📈 Today's Market Pulse

🎯 Today's Recap

Markets closed out July on a high note, with all three major indexes finishing in the green on a busy Friday packed with earnings, recalls, and deal rumors. The S&P 500 added 0.70% to close at 7,489.72, the Nasdaq climbed 1.00% to 25,373.85, and the Dow gained 0.53% to settle at 52,485.03. Not a bad way to end the month.

The day was a reminder that earnings season can giveth and taketh away in the same afternoon. Energy giants stole the headlines in a good way, while pharma took a gut punch. Alphabet continued its strong run, with both GOOG and GOOGL each gaining over 22 points on the session, helping lift the tech-heavy Nasdaq past the crowd.

Treasury yields crept higher across the board, with the 10-year hitting 4.74% and the 30-year pushing to 5.28%. The dollar softened slightly with DXY slipping to 99.92, and Bitcoin gave back ground, falling nearly 2.79% to $62,922. A mixed bag under the hood, but the equity market chose optimism.

The Great Repricing Has Begun [ad]

📊 Today's Market Movers

▲ Gainers IESC ▲ +30.27% AXTI ▲ +28.74% ITGR ▲ +20.2% AMBA ▲ +16.08% AMZN ▲ +15.32%

▼ Losers RBLX ▼ -26.85% VCYT ▼ -22.52% RDDT ▼ -20.99% ALHC ▼ -20.2% MTZ ▼ -18.96%

🚀 What Moved Markets

The biggest story of the day belonged to Chevron (CVX), which posted its highest quarterly profit in six years and beat analyst estimates. The company credited the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran for disrupting global energy markets and pushing prices higher. That geopolitical tailwind translated directly to the bottom line, and investors noticed.

ExxonMobil (XOM) also reported its biggest quarterly profit in four years, though it fell short of Wall Street's expectations. Still, the energy sector broadly had a strong session. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk (NVO) got crushed, falling 9% after its experimental cardiovascular drug ziltivekimab failed to show statistically significant results in a key trial. NVO closed at $47.08, down $4.53, making it one of the ugliest charts of the day.

On the deal front, reports emerged that NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) is in talks to acquire chip designer Ambarella (AMBA), according to the Financial Times. Chip M&A is always a market mover, and this one kept semiconductor watchers busy. AbbVie (ABBV) also made headlines, cutting its full-year earnings outlook to account for its Apogee Therapeutics acquisition, even as underlying profit and revenue came in higher.

Trump Knew It All Along... Free, Endless Power is REAL [ad]

🎭 Investor Mood

The overall mood heading into the weekend leans cautiously optimistic. Markets advanced despite a noisy day of headlines, which says something about the underlying resilience of investor sentiment right now. When you can absorb a pharma wipeout, a couple of recalls, and rising Treasury yields and still close green across the board, that is a market with some real conviction behind it.

Apple (AAPL) was a notable drag, sliding $24.52 to $308.91, and Reddit (RDDT) had a rough session, falling $37.37 to $140.67. Roblox (RBLX) also got hit hard, dropping $13.07 to $35.60. On the flip side, Amazon (AMZN) surged $36.08 to $271.58, and Alphabet kept rolling. The divergence between winners and losers was sharp today, rewarding selectivity.

The Westinghouse Electric confidential IPO filing adds a layer of intrigue to the nuclear energy conversation. With power demand narratives still very much alive, that filing could become a major story in the weeks ahead. Sentiment is not euphoric, but it is quietly confident heading into August.

Your $29.97 book is free today [ad]

🔍 Tomorrow's Watchlist

1. Westinghouse Electric IPO filing: watch for updates on the nuclear energy play as it moves through the SEC review process
2. NXP and Ambarella deal talks: chip sector M&A could accelerate if this acquisition closes, watch NXPI and AMBA closely
3. Novo Nordisk recovery or further decline: NVO fell 9% today and the technical damage is significant after the ziltivekimab trial failure
4. Treasury yields at elevated levels: the 10-year at 4.74% and 30-year at 5.28% continue to pressure growth valuations heading into August
5. Becton Dickinson and Stellantis recall risk: BDX and STLA both face recall headlines that could weigh on near-term sentiment and cost outlooks

💸 The Takeaway

Heading into next week, the energy sector deserves a close look. Both Chevron and ExxonMobil reported strong quarters, and with geopolitical tensions keeping oil markets elevated, the momentum could continue. Investors who have been underweight energy may want to reconsider that position heading into the back half of 2026.

On the pharma side, Novo Nordisk's trial failure is a cautionary tale about binary risk in biotech and large-cap drug development. One failed trial can erase years of stock gains in a single session. AbbVie's guidance cut tied to the Apogee acquisition is worth monitoring too, as deal-driven earnings adjustments can take several quarters to fully digest.

Finally, keep an eye on the Chime (CHYM) layoffs and what they signal about the broader fintech landscape. Cutting 10% of your workforce shortly after going public is not a great look, and it may reflect tighter conditions in the consumer fintech space. August historically brings lower volume and higher volatility, so staying informed and staying nimble is the name of the game.

Here’s the stock symbol I’ve promised [ad]