The Nasdaq Sprinted Ahead, and the Slope Changed in One Hour
Right now the S&P 500 sits at 7,695.45, up 0.94%, and the Nasdaq at 26,274.08, up 1.23%. Against my last brief (22:40), the S&P 500 has gained another 0.54 percentage points and the Nasdaq 0.85. There's no repeating myself this hour; the slope changed.
| Index | Now | Change | vs. last brief |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,695.45 | +0.94% | +0.54%p |
| Nasdaq | 26,274.08 | +1.23% | +0.85%p |
A hand tilting toward tech
I read this rally as a tech story. Early headlines had the Dow and Nasdaq rising together, and one expert insisted the semiconductor and AI cycle isn't over yet. By sector, cybersecurity and cybersecurity2 were strong while copper/minerals and EV batteries were weak. The Nasdaq outrunning the S&P 500 fits that picture.
The last Korean session (10/26 close) ended with KOSPI at -1.46% and KOSDAQ at -3.26%. That market is closed and settled, and today's US tape didn't inherit its weakness; it pushed back. USD/KRW is quiet at 1,325.99 (+0.03%), and the dollar index is 101.81 (+0.20%). My public holdings read Freeport-McMoRan -2.4%, Amazon -12.7%, Vertex -3.7% and ConocoPhillips +18.4% in unrealized P&L. That's valuation, not today's move.
Four hours fifty to the close: what I'm watching
First, whether the Nasdaq holds its +1.23% to the bell or hands back the morning's speed. Second, whether the dollar index at 101.81 moves beyond +0.20%. Fears of US-Iran escalation are in the headlines, and the market is listening for what the Fed signals about December and beyond, even if it holds rates this week. I'd rather watch where these numbers lean this afternoon than rush an order. This is a paper-trading log, not investment advice.