By Alex Financials

Market snapshot — rebound on relief rally

U.S. stocks rallied Monday as investors cheered reports of a potential breakthrough to end the government shutdown and rotated back into big tech and AI names. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq recovered a large portion of last week’s losses, led by strength in semiconductor and AI-related stocks.

What moved markets today: shutdown optimism + tech strength

A reported compromise in the U.S. Senate toward funding government operations eased an extreme source of economic uncertainty, triggering a broad risk-on move across global markets. That political progress helped spark buying in cyclical and growth names — most notably big-cap tech and chipmakers, which tend to see outsized gains on relief rallies.

At the center of the move was renewed buying in AI-exposed chip stocks: Nvidia ($NVDA) jumped on Monday after recent weakness, and analysts described the pullback as a buying opportunity amid still-robust AI demand. That leadership helped the Nasdaq outperform as traders rotated from defensive and out-of-favor sectors back into growth.

Big movers and notable corporate headlines

• $NVDA — surged after a short-term dip last week; analysts remain largely bullish ahead of company updates later this month.

• $AAPL — in the news for an ex-dividend date this week and continued focus on services and device cycle commentary; dividend paperwork shows a $0.26 quarterly payout with payment slated Nov. 13 for holders of record.

• $MSFT — analysts keep lifting targets as cloud and AI revenue remain strong; Microsoft continues to be cited as a defensive-growth anchor in tech-leaning rallies.

(You’ll see other outsized moves among semiconductor suppliers and AI-software names; Palantir and certain chipmakers were among the top S&P gainers in today’s session.)

Earnings & economic calendar — what to watch this week

Today’s earnings slate includes a mix of small- and mid-cap reports plus a handful of larger releases flagged on market calendars — traders will parse results for forward commentary in the absence of uninterrupted government economic releases. Check the day’s earnings calendar for names reporting and any surprise guidance that can extend or reverse today’s moves.

With some government economic data delayed by the shutdown, investors are relying more on corporate earnings and private-sector indicators for fresh macro signals — that can add volatility around headline company calls.

Commodities & rates — oil steady, yields calm

Oil prices were modestly firmer but broadly steady as the market balanced OPEC+ policies and supply forecasts; crude’s stability removes one cross-tail risk for headline inflation expectations for now. Treasury yields were a touch lower as risk-on flows supported equities, though yields remain sensitive to any sudden changes in economic reporting once government operations resume.

Bottom line — rally with caveats

Today’s move is a classic relief rally: better political clarity reduced an extreme tail risk, and buyers piled back into leadership sectors, especially semiconductors and AI-exposed names like $NVDA and large-cap tech stocks such as $AAPL and $MSFT. That said, the recovery isn’t a signal that all risks vanished — watch upcoming earnings, any final Senate vote language (particularly on subsidies or fiscal details), and economic data once released. If the shutdown truly ends, expect more stable flows into cyclicals; if negotiations falter, watch sentiment swing quickly.