Wednesday, November 4, 2026Briefs at the open & close · ET
Finance AI

The market, briefly — at every open and close


The Opening Bell Latest Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · Published 9:31 AM EST

Policy

Democrats Sweep Midterm Elections to Take Control of Congress

Democrats scored a major victory in the midterms by flipping both the House and Senate, positioning the party to challenge President Trump's legislative agenda and launch heavy congressional investigations. The unexpected blue wave included key victories in redesigned districts and dealt a high-profile setback to allies of the administration.

Policy
Photo via CNBC

Today's Top Stories

6 stories

Markets

CVS Health Plans Massive Breakup by Splitting Off Drugstore Unit

CVS announced plans to separate its roughly 9,000 retail pharmacies from its insurance and pharmacy benefit manager operations in a public split scheduled for early 2028. The move effectively reverses its $78 billion acquisition of Aetna and dismantles its vertically integrated healthcare model, even as the company posted third-quarter earnings and revenue that topped Wall Street estimates.

CNBC ↗

Tech

AMD Reports Surge in Third-Quarter Data Center Sales

Advanced Micro Devices beat Wall Street's expectations with a 45% jump in overall revenue, driven by data center sales nearly doubling year-over-year. CEO Lisa Su expects server revenue to double again in 2027 as agentic AI applications boost demand for the company's central processing units.

CNBC ↗

Tech

SpaceX Partners with Qualcomm for Starlink Mobile Network Infrastructure

SpaceX signed a multiyear deal with Qualcomm to utilize its cellular infrastructure hardware and software for the Starlink Mobile service rollout starting next year. The partnership provides crucial terrestrial cellular capabilities to back up SpaceX's satellite network as it competes against major telecommunications carriers.

CNBC ↗

Economy

Private Sector Employment Holds Steady with 86,000 Jobs Added in October

ADP reported that U.S. businesses added 86,000 jobs in October, matching the downwardly revised September total and slightly outpacing the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 75,000. Service sector hiring led the gains, while wage growth for job-changers hit its fastest annual pace since March 2024.

MarketWatch ↗

Central Banks

U.S. Treasury Revamps Debt-Sale Guidance in Quarterly Refunding

The U.S. Treasury updated its issuance guidance language for notes and bonds, potentially opening the door to reductions in sales of its longest-dated debt by 2027. The changes accompanied a decision to keep current auction sizes steady.

Bloomberg ↗

Business

Freeport-McMoRan Green-Lights $4.5 Billion Arizona Copper Expansion

Freeport-McMoRan approved a multi-billion-dollar project to expand an Arizona copper mine aimed at more than doubling mining and processing output. The capital allocation reflects miners' efforts to meet accelerating global demand for the metal.

Bloomberg ↗

Markets at a Glance

vs. previous close
S&P 5007,653.14▲ +1.11%
Nasdaq25,372.01▲ +0.83%
Dow Jones52,809.68▲ +1.98%
Russell 20002,812.45▲ +0.23%
10-Year Treasury4.92%▼ −3 bp
WTI Crude$93.26▼ −2.95%
Gold$4,049.20▲ +2.76%
U.S. Dollar Index101.33▼ −0.53%
Bitcoin$78,235.25▲ +1.15%

Levels as of 9:31 AM EST. Source: Yahoo Finance; may be delayed.

The Market Today

Markets rallied broadly following the U.S. midterm elections, as a Democratic sweep of both congressional chambers raised expectations for a divided government and reduced policy-related risks. The S&P 500 rose 1.11% to 7,653.14, the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.98% to 52,809.68, and the Nasdaq advanced 0.83% to 25,372.01. Treasury yields fell with the 10-year note dropping 3 basis points to 4.92%, while safe-haven gold climbed 2.76% to $4,049.20 per ounce.

Your Watchlist

vs. previous close
AAPLApple$341.85+1.04%
MSFTMicrosoft$543.75+7.22%
NVDANvidia$203.81+0.87%
AMZNAmazon$264.97+7.87%
GOOGLAlphabet$284.07+1.82%
METAMeta$640.08+5.50%
TSLATesla$379.67−5.98%
JPMJPMorgan Chase$345.50+1.44%
XOMExxon Mobil$177.46−1.23%
  • Apple (AAPL) Shares traded up 1.04% to $341.85. The company recently launched beta versions of watch AI listening tools and a new health app, while warning investors about potential unpredictable behavior from AI agents. Bloomberg
  • Microsoft (MSFT) Shares gained 7.22% to $543.75. Adobe announced the integration of its enterprise coworker platform across AI frameworks provided by major tech leaders including Microsoft. Financial Times
  • Nvidia (NVDA) Shares moved up 0.87% to $203.81. Reports indicated that Nvidia's China-based clients are set to receive only 1% of the $70 billion in RTX chips they ordered amid ongoing trade restrictions and export limits. Bloomberg
  • Amazon (AMZN) Shares rallied 7.87% to $264.97. Analysts are increasingly focusing on the emerging threat that AI shopping agents pose to traditional digital advertising and retail business models. Reuters
  • Alphabet (GOOGL) Shares rose 1.82% to $284.07 following the company's international expansion plans, including a $15 billion investment pledge in Malaysia for 2027 and 2028. Reuters
  • Meta (META) Shares advanced 5.50% to $640.08 as the company launched a multi-tranche debt offering, including a debut euro bond sale, to help fund its accelerated artificial intelligence spending. Bloomberg
  • Tesla (TSLA) Shares fell 5.98% to $379.67. Elon Musk's companies faced downward pressure as investors grew concerned that the Democratic sweep in the midterms could lead to less favorable federal policies and regulatory scrutiny. The New York Times
  • JPMorgan Chase (JPM) Shares gained 1.44% to $345.50. The bank is collaborating with international development bodies to help them secure capital relief and optimize balance sheet efficiency. Bloomberg
  • Exxon Mobil (XOM) Shares dropped 1.23% to $177.46, tracking broader downward movement in crude oil prices as investors weighed the geopolitical implications of the congressional shift on Iran policies. WSJ

Today's Calendar

Wednesday, November 4 · times ET

Economic data & events

10:00 AM
ISM Services PMIForecast 54.8 · Previous 54.9

Earnings

TM
Toyota Motor OrdTime TBA
ARM
Arm HoldingsAfter close · Consensus EPS $0.22
MCD
McDonald'sBefore open · Consensus EPS $3.36
NVO
Novo Nordisk A/SBefore open · Consensus EPS $0.81
QCOM
QUALCOMMAfter close · Consensus EPS $1.46
UBER
Uber TechnologiesBefore open · Consensus EPS $0.94
MCK
McKessonAfter close · Consensus EPS $10.69
CVS
CVS HealthBefore open · Consensus EPS $1.62

High-impact release. Earnings shown for large companies ($10B+) and your watchlist. Sources: Forex Factory, Nasdaq. Schedules can change.

Sectors & Movers

The broader equity market was propelled higher by major technology companies, while energy names softened alongside a 2.95% decline in WTI crude to $93.26 per barrel. Clean energy and defense contractors experienced volatility following the congressional power shift. Meanwhile, copper producers gained attention after Freeport-McMoRan's major expansion announcement, and healthcare suppliers moved on CVS's restructuring news.

Live charts: energy, metals & equities →

Macro & Policy

The primary macro driver was the Democratic sweep of the midterm elections, which divided control of Washington and tempered expectations for sweeping executive policy shifts. In economic data, ADP reported private payroll additions of 86,000 for October, setting the stage for the broader nonfarm payrolls report later in the week. The U.S. Dollar Index weakened 0.53% to 101.33, while the Treasury yielded 4.92% as yields edged down following the election results.

What to Watch

  • ISM Services PMI: Watch for the release at 10:00 AM ET, with economists forecasting a reading of 54.8 compared to 54.9 previously.
  • Corporate Earnings Reports: Keep an eye on upcoming results from Toyota Motor, McDonald's, Novo Nordisk, Uber Technologies, Qualcomm, McKesson, CVS Health, and after-the-close reports from Arm Holdings.
  • Labor Market Data: Monitor ongoing commentary ahead of Friday's highly anticipated nonfarm payrolls report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • Geopolitical and Policy Developments: Track international and domestic reactions to the congressional shift and any resulting changes in U.S. foreign policy toward trade and energy.

Sources

53 articles

This brief was written by AI (Google Gemini) from the articles listed above and may contain errors. It is for information only and is not investment advice. Check the original reporting before making decisions.