Fair Isaac spiked over 21% after unveiling a new FICO system, while Coinbase rallied 7.6% and AMD gained 3.5%.
On the downside, Equifax fell nearly 8%, Occidental slid more than 7% after a petrochemicals deal, and Tesla dropped about 4%.
Traders weighed the lack of fresh data due to the government shutdown, with Fed expectations shifting toward a possible October rate cut.
Nasdaq Can AI leadership drive another record close
The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.4% late in the session and pressed toward a record close.
Nvidia led with a 0.84% gain, while semis saw broad strength—ASML up 2.9%, AMD 3.53%, and Lam Research 2.64%.
Software names were mixed: Adobe gained 1.85% and Palo Alto added 0.69%, while CrowdStrike slipped 0.53%. Mega-cap internet names supported the bid, with Meta up 1.19% and Amazon up 0.6%. Tesla remained a drag, down nearly 4%, while AppLovin fell more than 3%.
Market outlook What are traders watching into the close
Momentum remains intact heading into the bell, though traders are alert to risks from the shutdown and the absence of key economic data.
The S&P 500 has now run more than 100 sessions without a 5% pullback, well above average, raising positioning concerns if profit-taking emerges. Into tomorrow, traders will watch for shutdown updates, Treasury market reaction, and any Fed commentary.
As long as semis and AI-linked names hold leadership, risk appetite remains firm, but extended positioning makes the tape vulnerable to negative headlines.
More Information in our Economic Calendar.