| Name | Daily Close | Daily Change | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow | 46,018.32 | 260.42 | 0.57% |
| S&P 500 | 6,600.35 | -6.41 | -0.10% |
| Nasdaq | 22,261.33 | -72.63 | -0.33% |
| VIX | 14.85 | -0.87 | -5.53% |
| Gold | 3,703.40 | -14.4 | -0.39% |
| Oil | 63.56 | -0.49 | -0.77% |
OVERVIEW OF THE US MARKET
Wall Street rallied to fresh records on September 18, 2025, as Federal Reserve rate cuts reignited risk appetite, propelling all major benchmarks including the Russell 2000 to highs not seen together since November 2021, with tech and small caps leading amid bets on sustained easing. The S&P 500 climbed 0.48% to 6,631.96, the Nasdaq Composite surged 0.94% to 22,470.73, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.27% to 46,142.42. Information technology topped sectors at +1.36%, industrials +1.06%, and communication services +0.28%, while consumer staples lagged -1.03%. Actives spotlighted Intel soaring 22.77%—its best in nearly four decades—on Nvidia’s surprise $5 billion investment and chip co-development pact, alongside Nvidia up 3.49% and Snap 5.63%.
The broad advance, with about 320 S&P 500 names rising, marked the first simultaneous record closes for the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Dow, and Russell 2000 since 2021, occurring on just 25 other days this century. Initial jobless claims fell to 231 thousand for the week ended September 13, the sharpest drop in nearly four years and beating estimates of 240 thousand, while the Philly Fed business index rocketed to 23.2 against 2.5 forecasts, signaling manufacturing resilience. These prints reinforced non-recessionary cut dynamics, with SentimenTrader noting such moves historically boost equities by extending bull runs, and Bloomberg Intelligence highlighting September’s average 1.2% gain in easing cycles without contraction.
Robert Schein at Blanke Schein Wealth Management called the Fed’s timing—cutting amid growth and highs—”bullish for stocks,” while LPL Financial’s Adam Turnquist sees tech outperformance and financial M&A tailwinds offsetting seasonal weakness, despite the S&P’s historical 0.7% September dip. Miller Tabak’s Matt Maley urged watching small caps’ record test, with a break above signaling bullish momentum. UBS Global Wealth Management’s Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi projects further gains from 75 basis points of Fed cuts by Q1 2026, robust earnings, and AI, advising phased equity adds on dips; Ameriprise’s Anthony Saglimbene eyes year-end risk appetite if labor holds and Big Tech delivers Q3 beats. Fawad Razaqzada at City Index cautioned on tech cooling risks to valuations, but Morgan Stanley’s Daniel Skelly stressed diversification amid AI enthusiasm.
OVERVIEW OF THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET
Australian shares extended losses on September 18, 2025, hammered by a collapse in energy stocks after Abu Dhabi National Oil Company withdrew from a $28 billion takeover bid for Santos, while softer-than-expected jobs data fueled debates over Reserve Bank easing. The S&P/ASX 200 slid 0.83% to 8,745.2, with the broader All Ordinaries down 0.70% to 9,030.9. Energy cratered 5.90%, led by Santos tumbling 11.9% to $6.74, Woodside Energy off 6.3%, and Beach Energy down 4.5%, as the failed deal rippled through the sector without clear oil price triggers. Financials fell 0.88% with Commonwealth Bank dropping over 2% to $164.33, its weakest since April, while materials eased 0.51% as iron ore prices softened, dragging BHP 0.8%, Fortescue 0.7%, and Rio Tinto 0.7%.
Information technology eked out a 0.20% gain, buoyed by US rate cut relief, with Nuix up 9.5%, Catapult Sports 2.2%, and Bravura Solutions 1.7%; gold names rose 0.33% despite bullion dipping to $3,635 an ounce after its record high. Advancers edged decliners 145 to 121 in the ASX 300, offering slim consolation amid big-cap drags. Top gainers included Stakk surging 500% on Robinhood vendor selection, Felix Gold 24.4%, and LTR Pharma 19.2%, while decliners featured Sunrise Energy Metals down 20.2% post-rally pullback and Resolution Minerals 15.0% after a $25 million placement.