U.S. stocks are pushing higher as investors head into the middle of the trading day, with the S&P 500 up around 0.6% and the Russell 2000 also showing strength. Despite ongoing concerns around geopolitics, oil prices and interest rates, volatility remains relatively contained, with the VIX holding near 15.5 and well below the 20 level often associated with heightened market stress.
FinTech TV correspondent Mark Payton joins in from the CBOE trading floor to break down what traders are watching. With earnings season winding down, attention is turning to Broadcom and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, with prediction market traders signaling strong expectations for both companies to beat earnings estimates.
Broadcom could provide an especially important read on the strength of the AI trade. Prediction markets are pricing in a high probability of an earnings beat and strong AI revenue, while HPE offers insight into demand for servers, networking and the broader infrastructure supporting AI expansion. With both reports due after the bell, investors will be watching closely for clues about whether AI demand remains as strong as expected.