Tech leads late-day climb as yields stay contained; small caps lag and energy softens with oil
12/02/2025 04:02 PM • Mega-caps put the team on their back again. SPY squeaked higher while QQQ did laps into the close, powered by AI/software hype and clean rate vibes. DIA caught a tailwind from Boeing buzz about fatter 737/787 deliveries next year. Meanwhile, small caps face-planted the couch—IWM lagged as breadth stayed meh. Rates stayed chill enough for growth to flex: last seen 10Y around 4.02% with inflation expectations anchored. That kept TLT/IEF/SHY inching up across the curve—just enough oxygen for tech rockets, not enough to cook financials. Sector tape told the story: XLK strong on NVDA–Synopsys partnership headlines and a market that still pays for visible AI monetization. XLF flat with nothing spicy from rates. XLV slipped on vaccine chatter. XLE red as crude cooled and OPEC+ stuck to a pause, with Russian flows adding drag to sentiment. Metals split the bill—gold took a rest while silver kept shining. DBC said commodities light; energy led the fade. FX/crypto leaned risk-on at the margin: euro firmer, dollar softer, and crypto ripped—BTC back over 91k, ETH near 3k—helped by talk of broader ETF access even as bears whispered about potential forced selling elsewhere. Headlines kept the macro soap opera spicy: ISM still contraction mode, BoJ jawboning hike risk, and Fed-chair handicapping in the background. Concentration risk remains real—indices still riding a handful of titans. Next up: watch Salesforce for AI monetization proof, yields for any policy swerve, and IWM for signs of life. Until then, it’s the same playbook: steady rates, tech dominance, energy squish.
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