Post-Bell｜U.S. Stocks Closed Mixed As Tech And Semiconductors Diverged; AI Software And Memory Chips Drew Focus

Stock Market

As of Oct 13, the U.S. major indexes closed as follows: Dow Jones up 0.38% at 51,850.55; S&P 500 declined 0.06% at 7,807.24; NASDAQ declined 0.44% at 27,245.90.

Unusual-move stocks were led by sharp gains in a few small-cap names, while several chip and internet names fell. Euro Tech rose 58.09% at $2.15; Gulf Resources rose 21.61% at $3.32; Freight Technologies rose 19.17% at $0.35; Xiao I Corp rose 18.23% at $2.40; Smart Powerr rose 13.88% at $0.20; and UTStarcom rose 9.73% at $2.48.

On the downside, Yiren Digital fell 44.05% at $0.56; China SXT Pharmaceuticals fell 31.41% at $0.10; Chaince Digital Holdings fell 17.09% at $7.18; Baosheng Media Group Holdings fell 14.51% at $0.21; and Cango fell 13.96% at $3.02.

Among larger names, Apple rose 1.29% at $340.97, Meta Platforms rose 3.38% at $742.96, while NVIDIA fell 1.29% at $226.32 and Micron Technology fell 3.88% at $989.04.

Chip-related weakness was a notable theme, but several software and cloud-linked names held up better. Microsoft rose 1.14% at $541.15, and Alphabet rose 0.32% at $348.97.

In contrast, Advanced Micro Devices fell 2.28% at $594.24, Marvell Technology fell 3.42% at $265.86, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing fell 1.98% at $444.35, and Broadcom fell 1.88% at $354.73.

Other Markets

U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rose by 0.00%, latest at 5.24.

USD/CNH rose 0.01%, at 6.73; USD/HKD fell 0.01%, at 7.85.

U.S. Dollar Index rose by 0.02%, at 102.58.

WTI crude futures fell by 0.39%, at 93.37 USD/bbl; COMEX gold futures rose by 0.07%, at 4193.60 USD/oz.

Top News

1. Meta launched a new AI model to strengthen its Muse assistant. Meta released Muse Wonder and said it will power Muse for paid users. The company said the model improves memory, focus, and task execution. The move is intended to improve retention and speed adoption of its personal assistant.

2. Bank of America upgraded Salesforce on confidence in its AI strategy. Bank of America raised Salesforce to buy from underperform and lifted its target price. The bank said large enterprises are unlikely to replace platforms that hold business logic, data, workflows, and compliance systems. The call helped support the shares and underscored optimism around enterprise AI spending.

3. Microsoft unveiled Maia 300 to expand its in-house AI chip effort. Microsoft said the new chip will be deployed across its data centers beginning in a later phase. The company plans to run multiple gigawatts of AI workloads on Maia hardware. The announcement signals continued effort to reduce dependence on outside chip suppliers.

4. Nvidia and Cisco introduced a higher-capacity optical module for AI infrastructure. The companies announced USFP, an optical module designed for faster data transmission in AI networks. They said it offers greater bandwidth density and better power efficiency than the prior generation. The launch could aid networking suppliers and improve the infrastructure layer around AI buildouts.

5. LVMH reported slower sales growth and flagged weaker Chinese demand. The luxury group said organic sales rose only modestly and its fashion division posted a decline. The company pointed to a less buoyant environment in China. The update renewed pressure on the luxury sector’s recovery narrative.

6. Wells Fargo downgraded Adobe amid a shift in IT budgets toward AI. The bank said corporate spending is moving from traditional software toward artificial-intelligence products. It cut Adobe to underweight and lowered its target price. The report suggested front-office software vendors may face the most pressure from budget reallocation.

7. Deutsche Bank upgraded AST SpaceMobile after recent volatility. The analyst raised the stock to buy from hold and kept the target price unchanged. The note said recent weakness had created an attractive setup despite earlier pressure from launch issues and spectrum-related concerns. The move pointed to renewed investor attention on satellite communications.

8. Trump disclosed large purchases of Meta shares in a recent filing. The disclosure showed a sizable Meta purchase alongside other portfolio activity. The filing also included sales in several companies, including semiconductor and consumer names. The report drew attention because it highlighted active repositioning in a high-profile portfolio.

9. China’s CXMT advanced a new memory chip and pressured peers. The company said it planned to roll out a product with a denser chip design later this year. The development weighed on memory-related shares as investors assessed competitive risk. The news added to concerns about pricing and market-share pressure in the memory cycle.

10. U.S. banks prepared to open earnings season with rate and trading themes in focus. Major lenders were set to report results soon, with investors watching interest-rate effects and investment-banking revenue. Analysts said recent weakness in bank stocks has reflected fear more than fundamentals. The reports could reset expectations for financials if profitability and credit trends hold up.

Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market dataDisclaimer: This content is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice.