Stocks rise on tech gains; Nvidia falls after hours

NEW YORK/MILAN, Nov 11 : Major stock indexes rose on Wednesday, led by gains in technology shares after an upbeat report from CoreWeave lifted optimism about the AI trade, and the dollar strengthened.

 Shares of Nvidia gained 2.9 per cent, recovering some of their recent sharp losses, but the stock fell 8 per cent after the bell after the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported Nvidia's board was preparing to oust CEO Jensen Huang after he had two extramarital affairs, including one with a suspected Chinese spy.

The Nasdaq and S&P 500 each ended the regular session more than 1 per cent higher, and the S&P 500 technology sector was up 2.7 per cent. Tech shares had been sold off in the wake of the US midterm elections last week amid worries about increased AI regulation and the sustainability of the AI rally.

CoreWeave shares finished up 24.7 per cent on Wednesday. The company said it expected to become profitable in 2028, easing concerns that demand may not be strong enough to support its debt-fueled expansion. 

Strategists said investors were still digesting the implications of the midterm elections, which resulted in Democrats taking control of Congress, but also news surrounding Nvidia.

Huang "was the one who led the marvelous rise of Nvidia," said Bruce Zaro, managing director at Granite Wealth Management in Plymouth, Massachusetts. "I guess the question would be, can someone step up if Jensen has to resign or is forced out?"

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 254.60 points, or 0.49 per cent, to 52,486.49, the S&P 500 rose 98.45 points, or 1.31 per cent, to 7,619.38 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 400.31 points, or 1.60 per cent, to 25,466.19.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe rose 12.41 points, or 1.12 per cent, to 1,121.15.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index gained 0.7 per cent, with investors piling back into AI-linked stocks, echoing a technology-driven rally in Asia after last week's sector rout. 

The US Treasury market was closed on Wednesday for the Veterans Day holiday, a day after 2-year yields had their biggest one-day jump since April 2025. Euro zone yields steadied on Wednesday.

OIL, DOLLAR CLIMB

Oil prices rose after the Iranian security chief said Tehran would not allow any enriched nuclear material to leave the country.

Washington has said nuclear issues must be part of any initial negotiations with Iran aimed at ending the war between the two countries.

Brent futures climbed $1.27, or 1.39 per cent, to settle at $92.76, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 49 cents, or 0.57 per cent, to $86.53.

The dollar gained again on Wednesday. Hotter-than-expected US inflation data on Tuesday cemented expectations for an interest rate hike from the Fed next month. Recent hawkish rhetoric from Fed officials added to the view.

Traders see a rate hike next month as a certainty, with a roughly 11 per cent chance of a half-percentage-point increase, according to the CME FedWatch tool. 

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, rose 0.7 per cent to 102.92, with the euro down 0.68 per cent at $1.1087. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.69 per cent to 159.83.