Market Overview
The major U.S. stock indexes showed resilience on Thursday, June 19, 2025, as markets reopened following the Juneteenth holiday. The S&P 500 edged up 0.2% to 6,022.63, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.3% to 42,530.15. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.4% to 19,716.22.
Trading volume was lighter than average as investors cautiously returned after Wednesday’s market closure, with many still assessing the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that have kept markets on edge throughout the week.
Geopolitical Concerns Linger
Market participants remained cautious amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which has threatened to disrupt global energy supplies. Despite these concerns, U.S. equities demonstrated remarkable resilience, suggesting investors believe diplomatic solutions may prevail.
“The market’s ability to avoid major losses amid the Middle East turmoil is extremely bullish,” noted Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investments. “Most investors believe that cooler heads will prevail on both the trade front and the Middle East situation.”
Oil prices stabilized after Wednesday’s spike, with WTI crude settling at $89.45 per barrel, down 0.8% from Tuesday’s close.
Tech Sector Leads Gains
Technology stocks continued their recent momentum, helping push the Nasdaq higher. Tesla (TSLA) extended Wednesday’s gains, rising 1.2% to $326.66 after announcing expanded production at its Berlin facility. Intel (INTC) also performed strongly, adding 1.8% to $21.72 on positive analyst commentary regarding its AI chip strategy.
Semiconductor stocks broadly outperformed as supply chain concerns eased, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index climbing 0.9%.
Financial Stocks Mixed
The financial sector showed mixed performance, with major banks recovering from early losses. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) finished up 0.8% at $277.30, while Goldman Sachs (GS) gained 1.1% to close at $644.73.
However, payment processors faced pressure, with Visa (V) dropping 1.3% to $342.05 and PayPal (PYPL) declining 2.1% to $67.01 amid concerns about consumer spending trends and increased competition in the digital payments space.
Earnings in Focus
Accenture (ACN) reported quarterly earnings before the market opened, beating analyst expectations with earnings per share of $3.87 versus the $3.72 consensus estimate. The consulting giant raised its full-year outlook, citing strong demand for its AI and cloud services. Shares jumped 4.2% to close at $382.45.
After the closing bell, Adobe (ADBE) reported better-than-expected results, with revenue growing 12% year-over-year to $5.8 billion. The software company’s shares rose 3.5% in after-hours trading following the announcement.
Economic Data
On the economic front, the Labor Department reported that initial jobless claims fell to 232,000 for the week ending June 14, slightly below economists’ expectations of 235,000. This marked the third consecutive week of declining claims, suggesting continued resilience in the labor market despite the Federal Reserve’s restrictive monetary policy.
The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index came in at 5.2 for June, above the consensus forecast of 4.0 and up from May’s reading of 4.5, indicating modest expansion in regional manufacturing activity.
Market Movers
Among notable stock movers, Gilead Sciences (GILD) gained 3.1% following positive clinical trial results for its cancer treatment. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) fell 2.3% after a competitor received FDA approval for a competing therapy.
Retail stocks showed strength after better-than-expected consumer sentiment data, with Target (TGT) rising 1.7% and Walmart (WMT) adding 0.9%.
Boeing (BA) shares dropped 1.2% after the aircraft manufacturer announced further delays to its 777X program, citing regulatory hurdles.
Looking Ahead
Investors are looking forward to tomorrow’s release of existing home sales data for May, which economists expect to show a modest increase from April’s levels. Market participants will also be closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and any potential impact on global energy markets.
Next week brings a heavy slate of economic data, including the final revision of first-quarter GDP, durable goods orders, and the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge—the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index.
As the second quarter draws to a close, analysts remain cautiously optimistic about the market’s trajectory, with the S&P 500 up approximately 7% year-to-date despite recent volatility driven by geopolitical concerns and ongoing debates about the Federal Reserve’s interest rate path.

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.