US stocks inch higher despite semiconductor slump
The S&P 500 closed on Monday up 0.1%. The Nasdaq 100 was down 0.5%, while the Russell 2000 gained 0.3%.
Most S&P 500 sectors advanced. The technology sector lost 0.4%, the most among the 11 major S&P sectors, driven by the decline in semiconductor stocks. Qorvo was the worst performer with a 6.7% retreat, and Nvidia lost 2%. Apple was down 2.8%, as some analysts said that demand for Apple’s latest model, the iPhone 16, was softer than expected.
But most S&P 500 stocks were up. The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF rose 0.7%, as the number of advancing constituents outnumbered the falling members by 268. Financials, energy, and communication services all added more than 1%, outperforming the broader market.
It was widely expected that the Fed would deliver a rate cut of at least 25 basis points this week, but the odds of a larger cut have risen — according to CME FedWatch, the probability of a 50-point cut jumped to 63%.
Treasuries yields dipped as traders added to bets that the Federal Reserve might deliver a larger rate cut this Wednesday. The dollar softened. At one point on Monday, the dollar hit its lowest level against the Japanese yen since July 2023 at 139.6, but later bounced back to 140.7.