Wall Street rises as Anthropic IPO filing lifts AI and chip stocks
The S&P 500 rose 0.7% and the Nasdaq 0.8% on Monday as Anthropic's IPO filing revived appetite for AI shares, ending a two-week slide ahead of a week with the Fed decision and earnings from Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon.
At a glance
- The S&P 500 closed up 0.70% at 7,676.77 on Monday, October 26, 2026, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.83% to 26,169.38 and the Dow rose 146.42 points (0.28%) to 52,361.58.
- Anthropic's IPO filing for a Nasdaq listing under the ticker ANT lifted AI and chip shares; the Philadelphia semiconductor index jumped 2.8% and technology was the best S&P 500 sector, up 1.5%.
- Tesla rose 5.2% to its highest close in more than three months after an analyst upgrade; Meta fell 1.9% after announcing plans for a large share sale to fund AI.
- The gain followed two straight weekly losses; the S&P 500 is still about 1.8% below its record high set earlier in October.
- The Federal Reserve announces its rate decision on Wednesday, and more than a third of S&P 500 companies report results this week.
US stocks rose on Monday, October 26, 2026, as Anthropic's filing for a stock market listing revived enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and chip shares. The S&P 500 gained 0.70% to 7,676.77, the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.83% to 26,169.38 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 146 points to 52,361.58, snapping a two-week losing run at the start of one of the busiest weeks of the year for markets.
How the markets closed
| Index | Close | Change | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 52,361.58 | +146.42 | +0.28% |
| S&P 500 | 7,676.77 | +53.09 | +0.70% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 26,169.38 | +214.04 | +0.83% |
| Russell 2000 (small caps) | — | — | about +0.5% |
| Philadelphia semiconductor index | — | — | +2.8% |
Technology was the best of the 11 sectors in the S&P 500, rising 1.5%. The chip index's 2.8% jump was a relief for investors, although it is still down about 12% for October.
The biggest movers
| Stock | Move | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Lumentum | about +8% | Rally in AI-linked shares |
| Coherent | about +6% | Rally in AI-linked shares |
| Tesla | +5.2% | Analyst upgrade; highest close in over three months |
| Meta Platforms | -1.9% | Plans for a large share sale to fund AI infrastructure |
Why Anthropic moved the market
Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI models, filed papers on Monday to list its shares on the Nasdaq under the ticker "ANT". The filing showed revenue of about $16.3 billion for the six months to June, more than 13 times the same period a year earlier. Reports say the company could seek to raise around $100 billion, which would make it one of the largest listings ever, although the final size and price have not been set.
The numbers gave investors fresh evidence that companies are paying for AI, after weeks of worry that tech giants are spending too much on data centres and chips with too little return. One investment chief said Monday was "all about the Anthropic release", putting markets back on an optimistic tilt.
Background
October has been a difficult month for Wall Street. Oil prices have surged because of the conflict involving Iran and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, inflation worries have returned, and big tech stocks fell sharply after heavy AI spending plans. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq had fallen for two weeks in a row before Monday, and the S&P 500 is still about 1.8% below the record it set earlier this month.
Not all markets shared the mood. In Brazil, the main stock index crashed nearly 14% after President Lula's surprise re-election.
Why it matters
The US stock market sets the tone for global investors. A recovery in AI and chip shares supports technology markets in Asia, including Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, and the wider confidence it brings affects money flowing into emerging markets such as Pakistan and India. A big Anthropic listing would also test how much investors are willing to pay for AI companies.
What happens next
This is a packed week:
| Day | Event |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 28 | Federal Reserve interest rate decision (markets price about a 13% chance of a hike) |
| This week | Earnings from Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon, among more than a third of S&P 500 companies |
| Thursday, October 29 | US economic growth and inflation data |
| Tuesday, November 3 | US midterm elections |
Anthropic's share sale is expected to price in November, after the company sets its price range and meets investors.
Questions people are asking
How did the US stock market close on October 26, 2026?
US stocks closed higher on Monday, October 26. The S&P 500 rose 0.70% to 7,676.77, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.83% to 26,169.38 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.28% to 52,361.58.
Why did stocks go up after Anthropic's IPO filing?
Anthropic's filing showed very fast revenue growth, which revived investor confidence in artificial intelligence after weeks of worries about heavy AI spending. That lifted chipmakers and other AI-linked shares.
When is the Fed meeting this week?
The Federal Reserve announces its interest rate decision on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Futures markets on Monday priced only a small chance, about 13%, of a rate hike.
