US stocks end higher as CoreWeave results ease AI spending worries

US stocks saw a rise on Wednesday, November 11, as the earnings of neocloud firm CoreWeave alleviated investor worries about the sustainability of the AI trade. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both surged by more than 1 percent, with CoreWeave shares skyrocketing 24.7 percent to reach their highest level in two weeks. CoreWeave anticipated profitability in the first half of 2028 on an adjusted basis.

Many AI infrastructure stocks also experienced a boost, with Nebius Group rising 15.4 percent and Applied Digital increasing 7.4 percent. Nvidia's stock stabilized following two days of substantial declines, having shed around $430 billion in market capitalization due to concerns over CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with a suspected Chinese spy.

The indices experienced volatility due to concerns about potential regulation in the AI sector following Democratic victories in the US midterm elections and Nvidia's leadership issues. Investors were encouraged by lower oil prices, but the rise in Treasury yields due to hot inflation data kept them cautious. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 254.60 points, the S&P 500 increased 98.45 points, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 400.31 points.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor index saw a 5.7 percent jump, marking its highest level since November 3. Despite recent selling pressure, investors continued to buy equities, with all net inflows coming through ETFs and institutional clients. The S&P 500 technology index was the top-performing among the 11 major S&P sectors, rising 2.7 percent over three of the past four sessions.

The CBOE Volatility Index fell to a one-week low of 17.49. Investors also looked into Anthropic's terms for its initial public offering, aiming for a valuation of up to $1.4 trillion. Hot inflation data suggested that the US Federal Reserve might raise interest rates next month, with traders fully expecting a hike of at least 25 basis points and a 10.4 percent chance of a 50-basis-point increase.