Summary: Stocks hit record highs in Q2, with strong jobs data boosting weekly gains in Q3.

From Nasdaq: 2025-07-03 13:19:00

Stocks reached record highs in the second quarter, with the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 both hitting fresh records. The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a 400-point gain and fourth-straight win after President Trump’s bill cleared the Senate. Despite a midweek tech rotation, strong jobs data boosted stocks for healthy weekly gains.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Trump continued to clash, affecting the Nasdaq. AI names like Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Juniper Networks surged after a settlement with the Department of Justice. Quantum computing giant Rigetti Computing received positive analyst attention, while Meta Platforms and BigBear.ai were in focus.

July brings seasonality trends, with oil stocks like Coterra Energy historically performing poorly this month. Alphabet and Nvidia are among the best stocks to own in July and for the third quarter, with Nvidia hitting a record high. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have seen outperforming sectors in the third quarter.

After the Independence Day holiday, investors will receive Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes for May and consumer credit data. Conagra, Delta Air Lines, and Levi Strauss will report quarterly results. A list of stocks to target for the second half of the year has been uncovered, while caution is advised at a key S&P 500 level.



Read more at Nasdaq: Stocks Finish Q2 Strong, Start Q3 Stronger