Today’s top stories: Wall Street closes out a strong quarter, with focus on Nike and Aeroenvironment

TLDR

• The S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted their best quarterly performance since 2020, led by AI and technology stocks.
• Nike reported earnings after the bell, with investors watching sales in North America and China.
• Shares of AeroVironment jumped after revenue beat expectations, boosted by demand for military drones.
• Alphabet continues to adjust to its new position in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
• Defense stocks remained in focus as government military spending continues to rise.

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Wall Street ended the first half of 2026 with one of its strongest periods for stocks in recent years. Many stories emerged today, from a record quarter to major company earnings.

Stocks post best quarter since 2020

Standard & Poor’s 500 and Nasdaq It ended the quarter with its best gains since 2020. Technology and artificial intelligence stocks led most of the rally.

Chipmakers, cloud companies and software companies made big gains. Nvidia, Broadcom and Micron were among the names with strong returns this year.

Investors continued to buy despite ongoing questions about inflation and interest rates. The quarter shows that confidence in AI trading has not slowed down.

Nike announces its earnings after the bell

Nike It released its quarterly results after the market closed today. The company has spent the past year working to improve sales through new products and cost cuts.

Investors paid close attention to sales trends in North America and China. Both areas have been weak spots for the company over recent quarters.

Since Nike is one of the world’s largest consumer brands, its earnings often move other retail stocks. A strong report could lift sentiment across the sector.

AeroVironment thrives on strong results

Defense Technology Company AeroVironment It was one of the best days on the market today. Shares rose after the company reported higher-than-expected revenue.

The company also gave optimistic forecasts for the coming months. The results were driven by demand for military drones and autonomous defense systems.

Rising tensions abroad and rising government defense budgets have helped fuel this demand. The report indicates increasing investor interest in defense technology.

Alphabet is settling into its new role at the Dow Jones Index

alphabet The stock continues to attract interest after its recent addition to the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The move marks another step for Google’s parent company.

Joining the Dow Jones does not change the way the company operates day to day. It increases Alphabet’s visibility among major investors and index funds.

The company remains a major player in digital advertising, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Competition in artificial intelligence continues to grow across the technology industry.

Defense stocks remain in focus

beyond AeroVironment, Defense stocks The focus generally remains today. Government military budgets have grown steadily, and spending on new technology continues to rise.

Companies in drones, cybersecurity, missile systems, and satellite communications have benefited from this trend. Many expect defense spending to remain high over the next few years.

For investors, today’s session reflected many of the themes shaping the first half of 2026. Defense spending and artificial intelligence remain the two biggest stories of the second half of the year.