U.S. stocks traded higher on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining over 100 points. The index rose 0.48% to 26,926.89, supported by a 0.9% jump in information technology shares.

Jabil Inc. (NYSE: JBL) reported fourth-quarter results that exceeded analyst expectations. The company posted earnings of $4.40 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $4.06. Quarterly sales reached $10.616 billion, surpassing the projected $9.693 billion.

Market performance and sector trends

The broader market showed modest gains alongside the tech-led rally. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.09% to 51,398.68, while the S&P 500 rose 0.27% to 7,691.35. Real estate stocks lagged, falling 0.6%.

Jabil earnings and guidance

Jabil’s strong performance extended beyond the immediate quarter, with robust forward guidance. The company forecasts fiscal year 2027 adjusted earnings per share of $17.55, above market estimates of $16.80. Projected sales for FY27 stand at $44.500 billion, compared to expectations of $42.643 billion.

What the numbers show

The divergence between Jabil’s actual quarterly sales of $10.616 billion and its FY27 annualized projection of $44.500 billion suggests management anticipates sustained growth over the next two years rather than a one-time spike. The beat in both current EPS and future revenue guidance indicates confidence in long-term demand visibility, particularly within the technology sector which led market gains.

Key movers and commodities

Several small-cap stocks saw significant volatility. NewGenIvf Group Ltd (NASDAQ: NIVF) shares jumped 201% to $0.22 after pricing a public offering. Connect Biopharma Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ: CNTB) surged 66% to $1.64 on positive Phase 2 study data. Conversely, Darkiris Inc. (NASDAQ: DKI) fell 39% to $1.5550 following a business update, and Rafael Holdings Inc (NYSE: RFL) dropped 34% to $1.34 after Phase 3 study results.

Commodity markets also advanced. Oil rose 1.1% to $90.37, while gold climbed 1.5% to $4,241.00. Silver gained 0.7% to $61.550, and copper increased 0.6% to $6.6425.

Economic indicators

Recent U.S. economic data presented a mixed but generally favorable picture for inflation and growth. Headline PCE inflation held at 3.4% annually, matching July’s revised reading. Core PCE, excluding food and energy, slowed to 3.0% from 3.3%, coming in below the 3.3% consensus. Second-quarter GDP growth was revised up to 2.2% from 1.5%. However, the U.S. goods trade deficit widened to $132.6 billion in August from $118.9 billion in July.

U.S. stocks traded lower toward the end of trading on Monday, with the Nasdaq Composite falling more than 150 points. The broader market decline coincided with a sharp correction in precious metals, as gold prices dropped significantly.

Market indices and sector performance

Major U.S. benchmarks closed in negative territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded down 0.50% to 51,571.80, while the S&P 500 fell 0.57% to 7,699.44. The Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.63% to 26,897.56, reflecting pressure on technology-heavy components.

Sector performance was mixed. Energy shares rose by 0.3%, providing limited support to the broader market. In contrast, communication services stocks fell by 1.5%, contributing to the overall downward momentum.

Key corporate movements

Several high-profile equities drove significant volatility. MongoDB Inc (NASDAQ: MDB) shares dropped 17% to $339.65 after the company announced that CEO Chirantan Desai stepped down effective immediately to pursue a senior role at Meta Platforms.

In the financial sector, Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NU) fell 9% to $12.37 following reports suggesting the company is in discussions to acquire UK digital bank Monzo for as much as $13 billion in cash and stock.

Conversely, some small-cap stocks saw substantial gains:

• Knorex Ltd (NYSE: KNRX) shares shot up 301% to $1.22 after announcing a strategic carve-out of AscendX Media Technologies Pte. Ltd.
• Kodiak Sciences Inc (NASDAQ: KOD) surged 185% to $92.20 after meeting primary endpoints in its Phase 3 DAYBREAK study.
• AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE: AMC) gained 14% to $3.34 as investors weighed debt maturity extensions.

Commodity and global market trends

Precious metals faced heavy selling pressure. Gold traded down 3.5% at $4,171.10, while silver fell 4.8% to $61.690. Copper declined 1.8% to $6.6460. Crude oil remained relatively stable, trading down 0.1% to $92.39.

European markets were mixed, with the eurozone’s STOXX 600 rising 0.01%. Asian markets closed lower, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 dipping 0.73% and India’s BSE Sensex falling 1.52%.

What the numbers show

The divergence between the energy sector's modest 0.3% gain and the communication services sector's 1.5% decline highlights a rotation away from growth-oriented tech and media stocks. This sectoral split occurred alongside a broad-based drop in major indices, suggesting that the market weakness was not isolated to a single industry but rather reflected a wider risk-off sentiment, exacerbated by the significant pullback in safe-haven assets like gold.