Business · Markets · 5 hrs ago
US stocks close higher as healthcare shares lead gains
US stocks ended higher on Tuesday, with the Dow rising more than the other major indexes.
The Dow gained 1.05% and the S&P 500 rose 0.31%, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.03%.
Healthcare was the strongest-performing S&P 500 sector, and the sector index reached a record high.
Investors shifted towards healthcare and other value-focused areas as concerns about AI spending and returns weighed on technology stocks.
Defensive sectors, including real estate and utilities, also outperformed, while small-company stocks gained.
The market showed a shift away from major technology shares, which had rebounded in the previous session after a selloff the week before.
US stocks closed higher on Tuesday, led by a 1.05% gain in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Healthcare shares led S&P 500 sector gains, and the healthcare sector reached a record high.
Investors shifted toward healthcare and other value-oriented sectors as technology shares paused after a recent rebound.
The S&P 500 rose 0.31%, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.03%.
- Who
- US stock investors and major US stock indexes.
- What
- US stocks closed higher, led by the Dow and healthcare shares, while the Nasdaq edged lower.
- When
- Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
- Where
- Wall Street, in the United States.
- Why
- Investors rotated toward healthcare and other sectors amid skepticism about technology companies’ ability to profit from their AI investments.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Technology stocks came under pressure in a selloff.
Technology stocks rebounded.
US stocks closed higher as investors shifted toward healthcare and other value-oriented sectors.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average
- Rose 1.05% to 52,513.98
- S&P 500
- Rose 0.31% to 7,714.52
- Nasdaq Composite
- Fell 0.03% to 26,421.84
- Healthcare sector
- Reached a record high
- Moderna
- Rose to its highest level since 2022
4 sources
Rekorde bei Gesundheitsaktien: US-Anleger lassen die Finger von Tech-Werten
"داو جونز" يقود ارتفاع "وول ستريت" وسط تركيز على أسهم الرعاية الصحية
US stocks today: US stocks end higher as healthcare stocks lift Dow, tech a breather
What people are saying
Equity investors are still a little skeptical around the AI trade and the ability for some of these companies to monetize their investments, so you're seeing a bit of a rotation into other areas of the market
Investors are looking for other opportunities outside of tech, and healthcare is one of the beneficiaries of that