U.S. stocks edged higher on Wednesday, with all three major indices advancing as investors looked ahead to a pivotal earnings report from Nvidia (NVDA -0.01%). The S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.24%) gained 0.24% to finish at a record high, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.21%) added 0.21%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 0.32%) led with a 0.32% advance.
Momentum built around expectations that Nvidia will deliver another quarter of blockbuster revenue fueled by surging demand for AI chips, despite regulatory limits on exports to China. Traders also noted renewed strength in digital assets, with Bitcoin (BTC 0.36%) crossing the $112,000 threshold, bolstering risk sentiment across equities.
Politics remained in the market narrative as President Trump reportedly put pressure on Fed Governor Lisa Cook in his pursuit of deeper rate cuts, highlighting the ongoing tension between the White House and the Federal Reserve. While the market largely shrugged off the comments, concerns about central bank independence lingered.
Looking ahead, Nvidia's results after the close are set to drive sentiment in the technology sector and could set the tone for the broader market into the end of the week.
Market data sourced from Google Finance and Yahoo! Finance on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025.
