy has issued $20.9 billion in equities and $6.4 billion in fixed income securities as part of its 21/21 plan since Oct. 30, 2024. The company has $14.6 million remaining under fixed income securities and $0.1 million under equities as part of the existing plan. Strategy currently plans to raise $42 billion through equity issuance and $42 billion through fixed income securities by the end of 2027. Under the current plan, the company has $21.1 billion in equity and $35.6 billion in fixed income securities remaining to be issued. Strategy is expanding AI capabilities with the general availability of Mosaic, an AI-powered Universal Intelligence Layer. This launch aligns with the company's shift toward cloud-first, subscription-based services. The company benefits from continuing cloud demand with its flagship Strategy One that powers some of the largest analytics deployments in the world. Strategy One supports varied industries, including retail, banking, technology, manufacturing, insurance, consulting, healthcare, telecommunications and the public sector. Conclusion Bitcoin's inherent volatility, along with Strategy's stretched valuation, makes the MSTR stock a risky bet ahead of the second quarter of 2025. Strategy currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which implies that investors should wait for a better entry point to accumulate the stock. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Higher. Faster. Sooner. 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