NASDAQ vs NYSE Live Stock Performance

Key Takeaways

Record highs: S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit all-time peaks on strong jobs data and trade optimism .
Tech leads: Nasdaq-100 up 12.18% YTD, fueled by AI stocks like Nvidia and Broadcom .
Small-cap surge: Russell 2000 gained 24% since April, signaling economic confidence .
Valuation gap: Nasdaq trades at 28x P/E vs NYSE’s 20x, reflecting growth expectations .
Fed watch: Strong jobs report reduces near-term rate cut odds to 7% probability .

Wall Street’s Midyear Rollercoaster: How Tech and Tariffs Shaped 2025

So, let’s get real—2025’s been wild for stocks, right? Like, who expected tariffs and AI to basically run the whole market? Back in April, when Trump dropped that "Liberation Day" tariff bomb, the S&P 500 tanked like 10% in days. Total panic mode. But then? Flipside—markets went vertical when they paused those tariffs. Nasdaq’s up 17.8% just this quarter! Crazy stuff .

What’s drivin this? Two things: AI mania and trade de-escalation. Like, Nvidia’s chips are basically gold now, and White House lifting chip-design export controls juiced stocks like Cadence Design (up 5%) . Also, Washington’s pushing hard for trade deals before the July 9 deadline, which helped calm investors .

Here’s the kicker though: Even with all the noise, corporate earnings held up. S&P 500 profits grew 5.9% last quarter—better than feared . Shows ya, the economy’s tougher than folks thought.

Nasdaq vs NYSE: Performance Breakdown

Okay, so how’re the big exchanges actually doin? Let’s compare:

Nasdaq’s Tech Dominance

YTD Performance: Nasdaq Composite +12.18% (vs S&P’s +12.69%)
Biggest Winners: Broadcom (+61.71%), Meta (+32.6%), Netflix (+89.49%)
AI Leadership: Chipmakers and cloud stocks like Datadog (up 9.4% on S&P 500 inclusion)

NYSE’s Broad Strength

Industrial Power: GE Vernova surged 198.50% YTD on defense spending
Financials: JPMorgan (+41.27%) as rates stay higher
Consumer Giants: Walmart (+43.10%) proving inflation-resilience

Market Indices Overview table shows Nasdaq-100, Dow Jones, and S&P 500 levels on July 3, with YTD changes and key drivers like AI and banks.

You see the pattern? Nasdaq’s all ’bout growth—AI, chips, cloud stuff. NYSE? More diversified. Banks and consumer staples doin heavy lifting there.

The Jobs Report That Changed Everything

Man, Thursday’s jobs data was a bombshell. Nonfarm payrolls added 147K jobs in June—way over the 110K forecast. Unemployment even dropped to 4.1% . This after ADP’s report showed losses in private payrolls. Total whiplash!

Why’s this matter? Three reasons:

Economy’s resilient: Tariffs haven’t killed jobs like folks feared
Fed impact: Traders now see 93% chance rates stay put this month
Small-cap surge: Russell 2000 finally turned green for 2025 on this news

“Markets may begin to reprice in response to this momentum,” said Karen Manna at Federated Hermes. She’s spot on—bond yields spiked right after the report .

Trade Policy: The Sword Hanging Over Markets

Alot of investors are stressin’ about July 9. That’s when Trump’s tariff pause ends. The White House says it’s “not critical” but c’mon—everyone’s watching .

What we know:

Current tariff rates: Jumped to 13% from 3% in January
Progress: U.S.-China reached a “framework” deal per Commerce Secretary
Vietnam wildcard: 20% tariffs just hit ’em, which stalled talks

Companies are “frozen in place,” says Capital Group’s Cheryl Frank. Can’t blame ’em—who invests big when trade rules could change overnight? .

Silver lining? If deals get done, industrials and materials on the NYSE could pop. Keep eye on stocks like GE and Caterpillar.

AI Stocks: Still the Market’s Beating Heart

Remember when everyone thought the “Magnificent 7” were done? Yeah, not so much. After rough start, they’re back leading rallies:

Nvidia: +26.10% YTD (hits $160.70)
Microsoft: +8.19% as Azure cloud gains share
Datadog: Up 9.4% Thursday on S&P 500 news

JPMorgan’s analysts say they’re “Overweight Tech” still—especially semis and AI infra . Makes sense: AI spending’s expected to double by 2028 .

But valuations? Whoa. Nasdaq’s average P/E is 28x versus S&P’s 22.2x . That’s alot to live up to. Needs real earnings to justify—not just hype.

International Markets: Stealing the U.S.’s Thunder?

Here’s something folks miss: International stocks are crushing U.S. this year. MSCI World ex. USA Index tripled the S&P’s return . Why?

Defense spending: Europe and Japan boosting budgets helps local firms
Cheaper valuations: Euro stocks trade at 14x P/E vs U.S.’s 22x
Dollar weakness: Greenback at 3-year lows helps foreign earnings

Bernstein analysts say this “should spur more economic activity” abroad . So maybe diversify? ETFs like VXUS could balance ya portfolio.

What’s Next for Stocks? Analysts Weigh In

Look, no one’s got a crystal ball. But pros see few key themes for H2:

Bull Case:

Fed cuts rates in September (67% probability now)
Trade deals finalize, removing uncertainty
AI earnings beat expectations

Bear Risks:

Valuations stretched (S&P P/E at 22.2)
Tariffs reignite inflation
Geopolitics (Middle East, Taiwan)

JPMorgan’s team warns high P/Es mean “prices fall faster when things go awry” . Not wrong—remember April’s 10% plunge?

Smart Moves for Investors Right Now

Given all this noise, what should ya actually do? Few ideas:

Diversify beyond tech: Energy (Exxon) and healthcare (UnitedHealth) look oversold
Watch small-caps: Russell 2000’s rally could signal broader economic health
Hedge with gold: Still near $3,315/oz if volatility spikes
Avoid timing Fed: Rate cuts delayed ≠ no cuts. Stay flexible.

“In periods of disruption, markets punish good companies too,” notes Capital Group’s Frank. Translation? Dips create buys .

FAQ: NASDAQ vs NYSE Performance

Q: Why is Nasdaq outperforming NYSE stocks?
A: Primarily AI and chip stocks—like Nvidia and Broadcom—driving gains. Nasdaq’s tech concentration benefits from this trend, while NYSE houses more industrials and banks .

Q: How do tariffs impact these exchanges differently?
A: Nasdaq’s tech firms face supply chain risks (e.g., chip exports), while NYSE manufacturers like GE benefit from “reshoring” talk. Higher tariffs also hit consumer stocks on NYSE more .

Q: Is the Nasdaq too expensive to buy now?
A: Forward P/E of 28x is high historically, but AI earnings growth could justify it. JPMorgan suggests focusing on cash-rich mega-caps like Microsoft if concerned about volatility .

Q: What’s the single biggest market risk right now?
A: Trade policy flubs. If U.S.-China deals collapse by July 9, tariffs snap back—likely spooking markets like in April .

Comments

Block Stock Soars 10% on S&P 500 Entry, Replaces Hess Effective July 23, 2025

Key Takeaways S&P 500 Entry : Block (formerly Square) joins the S&P 500 on July 23, 2025 , replacing Hess after its acquisition by Chevron . Market Reaction : Block’s stock surged >10% post-announcement as funds rebalanced portfolios to include it . Challenges Persist : Despite the boost, Block’s 2025 performance remains down 14% YTD due to weak Q1 results and tariff-related macro concerns . Strategic Significance : Entry validates Block’s pivot to blockchain/fintech and accelerates crypto’s mainstream adoption . Next Catalyst : Q2 earnings on August 7 will test whether S&P-driven demand offsets economic headwinds . The Big News: Block Is Joining the S&P 500 Come July 23rd, Block—y’know, the company behind Square and Cash App—steps into the S&P 500. They’re takin’ Hess’s spot, which is exitin’ after Chevron wrapped up that $54 billion buyout. Hess had some juicy oil assets down in Guyana, but Chevron finally closed ...

Scale AI Layoffs: 200 Employees Cut as Company Admits GenAI Over-Expansion

Key Takeaways Scale AI cut 200 employees (14% of staff) and 500 contractors weeks after Meta invested $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in the company . Founder Alexandr Wang left to lead Meta’s new AI division , prompting interim CEO Jason Droege to restructure teams citing "excessive bureaucracy" and over-hiring in generative AI . Major clients like Google and OpenAI reduced work with Scale AI following the Meta deal, triggering revenue concerns . Restructuring consolidates 16 specialized teams into 5 core units (code, languages, experts, experimental, audio) to prioritize enterprise and government contracts . The layoffs highlight industry-wide pressure as AI firms face scrutiny over costs, productivity gains, and business sustainability . What Actually Went Down at Scale AI? Scale AI just laid off 200 full-time employees. That’s 14% of their workforce. Plus, they cut ties with 500 contractors globally. The news hit on July 16, 2025, barely a month after Me...

Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 Outage Report (July 14, 2025): Global DNS Disruption Root Cause Analysis

Key takeaways Global DNS outage : Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 resolver failed worldwide for 62 minutes on July 14, 2025, due to a configuration error in their service topology . Root cause : A dormant misconfiguration from June 6 linked 1.1.1.1 to a non-production service. When activated, it withdrew critical IP prefixes globally . Traffic impact : UDP/TCP/DoT queries dropped sharply, but DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) via cloudflare-dns.com stayed stable thanks to separate IPs . Unrelated hijack : Tata Communications (AS4755) advertised 1.1.1.0/24 during the outage, worsening routing issues for some users . Resolution : Cloudflare restored services by 22:54 UTC after reverting configurations and manually re-announcing routes . Why 1.1.1.1 matters for the internet You might not think much about DNS resolvers, but they’re like the phonebooks of the internet. Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 launched back in 2018 as a faster, privacy-focused alternative to ISP-provided DNS. ...

UPS Driver Early Retirement: First Buyout in Company History

Key Takeaways Historic shift : UPS offers first-ever buyouts to union drivers, breaking 117 years of tradition Contract clash : Teamsters call the move "illegal" , claiming it violates job creation promises in their 2023 contract Economic squeeze : Buyouts part of UPS's "Network of the Future" plan to cut costs after losing Amazon business and facing trade pressures Worker uncertainty : Buyouts risk stripping retiree healthcare from drivers who leave early Union defiance : Teamsters urge drivers to reject buyouts and prepare for legal battle The Buyout Blueprint: What UPS Is Offering UPS dropped a bombshell on July 3rd, 2025: For the first time ever, full-time drivers could get cash offers to leave their jobs voluntarily. Company statements called it a " generous financial package " on top of earned retirement benefits like pensions. But details stayed fuzzy — UPS hadn't even told drivers directly yet when the Teamsters went p...

Sarepta Stock Plunges 40% as FDA Moves to Halt Gene Therapy Shipments

Key Takeaways Sarepta Therapeutics stock plunged ~40% following a second patient death linked to its gene therapy Elevidys . FDA may pull Elevidys off the market as safety concerns mount; shipments halted for non-ambulatory patients . Therapy initially approved controversially in 2023 for ages 4-5, later expanded amid efficacy debates . Year-to-date stock loss exceeds 87%, erasing billions in market value . Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients face renewed uncertainty as treatment risks outweigh benefits for some . The Bloodbath on Nasdaq Sarepta Therapeutics stock cratered 40% in premarket trading June 16, 2025. It opened at $13.60—a far cry from its 52-week high of $150.48 . The collapse wasn't a surprise to those watching the ticker. Shares had been dying a slow death all year. By July, the year-to-date loss hit 87.5% . Shareholders stared at ruins. Trading volume exploded to 60 million shares. Average volume is 5.9 million . The market cap vaporized—$1.336 billion intraday. D...

Gen Z Stare Decoded: Viral TikTok Trend or Societal Mirror?

Key Takeaways The Gen Z stare manifests in two primary forms : a vacant expression from service workers during perceived unreasonable customer interactions ( customer service stare ) and from Gen Z customers instead of verbal responses ( customer stare ) . Pandemic isolation critically impacted social skill development : Reduced face-to-face interaction during formative years limited practice with conversational norms and non-verbal cues for many Gen Zers . It’s often misinterpreted as rudeness or disinterest : Older generations may perceive the stare as disrespectful, while Gen Z frequently views it as a legitimate response to inauthentic or inefficient interactions . Underlying factors include heightened anxiety and authenticity values : Gen Z prioritizes genuine communication and may reject performative politeness, while also experiencing higher rates of social anxiety . Workplaces are adapting training programs : Organizations recognize gaps in soft skills like interpersonal commun...

Homebuilders Slash Prices at 3-Year High as Weak Demand, Affordability Issues Persist

Key Takeaways Price cuts surge : 38% of builders reduced prices in July 2025—the highest rate since tracking began in 2022, averaging 5% discounts . Affordability crisis : Mortgage rates near 7% and record-high prices push buyers to the sidelines, forcing builders to offer incentives like rate buydowns . Regional divergence : Builder confidence dropped sharply in the South/West but held steady in the Northeast/Midwest . Inventory imbalance : New home supply hit 9.8 months (double existing homes), pressuring builders to clear stock . Why Homebuilders are Slashing Prices Like Never Before So builder confidence’s been stuck below 50 for 15 straight months , yeah? That’s wild—means more than a year of pessimism. And even though it ticked up 1 point in July, it’s still way down from 41 last year. What’s propping it up? Mostly that new budget bill giving tax breaks. But honestly? Mortgage rates just won’t budge from their annoying 7% perch . Buyer traffic tells the real stor...

Finance Foggle

Search This Blog