Today’s Market ActionMarkets Near Close: Tech Strength Offsets Boeing Crash Concerns
The major U.S. stock indexes traded modestly higher Thursday afternoon, as strong performance in the technology sector helped offset concerns following a deadly Boeing aircraft crash in India. Near the close, the S&P 500 was up 0.28% at 6,038.81 points, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.22% to 19,658.98. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.14% to 42,926.15, despite significant pressure from Boeing shares.
Today’s market action continues a generally positive trend that has seen the S&P 500 remain within striking distance of its all-time high, now sitting just about 2% below its record closing level. Investors continue to monitor trade negotiations and digest recent economic data as they position for next week’s Federal Reserve policy meeting.
Oracle Leads Market Gains on Strong AI-Driven Outlook
Oracle (ORCL) emerged as today’s standout performer, surging nearly 14% to record highs after the cloud service provider delivered impressive quarterly results and raised its annual revenue growth forecast. The company reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings of $1.70 per share, beating analyst expectations, while revenues rose 11% year over year to $15.9 billion.
What really excited investors was Oracle’s aggressive outlook for fiscal 2026, with CEO Safra Catz projecting that the company’s total cloud growth rate will accelerate from 24% in FY25 to over 40% in FY26. Oracle’s cloud infrastructure business, which competes with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, is expected to see even more dramatic growth of over 70%.
“Oracle is another piece in the mosaic of AI capex spending and the ongoing need for more compute that feeds into the AI revolution,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth. “When the winds blow in that direction, you’re definitely going to see the key players like Microsoft and Nvidia also catch that tailwind.”
Boeing Shares Plunge Following Fatal Air India Crash
In stark contrast to Oracle’s surge, Boeing (BA) shares tumbled nearly 5% following news of a deadly crash involving one of its 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft operated by Air India. The plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport.
This marks the first fatal crash involving Boeing’s widebody 787 Dreamliner jets in the aircraft’s nearly 14 years of service. The incident adds to Boeing’s recent challenges, following scrutiny over its narrowbody 737 MAX jets and a series of safety concerns.
Shares of Boeing suppliers were also affected, with engine maker GE Aerospace (GE) down about 3% and Spirit AeroSystems Holdings (SPR) declining a similar amount.
Broader Market Trends and Sector Performance
Seven of the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes traded higher today, led by information technology, which gained 0.98%, followed by utilities with a 0.93% increase. The positive performance in tech stocks helped offset weakness in other areas of the market.
Gold miners were among the day’s winners as bullion prices hit a one-week high amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Newmont (NEM) gained 4%, while AngloGold Ashanti (AU) rose 6.4%.
Meanwhile, GameStop (GME) was among the day’s biggest losers, plunging over 23% following its earnings report.
Economic Data and Fed Expectations
Recent economic data has been supportive of the market’s upward trend. Softer-than-expected producer price data and initial jobless claims numbers pointing to a potential weakening in the labor market have helped reduce investor concerns about tariff-driven price pressures while boosting expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
Traders now project a 60% chance of a 25-basis-point cut by September, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep rates unchanged at next week’s policy meeting, but investors will be closely watching for signals about future rate cuts.
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Market Events
As we look toward the end of the week and beyond, several key events could impact market direction. Adobe (ADBE) is scheduled to report earnings after the market close today, which could provide further insights into the technology sector’s health.
Next week will bring the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting, which will be closely watched for any changes in the central bank’s outlook on inflation, economic growth, and potential rate cuts. Additionally, investors will continue to monitor developments in trade negotiations, particularly between the U.S. and China, as well as tensions in the Middle East.
Market news today highlights the diverging fortunes within the stock market, with AI-focused companies like Oracle continuing to show strength while traditional industrial giants like Boeing face significant challenges. As the S&P 500 hovers near record territory, investors remain cautiously optimistic about the market’s prospects heading into the summer months.