Wall Street just pulled off one of those "wait, what?" moves. Honestly, if you looked at the headlines on Friday, you'd have expected a total bloodbath today. Instead, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite just ignored the bad vibes and marched straight to a new record high on Monday, September 8.
It’s kinda wild how the narrative shifts.
Basically, investors took a long look at the weak August jobs report from last week and decided it was actually good news. Why? Because a cooling labor market is the ultimate "green light" for the Federal Reserve to start slashing interest rates. Stocks love cheap money, and right now, the market is betting the house on a cut coming later this month.
The S&P 500 Shuffle: Robinhood and AppLovin’s Big Day
If you own Robinhood (HOOD) or AppLovin (APP), you’re probably having a very good Monday. Stock market news september 8 2025 was dominated by the announcement that these two are officially joining the S&P 500 on September 22.
Robinhood shares absolutely went nuclear, soaring 16% to a record closing high of $117.28. It’s a huge symbolic win for a company that was once the "enfant terrible" of the trading world. AppLovin wasn't far behind, jumping nearly 12%. When a stock gets added to the big index, all the passive funds and ETFs have to buy it. It's like being invited to the VIP section; everyone wants in suddenly.
The S&P 500 itself added 0.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3%. Both are sitting just a hair below their own all-time highs.
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AI Fatigue? Not for Broadcom
Broadcom (AVGO) is becoming the "quiet giant" of the AI world. While everyone stares at Nvidia, Broadcom just keeps stacking wins. The stock climbed another 3% today, following a massive 9% surge on Friday.
The big rumor? They just landed a $10 billion order from a "new client" that most analysts—including the folks over at Melius Research—suspect is OpenAI. If Broadcom is building custom silicon for Sam Altman's crew, the current price might actually be cheap.
Nvidia (NVDA) had a quieter day, ticking up less than 1% to finish around $168. It’s still recovering from a 3% dip on Friday, but the long-term bulls aren't sweating it. Some analysts are predicting that if Broadcom and Nvidia even capture a fraction of the $2 trillion AI addressable market by 2030, these prices will look like a steal in three years.
Apple’s Pre-Launch Jitters
You’ve probably noticed Apple (AAPL) was a bit of a party pooper today. The stock dipped nearly 1% as we head into the "Glowtime" event tomorrow.
It’s the classic "buy the rumor, sell the news" situation. Everyone is expecting the iPhone 17, the super-thin "iPhone Air," and the Apple Watch Series 11. But there’s a lot of skepticism about whether these new features—like the 8x zoom on the Pro and the A19 Pro chip—are enough to make people actually upgrade.
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Plus, the price tags are getting scary. We're hearing the 2TB Pro Max might hit $1,999. In this economy? That's a tough sell for some.
The Losers: CVS and the "Star Rating" Stress
It wasn't all sunshine. CVS Health (CVS) got hammered, dropping 4.8%. This was the worst performer in the S&P 500 today.
Basically, their execs spoke at a Morgan Stanley conference and didn't give the updates investors were desperate for regarding Medicare Advantage "star ratings." In the health insurance world, those ratings are basically the difference between "making bank" and "struggling to break even." The lack of clarity sent traders running for the exits.
Then you’ve got Brown-Forman (BF.B), the people behind Jack Daniel’s. They dropped 4.6%. Between trade disputes with Canada and a "whiskey oversupply" (is that even a thing? apparently so), they’ve lost over a quarter of their value this year.
Gold, Oil, and the Dollar
While stocks were busy rallying, other assets were doing their own thing:
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- Gold: Hit another record high. Futures are up to $3,680 an ounce. People are clearly still a bit nervous about the "big picture" and want a safe haven.
- Oil: WTI crude bounced back 1% to about $62.45. It had been on a three-day losing streak, hitting its lowest level in months.
- The Dollar: Slipped 0.3%. A weaker dollar usually helps multinational stocks, so that contributed to the Nasdaq's record run.
What’s Actually Happening with Interest Rates?
The Fed is in its "blackout period" right now, meaning they aren't supposed to talk to the press before their mid-September meeting. But the market is talking for them.
The consensus is a 25-basis-point cut. Some "doves" are still holding out hope for a 50-basis-point cut because the August jobs report was so soft—only 22,000 jobs added versus the 75,000 expected.
Honestly, the Fed is in a tight spot. If they cut too much, they risk reigniting inflation (which is still hovering around 2.9% for CPI). If they cut too little, the labor market might actually break.
Actionable Insights for Your Portfolio
Don't let the "record highs" make you reckless. September is historically a weird month for stocks.
- Watch the $100 level on Robinhood. Technical analysts are saying if it pulls back, $100 is the key support. If it holds, the run could continue toward $200.
- Apple Event Reaction. Tomorrow is the Apple event. If the stock drops on the news, it might be an entry point, but watch the "iPhone Air" reception closely. If people think it's too thin to have a good battery, the stock might struggle.
- Inflation Data is Next. Later this week, we get the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI). These will be the final "hard data" points before the Fed decides our fate on interest rates.
Keep an eye on the 10-year Treasury yield. It fell to 4.05% today. If it continues to drop, it’s a sign that the bond market is getting more worried about a recession than it is about inflation. That’s usually when you want to start looking at "defensive" sectors like consumer staples (XLP) or utilities.
The market is currently fueled by the "hope" of a soft landing. As long as the Fed delivers that rate cut and the data doesn't get too much worse, the path of least resistance for the Nasdaq seems to be higher.
Next Steps:
Keep a close eye on the Apple "Glowtime" event tomorrow at 1:00 PM ET. The market's reaction to the iPhone 17 pricing and the "Apple Intelligence" features will likely set the tone for the rest of the week for the entire tech sector.