Nasdaq, S&P 500 lifted by Nvidia's forecast; investors eye speech by Fed's Warsh

The technology-focused Nasdaq outperformed other indices on August 27, following Nvidia's impressive revenue forecast that reinforced the momentum of the AI boom and drove gains in tech stocks. Nvidia's shares surged by 8.7 percent after the company's strong forecast surpassed investor expectations, reinforcing the belief that the tech rally still has potential for further growth.

Lale Akoner, a global market strategist at eToro, noted that Nvidia's results highlight that the AI boom persists in demand even as growth becomes more costly and capital-intensive. Morgan Stanley's note revealed that Nvidia's revenue growth forecast for 2027 at 70 percent surpasses their estimate of 52 percent, with the consensus estimate closer to 40 percent.

Analyst Joseph Moore from Morgan Stanley added that Nvidia is likely to continue breaking down barriers to higher growth.

The S&P 500 closed at 7,730.99, or 0.72 percent higher, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.57 percent, reaching 26,541.35. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 105.56 points, or 0.2 percent, to 53,569.44. US chip-linked stocks also saw an average gain of 2.3 percent. The S&P 500's Information Technology sector experienced the largest increase, rising 3.4 percent and leading the group of 11 constituents, which were mainly performing poorly.

Despite Nvidia's earnings beat and robust guidance, it's apparent that not all market sectors received the same boost. Market headwinds, such as higher interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and global trade issues, continue to impact other sectors negatively. Brent crude prices surged by over US$2 per barrel following a Wall Street Journal report that US President Donald Trump had no intention of revisiting the terms of the Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June.

Several technology companies reported strong earnings, including Salesforce, which rose by 22.6 percent after raising revenue and profit forecasts, and CrowdStrike, which gained 20.5 percent following a higher annual revenue forecast and surpassing second-quarter earnings estimates. These positive reports helped calm concerns that advanced AI tools could disrupt the traditional software industry and narrow the gap with semiconductors, which are considered the primary beneficiaries of the AI boom.

Shares of other software firms, including ServiceNow and Palo Alto Networks, also experienced a surge.

On the other hand, companies like Moderna and HP faced declines. Moderna's stock dropped by 4.6 percent after announcing a US$2 billion convertible bond sale, while HP fell by almost 3 percent due to declining shipments and margins in its PC unit during the third quarter. With Nvidia's results out, investor attention shifted to Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's first Jackson Hole address on August 28 for insights into the central bank's reaction to the latest inflation data and efforts to lower yields.