Wall Street saw a strong recovery on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 climbing 1.31% to finish at 7,619.38. This jump helped the benchmark index move closer to erasing the heavy losses seen last week. The gains were primarily driven by a resurgence in artificial intelligence-related stocks, which helped the Nasdaq Composite rise 1.60% to 25,466.19 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gain 0.49% to 52,486.49.

By the numbers

  • S&P 500: 7,619.38, up 98.45 points (+1.31%)
  • Dow Jones Industrial Average: 52,486.49, up 254.60 points (+0.49%)
  • Nasdaq Composite: 25,466.19, up 400.32 points (+1.60%)
  • Russell 2000: 2,846.26, up 24.88 points (+0.88%)
  • 10-year Treasury yield: 5.00%, up from 4.98%
  • WTI crude oil: US$86.53 a barrel, up 0.57%
  • Gold: US$4,000.50 an ounce, down 0.74%
  • VIX volatility index: 17.49, down 1.97 points

Closing figures for Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Oil and gold are front-month futures prices. Market data: Yahoo Finance.

Read also AI chip demand lifts world stocks as inflation worries build

What moved the market

CoreWeave acted as the primary catalyst for the day's upward momentum. After reporting a positive outlook, the company's shares jumped roughly 24%. According to the sources, the firm anticipates reaching adjusted profitability by the middle of 2028, a projection that helped calm investor fears regarding the sustainability of high AI expenditures.

Semiconductor companies also saw significant gains. Micron climbed 11.9%, while Intel and AMD rose 7.5% and 7.3% respectively. Nvidia, which had faced pressure recently, managed a 2.9% increase.

The broader economic context remains tense following Tuesday's inflation report, which suggested the Federal Reserve might need to implement further interest rate hikes. Because the bond market was closed for the Veterans Day holiday, investors could not fully react to those rate expectations through Treasury trading. The 10-year Treasury yield sat at 5.00%, up from 4.98%. Additionally, WTI crude oil rose 0.57% to US$86.53 a barrel, while gold prices fell 0.74% to US$4,000.50 an ounce.

Stocks and sectors that stood out

Sector performance was uneven, though technology led the way. While tech funds saw substantial growth, consumer discretionary stocks were the primary laggard. Notable decliners in the consumer space included Airbnb, which dropped 3.1%, and both lululemon and McDonald's, which both fell 2.6%.

Microsoft was a notable outlier in the tech space, losing 2.3% despite the general sector strength. There was no specific company announcement provided to explain the decline. Meanwhile, the VIX volatility index decreased to 17.49.

What to watch next

Market participants are looking toward Nvidia's upcoming earnings report on Nov. 17 to see if the AI momentum can be sustained. "A lot depends on the situation with Nvidia," Peter Cardillo of Spartan Capital Securities noted, according to Reuters.

With the bond market reopening, traders will be watching how yields react to the previous day's inflation data. There is also significant interest in the upcoming Anthropic IPO, which analysts suggest could generate massive retail interest.

FAQ

How did the S&P 500 close on Wednesday?

The S&P 500 ended the session at 7,619.38, marking an increase of 98.45 points. This represents a 1.31% gain for the day.

Why did the stock market rise on Wednesday?

Investor sentiment improved after CoreWeave released optimistic guidance, which helped alleviate concerns about the long-term demand for AI technology and boosted semiconductor stocks.