Wall Street opens higher: S&P 500 at 7687.92, Nasdaq 100 up 0.50%

The S&P 500 stood at 7687.92 at 10:00 in New York on October 27, 2026, up 0.15% from the previous close. The Nasdaq 100 stood at 29419.74, up 0.50%.

What happened

The S&P 500 gained 11.15 points from its previous close of 7676.77. It traded at 7687.92 at 10:00 New York time, half an hour after the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange.

The Nasdaq 100 rose 146.34 points, or 0.50%, to 29419.74. Its previous close was 29273.4.

The CBOE Volatility Index, a measure of the swings that options traders expect in US stocks, stood at 17.95. It fell 0.44 points from its previous close of 18.39, a change of -2.39%.

Both equity indexes were therefore higher while the volatility gauge was lower in the first half hour of the session. The session on the exchange runs from 09:30 to 16:00 New York time.

Durable goods data

The US durable goods report for September was released at 12:30 UTC, before the opening bell. Durable goods are long-lasting products such as machinery, vehicles and aircraft. The report is a monthly gauge of new orders placed with US manufacturers.

Headline durable goods orders rose 1.8% month on month, against an estimate of 1.5%. The previous reading was 0.1%. The headline series therefore moved from a small gain in the earlier month to a larger one in September.

Orders excluding defense rose 2.2%, against an estimate of 0%. The previous reading was 0.3%. This line removes military contracts, which can be large and uneven from one month to the next.

Orders excluding transportation rose 0.5%, against an estimate of 0.6%. The previous reading was 0.3%. This line removes aircraft and vehicles, another category known for large monthly swings.

Taken together, the three lines describe the same month in different ways. The headline reading of 1.8% and the ex-defense reading of 2.2% were above their estimates of 1.5% and 0%. The ex-transportation reading of 0.5% was under its 0.6% estimate, though above the prior month's 0.3%.

Earnings before the bell

Five US companies published quarterly results before the market opened on Tuesday. They span aerospace, health insurance, tower infrastructure and utilities.

Boeing posted an EPS of -0.34 USD, against an estimate of -0.25 USD. Its revenue was 24.19 billion USD, against an estimate of 23.95 billion USD.

Centene reported an EPS of 0.58 USD, against an estimate of 0.1 USD. Its revenue was 50.65 billion USD, against an estimate of 47.12 billion USD.

American Tower reported an EPS of 1.64 USD, the same as the estimate of 1.64 USD. Its revenue was 2.79 billion USD, against an estimate of 2.76 billion USD.

CenterPoint Energy reported an EPS of 0.53 USD, against an estimate of 0.5 USD. Its revenue was 2.12 billion USD, the same as the estimate of 2.12 billion USD.

CMS Energy reported an EPS of 1.44 USD, against an estimate of 1.35 USD. Its revenue was 2.18 billion USD, against an estimate of 2.23 billion USD.

Reading the reports side by side

The five reports differ in size. Centene reported the largest revenue of the group at 50.65 billion USD, followed by Boeing at 24.19 billion USD. American Tower, CenterPoint Energy and CMS Energy each reported revenue between 2.12 billion USD and 2.79 billion USD.

The profit lines also differ in sign and scale. Boeing's EPS was negative at -0.34 USD, while the other four companies reported positive figures: 0.58 USD at Centene, 1.64 USD at American Tower, 0.53 USD at CenterPoint Energy and 1.44 USD at CMS Energy.

CenterPoint Energy's revenue of 2.12 billion USD matched its estimate of 2.12 billion USD. CMS Energy's revenue of 2.18 billion USD was under its estimate of 2.23 billion USD, while its EPS of 1.44 USD was above the 1.35 USD estimate.

Why it matters

Durable goods orders track demand for long-lasting products and are used as an indicator of business investment and factory activity. The headline figure can swing with large aircraft and defense contracts. For that reason, the ex-transportation and ex-defense lines are often read alongside it.

The September data show a wide gap between those lines. Orders excluding defense rose 2.2%, while orders excluding transportation rose 0.5%. The spread shows how much the transportation and defense categories shaped the monthly result.

The VIX stood at 17.95, below its previous close of 18.39. The index reflects the volatility priced into S&P 500 options. Its decline came while both major equity indexes traded higher.

The earnings reports give a view of results across several parts of the US economy on a single morning. Boeing and Centene are large companies, and their revenue figures of 24.19 billion USD and 50.65 billion USD are reported alongside their earnings per share. The two utilities, CenterPoint Energy and CMS Energy, reported revenue of 2.12 billion USD and 2.18 billion USD.

Boeing's loss per share of -0.34 USD sits alongside revenue of 24.19 billion USD. Centene's EPS of 0.58 USD and American Tower's 1.64 USD show how different the profit pictures are across sectors on the same day.

What to watch next

Two housing releases were scheduled for 14:00 UTC, which is 10:00 in New York. New home sales for September carry an estimate of 0.65 million, after a previous reading of 0.68 million.

The month-on-month change in new home sales carries an estimate of -3.5%, after a previous reading of 6.4%. Both figures were still to be published as the session began.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 will be measured through the day against their previous closes of 7676.77 and 29273.4. The session continues until 16:00 New York time.

The VIX, at 17.95 against 18.39 at the previous close, will show how expected volatility in US stocks evolves as the housing data arrive.