Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq hesitate before midterm election results and AMD profits

U.S. stocks were mixed as Americans headed to the polls for the midterm elections and braced for more profits in the AI sector from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 0.3%, while those of the S&P 500 (^GSPC) increased by 0.2%. The Nasdaq Composite, with a strong technological component (^IXIC) rose 0.5% after a rocky day for chip stocks.

Tonight, investors will be watching election results and ballot initiatives for insight into potential policy changes on key issues affecting markets including pharmaceuticals, the real estate market and AI data centers.

But before that, AMD will report results after the closing bell, giving investors another look at AI demand at a precarious time for the artificial intelligence business. As Intel (INTC) stock demonstrated last week, the market’s reaction will likely depend as much on fourth-quarter guidance as it does on the company’s bottom-line results in the most recent quarter.

Apple (AAPL) stock fell in early trading following its own earnings report, which showed several bright spots (iPhone sales) but also a few misses (Greater China revenue). Palantir (PLTR) stock also fell after the earnings release despite better-than-expected results.

As earnings season continues apace, the Department of Labor will release its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report, providing details on the level of job openings, hiring and separations in the United States.

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CrowdStrike announces it will buy two AI cybersecurity startups. Stocks are rising.
CrowdStrike (CRWD) announced Tuesday that it has agreed to buy two AI security startups, Yahoo Finance. Inès Ferré reports:
CrowdStrike announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Fiddler AI, a startup that develops tools that allow companies to track their AI systems.
The company also announced a deal to acquire Dreadnode, a startup that develops tools to test security vulnerabilities in AI systems. CrowdStrike said the technology will enable its Falcon platform to continuously scan AI models, applications and agents for potential security vulnerabilities before deployment.
The combined purchase price of the two is $495 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Shares of the cybersecurity company gained more than 2% in early trading.
Learn more:
Petrol, Diesel Prices Hit Record Highs on Election Day
Gasoline and diesel prices are the highest they have ever been on an Election Day in U.S. history, according to Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis.
The national average price of a gallon of gasoline is now $4.14, while the price of a gallon of diesel is $6.29, according to AAA.
Rising prices, particularly for fuel, are a major source of frustration for voters ahead of Tuesday’s elections.
Brent crude futures (BZ=F), the international benchmark, fell about 1% to trade around $104 a barrel on Tuesday morning, while U.S. WTI crude (CL=F) crossed the $100 mark on Monday and is now trading around $96, down 6% from five days ago.
Brent crude ended October at its highest level in six months, amid fears of a further escalation of conflict after the midterm elections. The decline from this summit comes as hopes return to the market following discussions on a possible ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
US stocks mixed as midterm results approach
U.S. stocks opened mixed Tuesday as investors awaited midterm election results and more AI-related benefits to come.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 0.4%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) rose 0.3% after a rocky day for chip stocks. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) was up slightly.

51,715.39 -268.59 (-0.52%)
At 10:35:48 a.m. EST. Open market.
^DJI ^GSPC ^IXIC
Investors will be watching the election results Tuesday night for possible policy changes in areas such as housing, pharmaceuticals and AI infrastructure. Before that, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) reports after the bell, offering another read on AI demand after a sharp sell-off in chip stocks.
Apple (AAPL) and Palantir (PLTR) also fell following their earnings reports, as did pharmaceutical maker Pfizer (PFE) and e-commerce platform Shopify (SHOP).
Shopify inventory plummets as third-quarter revenue and total order value miss Wall Street estimates
Shopify (SHOP) stock plunged 15% in premarket trading Tuesday after reporting third-quarter results that missed the mark on several key metrics.
The cloud-based e-commerce platform’s third-quarter revenue of $3.74 billion fell slightly short of consensus estimates of $3.75 billion for the first time since 2022, according to Bloomberg data. Subscription revenue for the quarter of $836 million also beat Wall Street expectations of $850.2 million, raising concerns about growth in its core recurring revenue business.
Gross merchandise volume, or the total dollar value of orders sold through the Shopify platform, was $119.15 billion, also below estimates of $120.08 billion.
Shopify’s adjusted earnings per share of $0.49 beat estimates by $0.48.
Learn more.
Binance Co-Founder CZ Says Users ‘Suffered No Loss’ After $6.3 Billion Hack
Yahoo Finance’s Brian Sozzi spoke with Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao, better known in crypto circles as CZ, after hackers stole approximately $6.3 billion in digital assets from the world’s largest cryptocurrency trading platform.
“It’s been quite an eventful process,” Zhao said of the aftermath of the hack. “But the good thing is that as of now, withdrawals have been restored and systems are back to normal. People are now free to use the platform without any issues. And all users’ funds are covered. Users have not suffered any losses.”
Sozzi writes that Binance acted quickly to stabilize the situation by ensuring full refunds to customers, deploying corporate cash reserves, capital from the Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU), and insurance funds to replenish user balances.
“There is no such thing as 100% security,” CZ added. “So when you run a platform, especially a crypto platform, the opportunity is always there. I didn’t think it would get this big, probably not.”
Prediction Markets and Polls: The Election Prediction Industry Faces a Midterm Test
Ben Werschkul of Yahoo Finance reports:
Prediction markets and pollsters both estimate that Democrats are favored to win the U.S. House and Senate on Tuesday. But the prediction markets are a little less certain, particularly on the Senate side.
This opens what could be a new chapter in the burgeoning rivalry between prediction markets and polls following the closely watched 2024 results. It is in the Upper House where the differences are most evident.
A small but consistent gap has been evident for months in the chances of Democrats taking control of the Senate. The gap has averaged about 7.4 percentage points since September 1, according to an analysis by Yahoo Finance.
It stood at 7.2 percentage points Monday, with three prediction markets giving a 73.1% chance that Democrats will take control, while two polling-based models suggest the chances are higher, at 80.3%.
Learn more.
Chart by Yahoo Finance
Apple showed once again that consumers will complain – but continue to pay
Yahoo Finance’s Hamza Shaban writes for today’s Morning Brief newsletter:
It’s not easy to shell out more than $1,000 for a new iPhone every two years. But Apple (AAPL) has proven once again that complaining about prices is not the same as not wanting to make the purchase.
The company reported its quarter after the bell Monday, showing revenue growth of 12% last quarter and beating Wall Street expectations. The company also beat its earnings per share.
Apple’s robust iPhone sales are a microcosm of one of the main forces fueling the economy. Even though people may be furious about rising prices, the tireless American consumer continues to pay in anger.
Learn more.
A woman uses the new foldable iPhone Duo, on its launch day at an Apple Store, in Berlin, Germany October 23, 2026. REUTERS/Annegert Hilse · Reuters / REUTERS
Some highlights from Palantir’s earnings call Monday evening
Palantir’s (PLTR) third-quarter revenue and profit beat Wall Street estimates, and the company raised its full-year revenue outlook, Yahoo Finance’s Ines Ferré reported Monday.
In another milestone, the company’s commercial activities in the United States exceeded those of the U.S. government for the first time ever.
“We went from being the most attractive person in the physics department to being the captain of the football team,” Palantir CEO Alex Karp said during the earnings conference call.
Good morning. Here’s what’s happening today.
Economic data: JOLTS job offers, September (7.1 million expected, 7.09 million previously); JOLTS leaves its level in September (3.09 million expected, 3.06 million previously); Level of layoffs JOLTS, September (1.66 million expected, 1.64 million previously); Factory orders, September (+1.1% expected, +0.1% previously)
Earnings schedule: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Amgen (AMGN), Arista Networks (ANET), Shopify (SHOP), Pfizer (PFE), Eaton Corporation (ETN), Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC), Suncor Energy (SU), Energy Transfer (ET), Ferrari NV (RACE), Apollo Global Management (APO), Thomson Reuters (TRI), Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), Block (XYZ), Yum! Brands (YUM), Sysco (SYY)
Catch up on some news you may have missed overnight:
Disney’s theme parks, TV and movie units face steep cuts, report says
Palantir Raises Full-Year Outlook as U.S. Commercial Sales Accelerate
Robinhood in ‘food fight’ for retail allocation of Anthropic IPO
Intel stock slump deepens – and $3.7 trillion chip rout spreads
Apple beats fourth-quarter estimates on strong iPhone sales, but misses revenue in China