Markets News, December 16, 2024: Nasdaq Hits Record as Broadcom Soars, Dow Falls for 8th Straight Day; Bitcoin Surges to New High

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Stocks were mixed on Monday as investors prepare for the Federal Reserve's decision this week on interest rates, while bitcoin surged to a record high.

The S&P 500 gained 0.4% and the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.2% to a new record high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3% to close lower for the 8th straight day. The S&P 500 was coming off its first losing week in the past month, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite is riding a four-week winning streak꧙ after crossing 20,000 points for the first t𝄹ime last week.

Large-cap technology stocks were mostly higher on Monday, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:led by an 11% gain for chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO), which on Friday joined the exclusive club of companies with a market capitalization of greater than $1 trillion following a strong earnings report. Tesla (TSLA) rose 6.1% to a new record high as Wedbush 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:raised its price target on the stock. Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META) were also higher, while Nvidia (NVDA) dropped 1.7%.

Among other noteworthy movers, shares of Super Micro Computer (SMCI), which will be removed from 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:the Nasdaq 100 index as of next Monday, slid 8.3% 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:following a report the company has hired Evercore to potentially assist the company in raising capital. The decision to drop Supermicro from the index comes as the server maker faces a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:February deadline to file its delayed annual report, or face delisting by the Nasdaq. 

Shares of MicroStrategy (MSTR), one of the world's largest holders of bitcoin, finished fractionally lower after rising as much as 7% early in the day as the digital currency gained. The stock also got a boost following news that the company 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:will be included in the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Nasdaq 100, along with Palantir (PLTR) and Axon Enterprise (AXON). Micro🦩Strategy has gained more than 500% since the start of 2024.

Bitcoin was trading at $105,900 recently after hitting an all-time high of $107,800 earlier in the afternoon. Bitcoin has gained 50% sinc⛎e the presidential election amid investor optimism that the incoming Trump administration and a supportive Congress will adopt policies that benefit the cryptoc༺urrency market.

The big event for market watchers this week will be the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:two-day meeting of the Federal Reserve's policy committee, which is scheduled to start Tuesday. The Fed is widely expected to cut its benchmark interest rate, as it did in September and again last month. In addition to the decision on rates, investors will be paying close attention to what Feꦑd officials say about the health of the ecoღnomy and the outlook for rates in 2025.

The yield on 10-year Tr𒁏easurys, which is correlated with expectations about where interest rates are headed, was unchanged today at 4.40%.

Gold f🏅utures were down slightly at around $2,670 an ounce, while crude oil futures w♊ere down nearly 1%.

Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Monday

December 16, 2024 05:57 PM EST

Advancers

  • After skyrocketing past the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:$1 trillion market capitalization milestone Friday, Broadcom (AVGO) stock picked up this week right where it left off, soaring 11.2% to print another record and lead the S&P 500 higher. The chipmaker reported 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:better-than-expected quar✤terly sales and profits last week, highlighting strong artificial intelligence (AI) sales. The momentum continued Monday as Bernstein analysts named Broadcom one of their top semiconductor picks alongside industry behemoth Nvidia (NVDA).
  • Tesla's (TSLA) stock popped 6.1% to an all-time high as Wedbush analysts discussed the potential upside of carmakers' AI and full self-driving (FSD) technology under the incoming presidential administration. Wedbush estimated that Tesla's full self-driving and AI opportunity alone could be worth $1 trillion and expressed confidence that the Trump White House will streamline approval processes for these initiatives.
Sanjay Mehrotra, president and chief executive officer of Micron Technology Inc., holds up a microchip while speaking during an event with US President Joe Biden, not pictured, at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse, New York, US, on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra speaks at event with President Joe Bidenꦉ on April 25, 2024.

Lauren Petracca / Bloomberg / Getty Images

Decliners

  • Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares plunged 8.3%, losing the most of any S&P 500 stock. The decline followed the announcement late last week that Supermicro would be 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:among the three stocks removed from the Nasdaq 100 as part of the influential index's annual reconstitution. In addition, Bloomberg reported Friday that Supermicro had enlisted investment banking advisory firm Evercore (EVR) to help with a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:potential capital raise.
  • Shares of companies that operate 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:pharmacy benefit management (PBM) businesses moved lower after President-elect Donald Trump suggested that eliminating the so-called "middle man" could be one way to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. Lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill last week aimed at requiring insurers and PBMs to separate from their pharmacy businesses. CVS Health (CVS) shares sank 5.6% Monday, while shares of major health insurers with PBM operations also lost ground.
  • Crude oil prices retreated from recent highs as consumer spending data from China came in below forecasts and ahead of this week's Federal Reserve interest-rate announcement, pressuring oil and gas stocks. Phillips 66 (PSX) shares fell 5.2% after the refiner announced its 2025 capital plan and an agreement to sell its interest in a natural gas pipeline in Texas. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) shares were down 5.1%.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Michael Bromberg

Nvidia-Backed SoundHound AI Stock Jumps 16%

December 16, 2024 05:27 PM EST

SoundHound AI (SOUN) shares soared Monday after analysts at Wedbush raised their price target for the Nvidia (NVDA)-backed 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:artificial intelligence (AI) voice technology company. 

The firm issued an “outperform” rating and raised its price target on the shares to $22 from $10. The revised target is more than twice the th💦ree other targets tracked by Visible Alpha that were issued since the start of November.

SoundHound AI stock price chart YTD

TradingView

Monday's rise brought the stock closer to that target price. Shares of SoundHound, which rallied more than 16% to close at a record high of $19.69, are up more than ninefold in 2024.

SoundHound, which offers its AI voice solutions to the auto industry, restaurants, call centers, and other markets, is “seeing continued demand,” Wedbush said, position𝔍ing it as a “long-term winner in t🅰he AI Revolution.” 

Nvidia held more than 1.73 million shares o🃏f SoundHound as of Sep. 30, according to a regulatory filing༺.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Andrew Kessel

Ford Stock Slides After Downgrade from Jefferies

December 16, 2024 05:04 PM EST

Ford Motor (F) shares fell Monday after analysts at Jeไfferies downgraded the stock, pointing to inventory issues.

Jefferies lowered its rating to “underperform” from “hold,” and reduced its Ford 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:price target to $9 from $12. T💖he new target is below the mean of analysts trac🧜ked by Visible Alpha, which is currently above $11. Ford's stock slipped 3.9% to $9.99 on Monday.

The analysts wrote in a note to clients that the move came “on broad concerns ranging from 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:inventory overhang to looming strategic decisions on European presence and a widening gap between warranty provisions and related 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:cash outflows.”

The Jefferies analysts said that while they see Ford benefiting from a likely loosening of emissions standar꧃ds under the new Trump White House, “de-stocking has become an overhang with US inventory,” which has risen to 96 days in spite 𝐆of solid sales.

The analysts called the carmaker’s balance sheet “robust rather than strong,” and warned that “potential claims from 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:restructuring and warranty leave little cash for shareholders if Ford wants🌠 to maintain a conservative financi🍸al profile.” 

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Bill McColl

Nvidia Slips Into Technical Correction, Analysts Remain Bullish

December 16, 2024 04:29 PM EST

Nvidia (NVDA) shares slipped into 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:correction territory Monday, but analysts are still bullish on the chipmaking g🦩iant. 

Nvidia shar𝐆es fell 1.7% to $132 on Monday and are down 11% from their record closing high posted on Nov. 7. A technical correction is considered to ha𝓡ve occurred when shares dropped 10% from their peak. 

Despite the recent slump, analysts don't seem to be worried about the long-term outlook. Analysts at Bank of America and Bernstein each called Nvidia a "top pick" Monday, posting price targets of $190 and $175, respectively. The consensus price target for Nvidia among the 20 firms tracked by Visible Alpha is about $176. 

Bernstein analysts acknowledged "recent angst" caused by Nvidia's shift from Hopper to Blackwell chips, but noted that "2025 seems likely to be an exceedingly good year."

Nvidia stock took a slight hit last week after China's State Administration for Market Regulation said it is 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:investigating the company for potential violations of the country's anti-monopoly laws related to its 2020 acquisition of networking hardware maker 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Mellanox Technologies. Still, Nvidia stock is up 167% in 2024, far outpacing the Nasdaq Composite🥃.

Nvidia vs Nasdaq Composite YTD chart

TradingView

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Andrew Kessel

Broadcom Hits New High as Post-Earnings Rally Continues

December 16, 2024 03:04 PM EST

Broadcom (AVGO) shares jumped to a fresh all-time h𝐆igh Monday as the chipmaker’s post-earnings rally continued. 

The stock was up 11% at around $250 in recent trading and has gained nearly 40% since Broadcom reported 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:fiscal fourth-quarter earnings late Thursday that topped expectations. The recent gains have pushed the company's market capitalization above the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:$1 trillion level, putt🔯ing Broadcom in exclusive company with ot𝕴her major technology companies.

Broadcom stock price chart YTD

TradingView

Several analysts 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:raised their price targets late last week in the wake of Broadcom’s quarterly results, and with Monday's climb, the stock has already exceeded or is close to hitting most of those targets. Citi had bumped its target to $220, while JPMorgan and Bank of America raised t♓heir targets to $250.

Bernstein analysts compared Broadcom's meteoric rise to that of 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:artificial intelligence (AI) darling Nvidia (NVDA), writing Monday that the stock may be having its own “Nvidia moment.” Broadcom s꧃hares have more than doubled in value this year as demand for infrastructure to support AI surged. The analysts issued a $250 target and "overweight" rating for Broadcom, calling it a "top pick," along with Nvidia.

In a note to clients Monday morning, BofA also listed Broadcom among its top six semiconductor industry picks for 2025, along with Nvidia, Marvell Technology (MRVL), Lam Research (LRCX), Onsemi (ON), and Cadence Design Systems (CDNS). They pointed to Broadcom's strong 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:earnings per share (EPS)&n𒁏bsp;growth and “best-semis profitability" for its inclusion in the list.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Andrew Kessel

Dow on Track for 8th Straight Daily Loss

December 16, 2024 01:23 PM EST

The Dow Jones Industrial Average came into the week on a seven-session losing s🌜treak, and the blue chip index is on pace to lose ground again Monday.

The Dow was down 0.1% in recent trading while the Nasdaq Composite rose m🐠ore than 1% to a record high and the S&P advanced near a new high of its own.

The Dow has lost 2.7% overᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ its losing run. The index is up 16% since the start of 2024, a healthy gain but less than half the 34% increase for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite over the period.

DJIA vs S&P 500 vs Nasdaq Comp YTD

TradingView

MicroStrategy Levels to Watch as Bitcoin Surges, Stock Added to Nasdaq 100

December 16, 2024 12:54 PM EST

MicroStrategy (MSTR) shares rose Monday after Bitcoin (BTCUSD) set a new record high above $107,000 and the company's stock secured inclusion in the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Nasdaq 100 index.

The stock has consolidated within a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:descending triangle in the past month, a chart pattern that often signals a move in the direction of a breakout or 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:breakdown. Meanwhile, the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:relative strength index (RSI) has retreated below overbought levels throughout the stock’s latest consolidation phase, though it has carved out an 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:inverse head and shoulders-like patt👍ern, potentially pointing 🀅to a local bottom in the indicator.

This image depicts the MSTR chart.
Source: TradingView.com.

൲ The bars pattern tool, which extracts the recent trend higher that preceded the descending triangle and repositions it from the pattern’s upper trendline, forecasts an upside target of around $800.

Investors should watch important support levels on MicroStrategy's chart near $268, $227, and $180.

MicroStrategy shares were up nearly 6% at around $4🌌32 in recent trading.

Read the full 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:technical analysis piece here.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Timothy Smith

Honeywell Rises as Company Considers Aerospace Spinoff

December 16, 2024 11:34 AM EST

Honeywell International (HON) shares advanced Monday as the conglomerate issued an update on its portfolio review begun earlier this year, noting that it is considering 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:spinning off its aerospace unit. 

CEO Vimal Kapur said that since the company realigned its operations in January, "we have been moving swiftly and decisively to optimize the Honeywell portfolio to deliver superior growth and drive incremental shareholder value." Kapur added that Honeywell has also been "evaluating more transformational changes."

Kapur said that after "portfolio enhancements" that were initiated earlier this year, "Honeywell is now well-positioned for significant transformational alternatives, and we are continuing our deeper, more granular exploration of their feasibility and possible timing."

The company noted𒁃 that a further update on the actions will be given in its fourth-quarter💟 earnings release, which is likely in late January or early February.

澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Activist investor Elliott Investment Management reacted to the statement, writing that it welcomed the announcement of the ongoing review of strategic alternatives by Honeywell, "including the separation of its Aerospace business." Last month, Elliott revealed it 🉐had taken a more than $5 billion stake in Honeywell and called for a breakup of the company.

Shares of Honeywell, which rose nearly 3% Monday morning to lead Dow gainers, hit an all-time high following the Elliott news last month. They've gained about 12% year-to-date.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Bill McColl

Tesla Hits Record High as Wedbush Boosts Price Target Again

December 16, 2024 10:53 AM EST

Tesla (TSLA) shares traded at a fresh all-time high Monday after Wedbush again raised its price target, arguing the electric vehicle (EV) maker's self-driving car and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:artificial intelligence (AI) efforts will ﷺget a boost from the new Trump administration. 

Wedbush lifted its price target to $515 from $400, and gave a "bull case" scenario of $650 next year. The move came about a month after Wedbush initially 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:increased its price target to $400 from $300 for similar reasons.

Tesla shares were up 2.7% at around $448 in recent trading. The stock has gained 80% since the start of the year, far outpacing the S&P 500 (see chart below). Most of the increase has come since the presidential election, as investors hope that CEO Elon Musk's close ties with President-elect Donald Trump will benefit the EV maker.

Tesla vs S&P 500 YTD

TradingView

Wedbush said in a note to clients that the "Trump White House the next 4 years will be a 'total game changer' for the autonomous and AI story for Tesla and Musk over the coming years."

They estimate that the full self-driving (FSD) and AI opportunity is worth at least $1 trillion alone, and they "fully expect" that the Trump administration will fast-track these initiatives "as the federal regulatory spiderweb that Musk & Co. have encountered over the past few years around FSD/autonomous clears significantly under a new Trump era."

The analysts argued that Tesla could have a $2 trillion 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:market cap by the end of 2025, up from about $1.4 bi✤llion now, as the self-driving vision takes shape, and because of an expected jump in deliveries of EVs in China. Wedbush maintained an "outperform" rating on the stock.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Bill McColl

Supermicro Slumps as Stock to be Removed from Nasdaq 100

December 16, 2024 10:09 AM EST

Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares slumped Monday morning as the stock feels the impact of a pair of headlines that came out aft☂er the bell ꦏFriday.

The Nasdaq said Friday that Palantir (PLTR), MicroStrategy (MSTR), and Axon Enterprise (AXON) would join the index starting next week, replacing Supermicro, Moderna (MRNA), and Illumina (ILMN). Supermicro is being replaced on the index 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:less than six months after it was added inꦑ July, as shares had lost 70% of their value entering Monday since closing at a record $118.81 in March.

Along with the index removal, Bloomberg also reported Friday that Supermicro has hired investment banking advisory firm Evercore (EVR) to assist the server maker in raising capital. The raise could involve equity or debt, or take the form of an investment from a private equity company, Bloomberg reported.

The hardware manufacturer has raised capital once this year, as 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:it said in March that it would sell 2 milli🍌on new shares as it looked ♎to raise $2 billion.

SMCI year-to-date

TradingView

Super Micro shares have fallen in the second half of the year as the company has seen earnings reports 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:miss estimates, and has also 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:been the subject of a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:short-seller's 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:report alleging accounting manipulation and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:other issues, along with the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:resignation of its last auditor. Super Micro also 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:delayed the filing of its annual report for its last fiscal year, and last week 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:received an extension for the filing to ensure the stock wouldn't be del♎isted from the Nasdaq.

The stock was down 4% in early trading.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Aaron McDade

Palantir Levels to Watch as Stock Added to Nasdaq 100

December 16, 2024 08:45 AM EST

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) shares are likely to remain in the spotlight after the Nasdaq announced late Friday that the analytics software provider, along with MicroStrategy (MSTR), and Axon Enterprise (AXON), had been 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:added to the Nasdaq 100 Index.

The stock has continued to trend sharply higher after breaking out from a cup and handle pattern, though the relati꧒ve strength ཧindex cautions overbought conditions that could lead to near-term price fluctuations.

Source: TradingView.com.

The measuring principle, which calculates the percentage change to the cup and handle’s “c♐up” and adds it to the༺ pattern’s top trendline value, projects a bullish price target of $140.07.

Investors should watch key lower levels on Palantir's chart at $45 and a zone of support between $33 and $29.

The stock was little changed ꧒at around $76 in recent premarket trading.

Read the full 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:technical analysis piece here.

-澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Timothy Smith

Futures Tied to Major Indexes Move Higher

December 16, 2024 08:02 AM EST

Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures were up 0𓂃🌸.2%.

DJIA futures - Dec. 16, 2024

TradingView

S&P 500 futures also added 0.2%.

S&P 500 futures - Dec. 16, 2024

TradingView

Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.4%.

Nasdaq 100 futures - Dec. 16, 2024

TradingView

Compare Accounts
The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace.

Related Articles