Stock Markets April 24, 2026 04:31 PM

U.S. Markets Finish Mixed as Tech and Materials Outperform, Dow Edges Lower

S&P 500 and Nasdaq advance while the Dow posts a slight decline; large individual swings in semiconductors and media stocks reshape the session

By Marcus Reed NVDA AMZN CRM MRK VZ
U.S. Markets Finish Mixed as Tech and Materials Outperform, Dow Edges Lower
NVDA AMZN CRM MRK VZ

U.S. equity markets closed mixed on Friday with sector rotations producing divergent outcomes. The S&P 500 gained 0.80% and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.63%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.16%. Tech, basic materials and consumer services stocks were among the day’s winners, while telecoms, healthcare and industrial names lagged. Several large-cap technology and semiconductor issues reached new highs, even as a handful of media and small-cap names suffered steep declines.

Key Points

  • S&P 500 rose 0.80% and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.63%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.16%. - Equity indices
  • Large semiconductor and tech names reached all-time highs, including Intel, AMD, NVIDIA and Amazon. - Technology sector
  • Several communications and small-cap stocks posted steep losses, with Charter and Chanson among the most notable declines. - Telecoms and small-cap market

U.S. equities ended Friday in mixed fashion as gains concentrated in Technology, Basic Materials and Consumer Services offset losses in Telecoms, Healthcare and Industrials. At the New York Stock Exchange close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.16%, the S&P 500 rose 0.80% and the NASDAQ Composite advanced 1.63%.

Among Dow components, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) was the session leader, rising 4.32% or 8.63 points to finish at 208.27. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) added 3.49% or 8.91 points to close at 263.99, and Salesforce Inc (NYSE:CRM) gained 2.78% or 4.82 points to end at 178.12.

On the flip side, Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) paced losers on the blue-chip index, sliding 2.42% or 2.77 points to 111.85. Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) declined 1.78% or 0.84 points to 46.38, and Walmart Inc (NASDAQ:WMT) dropped 1.61% or 2.12 points to 129.91.

Within the S&P 500, a number of semiconductor and technology-related names posted outsized gains. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) jumped 23.60% to 82.54, Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) climbed 13.91% to settle at 347.79, and Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) rose 11.12% to close at 148.85.

Conversely, several communications and media companies recorded steep losses. Charter Communications Inc (NASDAQ:CHTR) fell 25.50% to 180.13, Comcast Corp (NASDAQ:CMCSA) lost 12.97% to settle at 27.54, and HCA Holdings Inc (NYSE:HCA) declined 8.77% to close at 432.46.

On the Nasdaq Composite, the session produced extreme moves among very small-cap and ADR issues. Trident Digital Tech Holdings Ltd ADR (NASDAQ:TDTH) surged 2,769.69% to 1.96, Sow Good Inc (NASDAQ:SOWG) advanced 1,518.18% to 1.78, and MaxLinear Inc (NASDAQ:MXL) rose 76.12% to close at 60.32.

At the other end of the Nasdaq leaderboard, Chanson International Holding (NASDAQ:CHSN) plunged 92.53% to 0.18, Auddia Inc (NASDAQ:AUUD) fell 63.83% to 1.83 and SMX Security Matters Ord Shs Class A (NASDAQ:SMX) slid 41.20% to 2.07 at the close.

Broad market internals were tilted toward advancers. On the NYSE, rising issues outnumbered decliners 1,445 to 1,258, with 100 stocks unchanged. On the Nasdaq, 1,819 stocks gained while 1,566 fell and 164 were unchanged.

Several individual securities registered notable milestone moves during the session. Shares of Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) rose to an all-time high, up 23.60% or 15.76 to 82.54. Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) also reached an all-time high, increasing 13.91% or 42.46 to 347.79. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) climbed to an all-time high as well, up 4.32% or 8.63 to 208.27. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) advanced to an all-time high, rising 3.49% or 8.91 to 263.99. MaxLinear Inc (NASDAQ:MXL) rose to a three-year high, gaining 76.12% or 26.07 to 60.32.

On the downside, Charter Communications Inc (NASDAQ:CHTR) fell to a five-year low, down 25.50% or 61.65 to 180.13. Shares of Chanson International Holding (NASDAQ:CHSN) tumbled to an all-time low, dropping 92.53% or 2.28 to 0.18. Auddia Inc (NASDAQ:AUUD) hit an all-time low as well, losing 63.83% or 3.23 to 1.83, and SMX Security Matters Ord Shs Class A (NASDAQ:SMX) fell to an all-time low, down 41.20% or 1.45 to 2.07.

The CBOE Volatility Index, a measure of implied volatility on S&P 500 options, declined 3.21% to 18.69.

In commodities, June gold futures were essentially flat, down 0.03% or 1.36 to $4,722.64 a troy ounce. US crude oil for June delivery slipped 0.65% or 0.62 to $95.23 a barrel, while the June Brent contract rose 1.30% or 1.37 to $106.44 a barrel.

Foreign exchange rates showed small moves: the euro versus the dollar (EUR/USD) was reported unchanged at 1.17 with a 0.32% figure included in the data, while the dollar-yen (USD/JPY) slipped 0.12% to 159.40. The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.26% at 98.35.


Summary of key market outcomes from the session:

  • Major U.S. indexes finished mixed, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq higher and the Dow lower.
  • Technology and semiconductor names delivered several of the day's largest percentage gains, including multiple all-time highs.
  • Several communications and small-cap stocks experienced sharp declines, hitting multi-year or all-time lows.

Market breadth favored advancing stocks on both exchanges, and volatility as measured by the VIX declined. Commodities and currency markets showed modest movement alongside equity trading.

Risks

  • Significant volatility in select small-cap and ADR stocks, as evidenced by extreme percentage moves, increases short-term market uncertainty. - Small-cap/OTC market
  • Steep declines in media and communications names could weigh on telecom and consumer services sector sentiment. - Telecoms and consumer services
  • Shifts in market breadth despite index gains may indicate an uneven rally concentrated in a subset of sectors, leaving broader market participation uncertain. - Broader equity market

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