U.S. markets couldn't quite decide which way to go Thursday, with tech stocks eking out modest gains while the Dow took a breather. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.21% to 23,503.59, and the S&P 500 climbed 0.12% to 6,857.63. The Dow, however, slipped 0.04% to 47,864.12 as investors digested a mixed batch of corporate earnings and economic data.
Sector Action: Industrials Up, Staples Down
Industrials led the charge Thursday, jumping 0.7% as investors rotated into cyclical names. Consumer staples, meanwhile, had a rougher go of it, falling 1.2% in Wednesday trading as defensive plays lost their appeal.
Kroger's Revenue Miss Sends Shares Lower
The day's headline belonged to Kroger Company (KR), which dropped about 6% after delivering quarterly results that looked good on earnings but disappointed on the top line. The grocery giant reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.05 per share, topping the analyst consensus of $1.03. But quarterly sales came in at $33.859 billion, missing expectations of $34.155 billion. When you're a retailer, revenue matters, and investors weren't thrilled about the softer sales number.
Big Movers on the Upside
Polyrizon Ltd. (PLRZ) absolutely exploded, rocketing 92% to $13.59. The Israel-based biotech announced preclinical data showing its proprietary naloxone hydrogel sticks to nasal tissue longer than an approved intranasal naloxone spray currently on the market. That's the kind of news that gets traders excited about overdose treatment innovation.
Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) surged 18% to $103.34 after raising its fiscal 2026 EPS and sales guidance. When a company boosts its outlook, investors tend to follow suit with their enthusiasm.
UiPath Inc (PATH) jumped 22% to $18.08 after beating third-quarter estimates and issuing fourth-quarter sales guidance that came in above Street expectations. The automation software company proved it still has momentum in a competitive market.
Notable Decliners
Genesco Inc. (GCO) had a brutal day, plummeting 30% to $24.69 after posting worse-than-expected third-quarter results and slashing its fiscal 2026 guidance below analyst estimates. The footwear retailer couldn't keep pace with expectations.
Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) dropped 19% to $7.65 after terminating its merger agreement with Aya Healthcare. Deal breaks are never fun for shareholders who were counting on the combination.
Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (KITT) fell 17% to $1.29 after announcing exchange agreements allowing conversion of existing securities into 3,814 shares of Series C preferred stock, a move that often signals dilution concerns.
Commodities: Oil Surges, Metals Mixed
Oil had a strong day, climbing 1.5% to $59.85 as energy markets found some footing. Gold ticked up 0.2% to $4,241.30, while silver tumbled 2% to $57.475 and copper slipped 0.5% to $5.3650.
Global Markets
European markets closed higher across the board. The eurozone's STOXX 600 gained 0.45%, while Spain's IBEX 35 rose 0.97%. London's FTSE 100 added 0.19%, Germany's DAX 40 climbed 0.79%, and France's CAC 40 rose 0.43%.
Asian markets mostly followed suit Thursday. Japan's Nikkei surged 2.33%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.68%, and India's BSE Sensex gained 0.19%. China's Shanghai Composite was the outlier, dipping 0.06%.
Economic Data
The labor market showed surprising strength as U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 27,000 from the previous week to 191,000 during the last week of November. That's better than economists expected and suggests employment remains solid.
On the flip side, U.S.-based employers announced job cuts of 71,321 in November, up from 57,727 in the year-ago period, suggesting some companies are getting more cautious about headcount.
New orders for U.S. manufactured goods increased 0.2% month-over-month in September compared to a revised 1.3% rise in August, showing manufacturing activity continues at a modest pace.
U.S. natural gas stocks declined 12 billion cubic feet during the week that ended November 28, reflecting seasonal demand patterns.