# S&P 500 and Nasdaq advance on AI momentum

Evening edition · Wed, 28 Oct 2026 · published 28 Oct 2026, 08:42 UTC · Pulse
Canonical: https://getpulsebrief.com/brief/2026-10-28-evening

> US equity markets closed higher with the S&P 500 up 0.60% at 7722.60 and the Nasdaq Composite up 1.18% at 26477.81 amid AI-related gains while the Federal Reserve began its two-day policy meeting expected to hold the fed funds rate in the 3.75%-4% range.

_Free preview: the lead story of each beat. 13 more stories, the source list, regime tactics and the Radar are in Pulse Pro; this edition opens to everyone on 4 Nov 2026. https://getpulsebrief.com/pricing_

## Summary

US equity markets closed higher with the S&P 500 up 0.60% at 7722.60 and the Nasdaq Composite up 1.18% at 26477.81 amid AI-related gains while the Federal Reserve began its two-day policy meeting expected to hold the fed funds rate in the 3.75%-4% range. The freshest market-moving development is Anthropic's public US IPO filing alongside SK Hynix reporting record Q3 profit of 83.3 trillion won and a 100 trillion won shareholder return plan, lifting AI-infra and semis sectors. The nearest high-impact calendar risk is the Federal Reserve policy decision due Wednesday with markets pricing in at least two more hikes by mid-2027. Ukrainian forces reported territorial gains via Operation Veles and a US-brokered localized ceasefire held in Oleshky while Cyclone Arnab made landfall in India's Andhra Pradesh. SK Hynix posted record results on AI chip demand and Datavault AI shares plunged nearly 50% after the firm said it cannot access bitcoin holdings from a prior deal.

## Market state at publication

- Overall mood: neutral (54/100)
- Crypto Fear & Greed: 51 (Neutral)
- Market regime: mixed (confidence medium)
- BTC: $81,551
- ETH: $2,377
- SOL: $103.09
- BNB: $750.20
- VET: $0.006441

## Regime

- **US dollar:** unknown
- **Rates:** neutral
- **Equities:** defensive
- **Crypto liquidity:** expanding

## Economy & Finance — positive, improving

The S&P 500 gained 0.60% to close at 7722.60 while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.18% to 26477.81 led by technology and AI-related stocks. 83% of S&P 500 companies reporting Q3 results beat expectations. Boeing posted a bigger-than-expected third-quarter loss sending shares down nearly 10%. Royal Caribbean gained after raising its full-year profit forecast on strong Q3 results. The Federal Reserve opened its two-day meeting on Tuesday with a decision due Wednesday and markets pricing in at least two more hikes by mid-2027.

### S&P 500 and Nasdaq rise on AI momentum ahead of Fed decision and earnings

- Fact: S&P 500 gained 0.60% to close at 7722.60 and Nasdaq Composite gained 1.18% to 26477.81 led by technology and AI-related stocks. ([source](https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/u-s-stocks-add-to-gains-ahead-of-earnings-fed-statement-d996e176))

_2 more stories in this beat with Pulse Pro._

## Crypto — negative, worsening

Datavault AI cannot withdraw bitcoin credited via a $150 million Scilex deal from Biconomy since a June 2026 request, requiring restatement of multiple financial periods. The accounting correction will reduce reported assets by $92.2 million at end-2025 as the BTC cannot be recognized as a company digital asset. Hackers breached Bithumb's internal mobile groupware system used by employees for messaging and work, separate from the trading platform with no customer crypto assets lost.

### Datavault AI Shares Plunge Nearly 50% After Unable to Access Bitcoin Holdings

- Fact: Datavault AI cannot withdraw bitcoin credited via a $150 million Scilex deal from Biconomy since a June 2026 request, requiring restatement of multiple financial periods. ([source](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/10/28/bitcoin-treasury-datavault-ai-plunges-50-after-firm-says-it-can-t-access-its-btc))

_1 more story in this beat with Pulse Pro._

## Technology & AI — positive, improving

Anthropic made its US IPO filing public laying out promise, costs and risks of building frontier AI. Broadcom and other AI stocks rose on continued capex data and financing deals. SK Hynix reported Q3 operating profit of 83.3 trillion won up 632% YoY and will return approximately 100 trillion won to shareholders this year. Revenue for first half of 2026 reached $16.3 billion for Anthropic while posting $80.7 billion net loss primarily from accounting charges. Users reported cracks appearing on the inner screen of Apple's first foldable iPhone Duo shortly after launch.

### Anthropic IPO filing puts AI investment boom to the test as chip stocks rebound

- Fact: Anthropic made its US IPO filing public laying out promise, costs and risks of building frontier AI. ([source](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1018476/anthropic-ipo-details-s1-filed-sec))

_2 more stories in this beat with Pulse Pro._

## Politics & Policy — neutral, stable

A federal grand jury in Washington rejected the Justice Department's request to indict former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson regarding her 2022 testimony about President Trump's actions on January 6, 2021. Among likely voters, 52% support the Democratic candidate for Congress compared to 44% for the Republican. A plurality of likely voters say their vote is mainly against President Trump. President Trump claimed without evidence that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's reelection victory looked like another rigged election.

### Grand jury declines to indict Cassidy Hutchinson over Jan. 6 testimony

- Fact: A federal grand jury in Washington rejected the Justice Department's request to indict former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson regarding her 2022 testimony about President Trump's actions on January 6, 2021. ([source](https://apnews.com/article/cassidy-hutchinson-trump-indictment-65b19759933189cdebb164c5bd80649c))

_2 more stories in this beat with Pulse Pro._

## Conflicts — neutral, stable

Ukrainian troops conducted previously unannounced Operation Veles using underground gas pipelines to outflank Russian positions near Kupiansk. Zelensky stated Ukraine's battlefield positions are the strongest in a long time following the series of offensives including Operation Vivaldi. A ceasefire brokered with involvement of Melania Trump took effect to deliver humanitarian aid and enable evacuations after years of shortages of food, water and medicine. Strikes hit university campus, Southern Bridge, medical centers and residential areas with no military facilities nearby.

### Zelensky Says Ukrainian Forces Recapturing Territory Through Multiple Offensives

- Fact: Ukrainian troops conducted previously unannounced Operation Veles using underground gas pipelines to outflank Russian positions near Kupiansk. ([source](https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraines-zelenskiy-says-territory-recaptured-forces-offensive-2026-10-27/))

_2 more stories in this beat with Pulse Pro._

## Disasters & Climate — neutral, stable

Cyclone Arnab made landfall near Kakinada with sustained winds of 125-135 km/h and gusts up to 150 km/h, causing flooding, uprooted trees and power outages. Approximately 180,000 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. A magnitude-7 earthquake on October 22 killed 16 people and injured 76 in Nagqu, Tibet. Sudden flooding on October 26 affected Phuket City and two other districts, impacting around 100 homes with mud and rocks.

### Cyclone Arnab makes landfall in India's Andhra Pradesh

- Fact: Cyclone Arnab made landfall near Kakinada with sustained winds of 125-135 km/h and gusts up to 150 km/h, causing flooding, uprooted trees and power outages. ([source](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/28/cyclone-arnab-makes-landfall-in-indias-andhra-pradesh))

_2 more stories in this beat with Pulse Pro._

## Health & Science — neutral, stable

Government data reported 10,060 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,887 deaths as of late October with the outbreak spread to multiple countries. State health department reported 1,360 measles cases across 44 counties as of October 26. Shuford, appointed in April 2026 to help stabilize the agency, will leave November 12 after midterm elections. Sweeping alterations to ACIP and childhood immunization recommendations have left the committee without members to issue new guidance.

### Congo Ebola outbreak exceeds 10,000 cases with nearly 4,900 deaths

- Fact: Government data reported 10,060 confirmed cases and 4,887 deaths as of late October. ([source](https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/congos-ebola-infections-surpass-10000-government-says-2026-10-27/))

_2 more stories in this beat with Pulse Pro._

## Calendar

- 28 Oct 2026 — US H.15 Selected Interest Rates (medium impact)
- 29 Oct 2026 — US Personal Income and Outlays (high impact)
- 29 Oct 2026 — US Gross Domestic Product (high impact)
- 29 Oct 2026 — US Debt to Gross Domestic Product Ratios (high impact)
- 29 Oct 2026 — US Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report (medium impact)
- 3 Nov 2026 — US Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (medium impact)
- 4 Nov 2026 — U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services (medium impact)

---
Written by an AI model from the sources above and checked by automated source and consistency gates. Not financial advice. Methodology: https://getpulsebrief.com/methodology