The Nasdaq Composite extended its gains, surging 531.50 points, or 2.10%, to finish at 25,905.35 in the latest session. This followed a prior session where the index had already climbed 1% to close at 25,373.85, driven by a sharp rally in Amazon.com Inc. shares after better-than-expected second-quarter earnings. Investor sentiment has shown signs of improvement, with the CNN Money Fear and Greed Index rising to 42.5 from 40.7, though the gauge remained firmly in the "Fear" zone. The broader market also posted gains in the prior session, with the S&P 500 climbing 0.70% to 7,489.72 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising approximately 277 points to 52,485.03.

Market Performance

The following table captures the key index movements from the prior session, providing context for the Nasdaq's continued upward trajectory:

Amazon.com Inc. shares had surged over 15% in the prior session, providing significant upward momentum to the tech-heavy Nasdaq. In contrast, Apple Inc. stock fell more than 7% after reporting fiscal third-quarter results, highlighting divergence in mega-cap tech performance. Despite prior daily gains, July proved volatile for major indices; the Nasdaq dipped 3.2% for the month, while the S&P 500 fell 0.1%. The Dow Jones was the sole gainer for July, rising 0.3% to record its fourth consecutive positive month.

Sector and Economic Highlights

Sector performance remained uneven in recent sessions. Communication services and consumer discretionary stocks emerged as the biggest gainers, supported by Amazon's weight in the latter. Conversely, materials, utilities, and real estate stocks recorded the largest losses. Economic data released during the prior session showed U.S. employment costs increased by 0.9% in the second quarter, exceeding market estimates of a 0.8% rise. Additionally, the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index improved to 55.2 in July, up from a preliminary reading of 54.0.

Earnings Outlook

Investors continue to monitor upcoming earnings reports that could further shape market direction. Key companies set to report results include Tyson Foods Inc., Marriott International Inc., and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. These results will be closely watched for signs of consumer resilience and healthcare sector strength amid the current macroeconomic environment.

What the Numbers Show

The persistence of the "Fear" reading in the CNN Money index, despite consecutive daily gains, suggests underlying caution among investors. The improvement from 40.7 to 42.5 indicates a slight easing of panic, but the market remains sensitive to earnings misses and economic data surprises, such as the higher-than-expected employment cost inflation. The Nasdaq's latest surge of 2.10% to 25,905.35 reflects renewed momentum in technology stocks, even as the broader rotation away from high-growth tech toward value sectors continues to play out across monthly performance data.

The Nasdaq Composite unofficially ended its trading session sharply lower, shedding 544.72 points to close at 25,146.18. The decline represented a loss of 2.12% for the session, marking a significant single-day pullback for the index.

Session Performance

The following table summarizes the Nasdaq Composite's unofficial closing figures for the session:

The 544.72-point decline pushed the index down by 2.12%, reflecting broad selling pressure during the session. The unofficial closing level of 25,146.18 underscores the scale of the day's losses for the Nasdaq Composite.