Monday, Nov 3, 2025
Key Drivers:
Risk appetite returned, driven by strong momentum in AI/mega-cap tech names, and optimism in ecommerce.
Macro data didn’t dominate, so markets interpreted the start of the week as a buying opportunity.
Sector Breakdown:
Leaders: Tech and Consumer Discretionary out-performed thanks to AI and ecommerce tailwinds.
Laggards: Defensive sectors under-whelmed, indicating a rotational preference for growth.
Notable Movers:
Large tech names such as Amazon and Nvidia pushed higher and helped underpin the broader market move.
Volatility Insight:
The VIX index closed around ~17.2 and peaked near ~18.8 intraday. The low volatility reflects a relatively calm, risk-on environment.
Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025
Key Drivers:
A tech-led selloff emerged following warnings from major bank CEOs about a possible market pullback.
High valuations in growth/AI names triggered anxiety and accelerated the decline.
Sector Breakdown:
Information Technology declined most sharply.
Consumer Discretionary and Communication Services also fell as growth-oriented stocks took the hit.
Notable Movers:
Names like Palantir and Uber declined significantly, while mega-caps such as Nvidia, Alphabet, and Microsoft retraced from recent highs.
Volatility Insight:
VIX surged toward ~19–20 as equities dropped—a textbook example of volatility rising during risk-off sentiment.
Wednesday, Nov 5, 2025
Key Drivers:
The market rebounded thanks to better-than-expected private employment and services data, coupled with broad earnings beating expectations.
The bounce reflected improved market confidence after Tuesday’s dip.
Sector Breakdown:
Tech and Communication Services resumed strength.
Cyclicals saw selective gains, supported by improving macro data.
Notable Movers:
McDonald’s rose on better sales; names like Axon disappointed and lagged.
Volatility Insight:
VIX dropped to about ~18.0, showing that improved sentiment reduced immediate volatility pressure.
Thursday, Nov 6, 2025
Key Drivers:
Tech weakness re-emerged amid concerns over guidance within the semiconductor space and re-evaluation of growth valuations.
The chip complex weighed heavily on overall sentiment.
Sector Breakdown:
Technology fell ~2%, Consumer Discretionary about ~2.5%.
Semiconductors declined around ~2.4%, accentuating the tech drag.
Notable Movers:
Qualcomm dropped after signaling potential share losses in future device roll-outs; others in the chip sector followed.
Volatility Insight:
VIX climbed back toward ~19.5, reflecting renewed concern around tech valuations and growth risk.
Friday, Nov 7, 2025
Key Drivers:
The session ended mixed: the broader benchmark eked out a small gain, while the Nasdaq lagged amid ongoing mega-cap pressure.
Travel & leisure names helped, but tech weighed.
Sector Breakdown:
Tech remained weak.
Travel/Leisure saw better performance on strong earnings in that category.
Notable Movers:
Expedia surged on a strong earnings print; Block fell after disappointing results.
Volatility Insight:
VIX closed around ~19.1, after an intraday spike toward ~22.7. The jump highlights increased intraday turbulence despite a modest positive finish.
Weekly Volatility Summary
The week followed a “shock → stabilize → aftershocks” pattern: starting with low volatility (~17), spiking mid-week (~19-20), briefly calming (~18), then jumping intraday (~22.7) before settling near ~19. The pattern signals a market wrestling with growth/AI valuation risk, even as earnings remain resilient.