Stock Market Summary – July 17, 2025

Stocks were higher on Thursday as the market continued to navigate through the second quarter earnings season. Tech and industrial sectors buoyed the S&P 500, but the index was weighed down by real estate and health care. Dow Jones and NASDAQ numbers are not provided in the information.

Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer have announced plans to offer their blood-thinning medication Eliquis directly to consumers through their Eliquis 360 support program at a 40% discount to the current list price. This news has not affected the Bristol Myers stock price. Contrarily, Abbott Laboratories, a health-care company, saw its stocks fell due to disappointing forward guidance despite recording an increase in Q2 revenue.

Nvidia shares, driven by strong growth in AI trade, are predicted to increase to $200. Chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company recently lifted its 2025 sales outlook to 30% growth, contributing to Nvidia’s positive outlook.

On another note, Starbucks has been downgraded to an underperform sell rating from hold at Jeffries, leading to potential concerns for investors. However, the company’s prove is expected to experince upswing if it drops to the $80s.

Looking at banks, the six biggest U.S. banks have reportedly generated about $39 billion in Q2 profit, exceeding expert predictions and jumping more than 20% from their earnings the previous year. Analyst Mike Mayo noted that the fears of a recession have largely disappeared.

Contrastingly, although United Airlines managed to beat EPS for the second quarter, it missed revenue estimates due to weaker demand and fares for domestic-coach class travel. In response, the carrier revised its full-year earnings forecast, settling it in the middle of two previously provided scenarios.

Finally, President Donald Trump dispelled rumors that he was planning to drop Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which slightly swayed market trends, but then stocks recovered after his denial.

In today’s stock market news, several companies saw significant movement. Steven Madden’s stock jumped 5% following an upgrade from Citi. Lucid Group saw an impressive 31% surge after an announcement about its planned deployment of 20,000 vehicles through Uber’s platform. Elevance Health’s shares fell 16% after missing Q2 earnings expectations, but Monarch Casino & Resort, GE Aerospace, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Sarepta Therapeutics all exceeded expectations and saw their stocks surge. Meanwhile, shares of Sonic Automotive and Group 1 Automotive fell after JPMorgan downgraded them, and Abbott Laboratories’ stock also declined following a weak Q3 guidance.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced a new bill targeting price gouging by large companies amidst rising prices due to increased tariffs and inflation. The Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025, if passed, would make price gouging illegal and give power to the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to litigate against market power abuses.

McDonald’s saw positive outcomes from the reintroduction of its Snack Wrap, which helped their third-quarter sales. Despite expectations for a sluggish August, analysts anticipate that the product will continue to drive traffic and boost sales.

Lastly, GE Vernova shares are being sold despite an anticipated strong Q2 report. This move is largely due to concern that the strong performance of the stock might lead to substantial profit-taking when the company reports its earnings.