The Dow Jones Industrial Average reversed higher Monday while other indexes were relatively flat. The Dow moved higher even as Nvidia skidded on a report that China's Huawei is developing a rival artificial intelligence chip. And some Warren Buffett stocks are eyeing entries on the stock market today.
The Dow held up best among the major indexes. It squeezed out a gain of 114 points, or 0.3%. Boeing finished the day as the top Dow riser with a pop of more than 2% after Bernstein upgraded it to outperform from market perform.
Verizon Communications and IBM also outperformed. Bill Ackman stock Nike and Salesforce were the worst non-Magnificent Seven laggards, but each dipped less than 1%.
The Nasdaq composite was off lows for the day but still ended the session down 0.1%. Gilead Sciences and AppLovin shined here with lifts of roughly 3% each. Kraft Heinz and Copart lagged with dips of about 2%.
Stock Market Today: Utilities Up As Tech Lags
The S&P 500 finished the day slightly higher. The benchmark index's sectors were mixed on the stock market today. Consumer discretionary and technology were getting hit the hardest. Utilities and energy were the strongest areas.
Erie Indemnity tumbled by 4%, and Colgate-Palmolive skidded more than 3%.
Domino's Pizza reversed higher, rising 0.6% despite posting mixed first-quarter results. Health care stock Centene and biopharma play AbbVie advanced, both rallying more than 3%.
Volume ended mixed, rising on the Nasdaq but falling on the New York Stock Exchange vs. Friday, according to early data.
Small caps turned lower, with the Russell 2000 index falling down 0.2%. The index remains below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
Growth stocks reversed higher, with the Innovator IBD 50 exchange traded fund rising almost 1%.
3:50 p.m. ET
Cathie Wood Loads Up On This Stock
One noteworthy investor who is never afraid to put her neck on the chopping block by buying the dip is ARK Invest Chief Executive Cathie Wood.
Her company, which she also serves as chief investment officer, snapped up around 66,000 shares in Intellia Therapeutics for the ARK Innovation exchange traded fund on Friday.
The stock has fallen around 76% from its 2024 high of 34.87 to its Friday closing price of 8.31. The move has paid off already, as shares were up more than 2% on the stock market today. Gene editing play Intellia is working to develop novel therapeutics using CRISPR-based technologies.
However those following IBD investing principles would stay away from the stock as it has been mired in a downtrend and currently trades for less than 10 a share.
The ARK Innovation fund also sold some Meta Platforms stock as well as more than 66,000 shares in Veracyte.
Stock Market Today: Warren Buffett Plays Eye Entries
One way to find stocks for you watchlist is to look at the portfolios of top investors. And few investors are more feted than Berkshire Hathaway Chief Executive Warren Buffett. A few strong stocks currently held by the firm are currently forming bullish bases.
Payments stock Visa is forming a consolidation with an ideal buy point of 366.54. But the pattern also has elements of a double-bottom, which gives a lower alternate entry of 351.86.
The stock is a strong all-around performer, which is reflected in its IBD Composite Rating of 94. It holds a muscularly Earnings Per Share Rating of 92 and earnings are seen rising 12% this year before accelerating to 13% growth in 2026.
In total, 48% of shares are held by funds. Noteworthy holders include the MFS Growth Fund and the Fidelity Contrafund. With the firm set to report results after the close tomorrow, it could be worth watching in case a potential breakout ensues if it posts strong earnings.
Liberty Live Forms Cup Base
Another Buffett stock, Liberty Live has formed a new cup base with an ideal buy point of 81.66. If a handle can form it would offer a lower entry.
This is a first-stage pattern, a bonus. In addition, the stock recently moved above the 50-day moving average. The relative strength line is trending higher as it forms the right-hand side of the base. It is hitting fresh heights on its weekly chart, a bullish sign.
Overall performance is solid here, with its IBD Composite Rating sitting at 86 out of 99. It is among the top 4% of issues in terms of price performance over the past 12 months.
While its EPS Rating of 29 is underwhelming, earnings are seen surging by 118% in 2025 according to MarketSurge data.
The firm is a live entertainment play, with its properties including Ticketmaster and Live Nation Concerts.
Mag 7: Nvidia Lags But Apple, Meta Gain
The so-called Magnificent Seven group of stocks are in focus this week as four members of the cohort get set to post earnings. The stocks were getting forced lower amid broader selling.
Meta and Microsoft are getting set to report after the close Wednesday while Apple and Amazon are due late Thursday.
Meta reversed higher, gaining 0.4%. It remains stuck below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, MarketSurge analysis shows. Apple also battled out of negative territory as it gained 0.5%. The iPhone giant also sits below its major moving averages and is down almost 17% for the year so far.
Microsoft slipped fractionally while Amazon fell around 1% despite coming off session lows. Microsoft is holding above its 50-day line but Amazon is lagging this level.
Google-parent Alphabet dropped more than 1% while Tesla slipped 0.11%.
Nvidia lagged the most as it skidded more than 2%. The Dow component came under pressure after the WSJ reported China's Huawei is preparing to test its Ascend 910D AI processor. Huawei is trying to develop new AI chips that could rival Nvidia's high-end semiconductors.
2:17 p.m. ET
Bitcoin Falls Under $94,000 Level; Coinbase Skids
Bitcoin has been performing well in recent weeks but it was easing back in recent trade, coming well off its 24-hour high.
The cryptocurrency briefly reached as high as $95,548.93 per coin. However, it is now back below the $94,000 level, according to CoinDesk. The digital currency is roughly flat for the year after paring losses.
The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF and the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF were each down nearly 2% on the stock market today.
Cryptocurrency exchange play Coinbase Global did even worse, falling more than 5%. It is holding above its 50-day moving average for now, according to MarketSurge analysis.
Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, fell almost 3%. However, it is continuing to trade above its short-term and major moving averages. It has been making good progress since finding support at the 200-day line.
Bitcoin miner Hut 8, previously a member of the IBD 50 list of leading growth stocks, fell nearly 5% after hitting resistance at its 50-day line. Rival mining play Riot Platforms suffered a similar decline.
Mara, formerly known as Marathon Digital, is close to testing buyers at the 50-day moving average amid a more than 5% drop.
12:40 p.m. ET
Stock Market Today: Two Stocks Test Entries
With the stock market looking in better shape, investors should be keeping a close eye on breakouts.
SAP, which has been under heavy accumulation since beating earnings views last week, cleared a double-bottom-base entry of 280.44. It remains in the buy zone.
This is a first-stage base, according to MarketSurge analysis. This is a plus, as early-stage patterns are more likely to yield good gains. The enterprise software play popped last week after first-quarter results came in better than expected.
The German company also maintained its outlook for the fiscal year. Some analysts have been expecting software companies to lower their financial outlooks amid current uncertainty over trade.
Overall performance is strong for the stock, reflected in its IBD Composite Rating of 96. It is the top 8% of issues in terms of price performance over the past 12 months.
Howmet Aerospace briefly popped above a double-bottom buy point of 138.06. However, it retreated back below this level. Overall performance is strong, with its Composite Rating sitting at 98. Its relative strength line is hitting new highs, a bullish sign.
But Howmet's earnings are due Thursday. This makes buying now risky. An approach highlighted by Investor's Business Daily is to use options as a strategy to reduce risk around earnings. It's a way to capitalize on the upside potential of a stock's move around earnings, while reducing the downside risk.
11:03 a.m. ET
Treasury Secretary Bessent Takes Aim At China
Many investors had taken solace in the seemingly more conciliatory tone from Treasury Secretary Bessent over China.
Last week, Bessent said he believed "de-escalation" will come in the trade war. He also said "China needs to change" and that "we want to help it change."
However, he used an appearance on CNBC Monday to put some rhetorical pressure on the world's second largest economy. He said it is an unreliable trade partner and should be responsible for reducing tensions.
"I believe it's up to China to de-escalate, because they sell five times more to us than we sell to them," he said. "And so these 125% and 145% tariffs are unsustainable."
Bessent also said many countries offered "very good proposals" on trade, and said a deal with India is likely to be "one of the first trade deals we would sign."
Stock Market Today: Spirit AeroSystems Pops
Spirit AeroSystems stock was higher on the stock market today after it formalized a deal with Airbusto take over some plants in the U.S., Europe and Africa.
The deal will see it transfer some of its assets to Airbus, including a plant in North Carolina and a plant in Northern Ireland.
The former plant is used to make an important fuselage part for the A350 jet while the latter produces carbon-fiber wings for the A220.
Airbus is also acquiring the production of wing components for the A320 and A350 in Scotland.
Airbus will pay Spirit $439 million for the sites while also providing provide $200 million in credit lines.
European aerospace giant Airbus is hoping that taking direct control of the sites will help stabilize supply of key parts following months of disruptions.
Spirit AeroSystems rose nearly 3% while Airbus, a key rival of Boeing, also rallied nearly 3%. Boeing announced last year it was acquiring Spirit. The deal has yet to close.
ADMA Clears Profit Target Amid FDA Approval
ADMA Biologics stock cleared a profit goal Monday after it received Food and Drug Administration approval for a new process for extracting antibodies.
The FDA gave the nod for an immunoglobulin production process. The company extracts immunoglobulin, also known as antibodies, capable of blocking specific viruses. Its new process will increase the output of the antibodies by 20%. ADMA expects this to accelerate its revenue and earnings trajectory beginning later this year.
ADMA's products infuse people with primary immunodeficiency with the virus-blocking antibodies their own bodies can't make.
The company's shares gapped up in massive volume on the stock market today. It cleared the 20% profit goal from a 20.70 cup-with-handle buy point.
Overall performance for the biotech is excellent, with its IBD Composite Rating sitting at a near-ideal 98.
Please follow Michael Larkin on X at @IBD_MLarkin for more analysis of growth stocks.