Nightly Market Digest
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Dow Jones 51,349.98 -0.31%S&P 500 7,704.13 -0.02%Nasdaq 26,939.37 +0.01%Russell 2000 2,835.57 -0.11%VIX 15.67 +3.23%Gold 4,303.20 -0.35%WTI Crude 95.13 +3.22%
Markets finished mostly flat to slightly lower on Thursday as the 10-year Treasury yield surged to 5.16%—its highest level since 2007—pressuring equity valuations. The Dow Jones shed 0.31% to close at 51,349.98, the S&P 500 dipped 0.02% to 7,704.13, and the Russell 2000 slipped 0.11% to 2,835.574, while the Nasdaq managed a fractional 0.01% gain to 26,939.373. Volatility ticked higher with the VIX up 3.23% to 15.67, and Gold fell 0.35% to 4,303.2 as weekly jobless claims dropped to 197,000, reinforcing a tight labor market and fueling bets for an October Fed rate hike.
Sectors in focus:
- Defense & Energy: WTI Crude surged 3.22% to 95.13 after U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks stalled at the UN General Assembly, raising fears of a new front in the ongoing 7-month conflict. Rising geopolitical tensions lifted defense-adjacent industries, including Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles (+2.27%) and Aircraft Parts (+1.48%).
- Medical & Research: Health and research sectors posted strong gains today. Laboratory Analytical Instruments jumped 5.02%, followed closely by Services-Medical Laboratories (+3.69%) and Commercial Physical & Biological Research (+3.08%).
- Tech & AI Infrastructure: Sentiment in the AI hardware space took a hit after Oracle fell over 5% following a force majeure declaration at a New Mexico data center project. This dragged down Wholesale-Computers & Peripheral Equipment & Software (-2.91%), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (-2.81%), and Miscellaneous Electrical Machinery (-2.33%).
On the radar:
- Sep 25: August Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index
- Sep 29: August JOLTS job openings report
- Sep 30: Third estimate of Q2 2026 GDP and August Personal Income and Outlays (PCE inflation)
- Oct 01: ISM Manufacturing PMI
- Oct 02: September Non-farm Payrolls (NFP) employment report
Market sectors
Upcoming earnings
COST Sep 24 (after close)NKE Sep 24 (after close)JBL Sep 24 (before open)SNX Sep 24 (before open)CCL Sep 28 (before open)MU Sep 29 (after close)PAYX Sep 29 (before open)JEF Sep 30 (after close)FDS Sep 30 (before open)ACN Oct 1 (before open)
Today's top bullish signals — top 5
Short squeeze setups — tonight's top 5
| # | Ticker | Company | Readiness | Short float | Days to cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | ORIC | 80 | 27% | 16.2 | |
| 3 | FIRY | 79 | 30% | 9.9 | |
| 4 | DMAC | 78 | 22% | 47.2 | |
| 5 | OPTX | 76 | 30% | 9.2 |
View all short squeeze candidates →
Theme turnarounds
| Theme | Net flip | Bull / Bear | Names flipping bullish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantum Computing (12) | +16.70% | 17% / 0% | IONQ, QNC |
| Semiconductors (154) | +14.90% | 16% / 1% | ACMR, AEHR, AIP, AMAT, AMKR |
| Cannabis (35) | +8.60% | 9% / 0% | ARTL, CRON, XXII |
| Space & Satellites (30) | +6.70% | 7% / 0% | LUNR, RKLB |
| Data Centers & Digital Infrastructure (97) | +6.10% | 8% / 2% | APLD, CRDO, DBRG, PENG, SILC |
| Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials (34) | +5.90% | 9% / 3% | ASPN, ATOM, NVEC |