Wall Street posted a steady advance Tuesday, with all three major indexes closing in the green as investors digested a softer-than-expected JOLTS job openings report. The data showed job openings fell to their lowest level in over two years, a reading the market interpreted as a sign the labor market is cooling just enough to keep the Federal Reserve on the sidelines through summer.
The Nasdaq led the charge, climbing 0.9% and reclaiming the 19,300 level, powered largely by a strong session in semiconductor and AI-adjacent names. Nvidia was the standout, rallying 3.4% after news broke that a prominent sovereign wealth fund had added a sizable stake, validating the long-term conviction around AI infrastructure spending.
On the downside, Pfizer was the session's notable loser, sliding 3.1% after management cut its full-year revenue outlook during an investor day presentation. Healthcare broadly lagged, with defensive sectors underperforming as risk appetite improved across the board.
Energy names were mixed as crude oil held near $74 a barrel without much conviction in either direction. Gold dipped slightly but remained above $2,300, suggesting investors haven't entirely abandoned their defensive hedges even as equities push higher.