The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Wednesday closed down -0.01%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up +0.02%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed up +0.32%. March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) fell -0.01%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) rose +0.32%.
Stock indexes settled mixed on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 falling from a new all-time high and the Nasdaq 100 posting a 3-month high. Strength in chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks led the broader market higher on Wednesday after a sharp increase in orders at ASML Holding NV added fresh optimism to the sustainability of artificial intelligence spending. ASML Holding NV, the only producer of lithography machines that are needed to make advanced semiconductors, reported today that Q4 bookings were a record 13.2 billion euros, well above the consensus of 6.85 billion euros. Also, better-than-expected earnings results from Seagate Technology Holdings NV and Texas Instruments added to the bullish market sentiment.
