S&P Rally Fuels Robinhood, Dell Gains Before Fed!!

Stocks rally as Fed-cut expectations and AI demand lift major indexes

U.S. benchmarks extended a strong run this week as investors priced in a higher probability of a December Federal Reserve rate cut and rotated into AI-exposed technology names. The S&P 500 climbed roughly 0.7 to close near recent highs at about 6,812, the Nasdaq added roughly 0.8, and the Dow rose about 0.7, continuing a multi-day advance that traders say is driven by macro tailwinds and concentrated gains in key sectors.

Why traders are optimistic

Market participants pointed to softer-than-feared inflation signals and renewed hopes for easier policy from the Fed in December. At the same time, corporate newsflow — especially around AI infrastructure and platform plays — has given investors concrete reasons to re-risk portfolios. Analysts at major banks are reiterating bullish longer-term index targets, with one blue-chip firm projecting the S&P 500 well above current levels by the end of 2026, citing AI-led spending and resilient earnings.

Corporate movers: Robinhood, Dell, Workday, Deere, Oracle

Several individual stocks produced sharp moves on company-specific developments rather than broad sector chatter. These headlines are likely to guide near-term trading and sector positioning.

Robinhood: Big strategic pivot sparks a surge

Robinhood jumped about 11% after announcing a strategic expansion into prediction and derivatives trading via a joint venture with a major trading firm and a near-term stake in a derivatives clearing venue. The initiative aims to combine retail access with deeper trading infrastructure, potentially diversifying Robinhood’s revenue mix beyond retail order flow and crypto services.

Dell Technologies: Earnings beat and AI server demand

Dell rallied nearly 6% after reporting quarterly results above Street expectations and raising full-year revenue and EPS guidance. Management highlighted rapidly growing shipments for AI servers, with commentary suggesting meaningful year-over-year increases in demand from enterprise and cloud customers buying GPU-heavy configurations.

Workday: Subscription outlook disappoints

Workday shares fell roughly 8% after the company trimmed its subscription revenue outlook for the coming quarter, citing softer demand in certain verticals such as education and corporate HR spending. The miss underscores ongoing variability in enterprise software spending amid a shifting macro backdrop.

Deere: Margins under pressure

Deere slid about 6% after management warned of margin pressures tied to tariffs and weakening agricultural conditions. The guidance stressed that parts of Deere’s cycle-sensitive business may face near-term headwinds despite steady demand in some regions.

Oracle: Analysts see recent weakness as overdone

Oracle rebounded roughly 4% as some analysts called recent sell-offs excessive and pointed to strong cloud bookings and steady enterprise demand. Investors who had pared exposure earlier in the week viewed the dip as a buying opportunity.

Investor takeaway

The current rally is grounded in both macro expectations for easier Fed policy and concrete company developments, especially among AI infrastructure providers. For investors, names tied to AI spending and cloud/server supply chains look poised to benefit if demand holds, while cyclical and subscription-reliant businesses may face continued volatility. Monitoring Fed communications and upcoming earnings will remain critical for positioning into year-end.

Positioning tips

• Favor high-conviction AI infrastructure plays that can show revenue visibility and server/order flow strength.
• Be selective with cyclical names that have margin sensitivity to tariffs or soft demand.
• Watch company guidance closely—sequential guidance revisions have driven recent outsized moves.

These developments reflect a market environment where macro policy expectations and tangible corporate actions are jointly shaping short-term performance across the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones components.