Wall Street Review: S&P, Nasdaq Set New Records as Rally Resumes

Positive economic data, coupled with strong corporate earnings, lifted investor sentiment.
Wall Street Review: S&P, Nasdaq Set New Records as Rally Resumes
The day's numbers and statistics are displayed on a monitor on the floor New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell in New York City on July 18, 2025. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
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News Analysis

After a slight weekly loss the previous week, U.S. stocks regained upward momentum, with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite reaching new highs amid optimism about corporate earnings and the broader economy.

The S&P 500 Index closed at 6,296 on July 18, up by 0.59 percent for the week and near its all-time high reached during the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 0.07 percent to finish at 44,342. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose by 1.51 percent, to 20,895, also near the all-time high, while the Russell 2000 gained 0.23 percent.

Trading during the new week followed the playbook of the recent bull run: it began with profit-taking on the morning of July 14, as traders locked in profits on the winners of the previous week. However, things turned around quickly, as dip-buying emerged once again, helping to stabilize the market.

Panos Mourdoukoutas
Panos Mourdoukoutas
Author
Panos Mourdoukoutas is a professor of economics at Long Island University in New York City. He also teaches security analysis at Columbia University. He’s been published in professional journals and magazines, including Forbes, Investopedia, Barron's, IBT, and Journal of Financial Research. He’s also the author of many books, including “Business Strategy in a Semiglobal Economy” and “China's Challenge.”