Nasdaq Holds a Gain After Seoul Chip Stocks Fall Today

The Nasdaq holds a small gain after Seoul chip stocks fell, as of 22:00 Cyprus. As flagged in this morning's analysis, South Korea's Kospi was still open near 5,529 and labeled a risk to the US open. Seoul closed 5,552.74, down 3.73 percent. US cash absorbed that move: the Nasdaq Composite last printed about 26,489, up 0.2 percent from Monday's 26,430.89. Those are intraday prints. US cash remains open until 16:00 New York, which falls at 23:00 Cyprus today. This is the evening scorecard, not an instruction.

The Session: Nasdaq Holds While Cash Stays Open

The S&P 500 last printed about 7,723, up 0.4 percent from Monday's 7,690.73 (Barron's 7,722.91 at 14:18 New York). Range 7,668.03 to 7,748.42. Monday's 7,731.18 high was taken. Friday's 7,756.84 high was not. October 6's 7,818.93 record close remains unrepaired. The Nasdaq Composite last printed about 26,489, up 0.2 percent. The Dow last printed about 52,489, up 1.0 percent. The Russell 2000 last printed about 2,776, up 1.8 percent. Technology recovered from the open without leading. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index last printed about 11,371, up 0.5 percent, after opening near 11,171. 3M gained after expanding an Amazon data-center partnership and raising its full-year profit forecast. General Motors fell more than 6 percent on cost pressure. UK unemployment printed 4.7 percent against 5.0 percent seen (ONS). West Texas Intermediate last printed about 97.63 dollars on the December contract (TradingView), after tagging 101.37 and fading. S&P bullish trigger: a hold through Friday's 7,756.84 toward the October 6 7,818.93 record. Bearish trigger: a fade through Monday's 7,690.73, then Friday's 7,659.44 and 7,631.77.

Story of the Day: Housing Starts Miss, Pending Sales Hit a Record Low

September housing starts printed a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.221 million, down 5.2 percent from a revised 1.288 million in August and below the about 1.30 million seen (Census Bureau). That is a third consecutive monthly decline. Building permits held at 1.400 million. At 10:00 ET the National Association of Realtors said the pending home sales index fell 7.3 percent to 66.0, the lowest reading since the series began in 2001. NAR pointed to mortgage rates, with the 30-year fixed averaging 7.40 percent last week. Monday's NAHB builder index had already printed 29, the lowest since June 2012. Listed real estate is the US-session shock. Yields barely moved: the 10-year last printed about 5.10 percent, well under the 10 basis-point bar. Housing bullish trigger: a reclaim of the 1.30 million starts zone on the next print. Bearish trigger: a follow-through decline in pending sales from the 66.0 record low.

Crypto Check: Bitcoin Reclaims This Morning's 81,760 Print

Bitcoin last printed about 82,489 dollars (TradingView Bitstamp 82,489.42). Coinbase sat at 82,497 and CoinGecko at 82,462 at 18:40 UTC, all under 1 percent apart. Session range 81,102 to 83,335. This morning last printed about 81,760. The 21 EMA at 82,700 remains the key reference overhead. The range low at 80,400 is next, with the range high at 84,400 overhead. Thursday's about 79,800 remains the floor. Ether last printed about 2,438 dollars versus this morning's about 2,399. Crypto's daily candle closes at 00:00 UTC, so these remain intraday. Live levels: homepage. BTC bullish trigger: a reclaim of 82,700. Bearish trigger: a slip through 80,400, then about 79,800.

After-Hours and Overnight Watch

US cash still has the last hour as of 22:00 Cyprus. Netflix and SpaceX report after the close at about 23:00 Cyprus (20:00 UTC). Germany's ZEW expectations fell to 28.1 from 34.7, below the about 30 seen; eurozone ZEW printed 18.5. Wednesday is the week's fulcrum: UK CPI at 09:00 Cyprus (06:00 UTC), then Tesla and Meta after the close, and a 13 billion dollar 20-year auction. API crude stocks print this evening. The Fed remains in blackout through October 29 ahead of the October 27-28 FOMC. Gold last printed about 4,123 dollars, a fade from this morning's about 4,131, under the 2 percent bar. Key support sits at 4,100, with resistance 4,215 to 4,242 overhead. Oil faded from today's 101.37 spike toward 97.63 on the new December contract. Docket: week ahead and the calendar. Scenarios to watch.

For live prices see the ThriveInMarkets homepage. None of the above is a recommendation to buy or sell any asset. Index prints are intraday as of 18:41 UTC Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Gold, oil, Bitcoin and Ether are live as of 22:00 Cyprus.