US stocks traded mostly higher on Wednesday, buoyed by strong results from SpaceX and Super Micro Computer that rekindled optimism about AI-related demand. The S&P 500 advanced 0.3%, the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 180 points.
SpaceX jumped 9% after Elon Musk said a merger with Tesla would be “a good idea,” and the space technology company reported its first profit as a publicly traded firm. Tesla rose 2.5%, while other space-related names, including Rocket Lab, Planet Labs, and Intuitive Machines, gained between 3.9% and 6.5%.
Super Micro Computer surged 14% after issuing a stronger-than-expected quarterly outlook, lifting shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Dell by 4.5% and 7.7%, respectively. Most semiconductor stocks also moved higher, with Nvidia, Intel, and AMD among the notable gainers.
In contrast, Netflix fell more than 4% after providing a weaker-than-expected profit forecast for the fourth quarter, just days after announcing workforce reductions. AT&T declined 3.5% despite beating earnings estimates, and Elevance Health slipped 1.2% even as it raised its 2026 profit outlook.
