Here’s what’s happening in the stock market today:
The stock market today is relatively calm with U.S. futures and major indices mostly flat after recent record highs following the Federal Reserve's first rate cut in nine months. Investors are digesting the Fed's action and awaiting key geopolitical developments, including an expected call between U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping that could impact trade discussions. 📈💹🚀
Major Indices Performance 📈
S&P 500 is slightly up, holding near record highs. 📊
Dow Jones Industrial Average is essentially flat with minimal movement. 🏦
Nasdaq and tech stocks are showing muted performance with slight fluctuations. 🖥️
Market Movers 🚀
Nvidia is trading with modest gains reflecting ongoing chip sector optimism. 🤖
Intel saw a strong rally after Nvidia announced a $5 billion investment in the company. 💰
FedEx shares jumped following a quarterly earnings beat. 📦
Tesla, Apple, and other tech names are mixed but mostly steady.
Key Events Driving the Market 🗞️
Federal Reserve's recent rate cut and signals of further easing have fueled market rallies. 🔔
Anticipation around Trump-Xi call regarding trade issues and TikTok is adding focus. 🌏
"Quad witching" expiration of multiple futures and options contracts today could lead to increased volatility and volume. 🔄
Investor Sentiment 👀
The mood is cautious and steady, with investors focusing on earnings digestion and the potential impact of trade talks. 🐂📈
Trading volumes are subdued as market participants await more clarity on policy and geopolitical developments.
Overall, the market is at a pause after a strong week, balancing optimism from monetary easing with caution ahead of possible volatility from geopolitical and options expiration events.
TRADE OF THE DAY:
AMGN
Name: Amgen Inc.
Symbol: AMGN
Current Price: ~$282.99
Trade
Sell to Open: 1 AMGN Oct 24, 2025 305/310 Call Vertical (Bear Call)
Total Credit Received: $93.00
Credit per Contract: $93.00
Direction: Bearish (expects AMGN to stay below break-even level)
Probability of Profit (PoP): 87.23%
Potential ROI:
Max Risk (Loss): $407.00
ROI: ($93.00 ÷ $407.00) × 100 ≈ 22.9%
Trade Explained in Simple English:
You are selling a 305-strike call and buying a 310-strike call (both expiring Oct 24, 2025), creating a call vertical spread. You receive a $93 upfront credit. Your break-even point is ~$305.93 (you start losing if AMGN closes above that level at expiration). Your maximum loss is $407 if AMGN finishes above the 310 strike. You profit if the stock stays below ~$305.93, with upside reward capped at the credit received.
Wall Street Highlights:
News Beyond the Numbers
FedEx shares rose 5.4% premarket after its quarterly profits and revenues surpassed analyst expectations, aided by cost reductions and strong domestic delivery performance despite international sales decline.
https://www.reuters.com/business/us-stock-futures-steady-indexes-set-weekly-gains-fedex-up-2025-09-19/Nvidia announced a $5 billion investment deal to purchase Intel shares, driving a tech rally with Intel surging 22.8%, its strongest performance since 1987.
https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-nvidia-trump-xi-314e6fe58119aa66cad01d66cc819ee0United Parcel Service (UPS) shares climbed 1.6% after withdrawing its offer for the Mexican delivery service Estafeta.
https://www.reuters.com/business/us-stock-futures-steady-indexes-set-weekly-gains-fedex-up-2025-09-19/Scholastic saw its shares plunge 11% after reporting a wider-than-expected fiscal first-quarter loss of $2.52 per share, excluding items.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/stock-market-today-live-updates.htmlLennar's third-quarter revenue missed expectations and declined year-over-year, leading to a 2.5% drop in its stock as the housing market slump persists.
https://www.the-journal.com/articles/wall-street-coasts-to-the-finish-of-another-record-setting-week/The SEC plans to propose a rule change following calls from Trump to end quarterly earnings reporting.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/19/sec-to-propose-rule-change-on-trumps-call-to-end-quarterly-earnings-reporting-says-chair-atkins.htmlAI powerhouse Nvidia and chipmaker Intel collaborate on data center and PC products following Nvidia's $5 billion share purchase announcement.
https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-nvidia-trump-xi-314e6fe58119aa66cad01d66cc819ee0Wall Street sentiment boosted by Fed Chair Jerome Powell's remarks on a softening labor market and hints of further easing in monetary policy.
https://www.reuters.com/business/us-stock-futures-steady-indexes-set-weekly-gains-fedex-up-2025-09-19/Investors withdrew $43.19 billion from U.S. equity funds in the week ending September 17, marking one of the largest weekly outflows to lock in profits.
https://www.reuters.com/business/global-markets-flows-graphic-2025-09-19/The Russell 2000 small-cap index achieved an all-time high on Thursday, driven by optimism over potential interest rate cuts benefiting smaller companies.
https://www.reuters.com/business/us-stock-futures-steady-indexes-set-weekly-gains-fedex-up-2025-09-19/
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