Major U.S. equity indexes achieved record highs as the S&P 500 rose by 0.3% on September 9, 2025. This uptick came in the wake of a significant downward revision in job growth figures published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has stirred economic concerns but simultaneously bolstered expectations for interest rate cuts by the Federal Open Market Committee during its upcoming policy meeting.
The S&P 500’s advance was matched by both the Dow and Nasdaq, each increasing by 0.4% to also close at record levels. While the revised data raised alarms regarding the future trajectory of the economy, it has made the case for a potential reduction in interest rates more compelling.
In notable market activity, UnitedHealth Group’s shares experienced a dramatic surge of 8.6%, marking the best daily performance in the S&P 500. The insurer provided a positive outlook in a regulatory filing, projecting that approximately 78% of its Medicare Advantage (MA) members would be enrolled in plans rated four stars or higher. The official Star Ratings are typically released in October by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and influence eligibility for quality bonus payments. Competing health insurer Centene also saw its stock increase by 7.7%.
In other news, Nokia, a Finland-based tech firm traditionally known for its mobile phones, announced a collaboration with Super Micro Computer to create AI-optimized networking solutions targeted at cloud computing providers and AI hyperscalers. In response to this partnership, shares of Supermicro rose by 7.2%, while Nokia’s American Depository Receipts edged down by 0.1%.
The cryptocurrency market also saw gains as Coinbase Global, the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, reported a 5.5% increase in its shares. The firm revealed it had hired the founders of the crypto-yielding platform Sensible to advance its on-chain consumer strategy, part of its broader vision to evolve into an “everything exchange.”
Conversely, shares of Humana plummeted by 12%, marking the largest decline of any S&P 500 stock for the day. Analysts from Leerink Partners cautioned that the CMS might implement stricter evaluation criteria for the MA plans in 2026. This news comes on the heels of Humana’s earlier effort to contest its previous MA ratings through a refiled lawsuit.
On a different front, a major lithium producer in China plans to restart operations at a mine that had been idle for a month. Previously, the suspension had generated optimism regarding a potential easing of oversupply and a rebound in prices for lithium, an essential battery component. However, the announcement of the resumption has led to renewed pressure in the lithium market, causing shares of Albemarle, the world’s largest lithium producer, to drop by 11.5%.
In the media sector, shares of Fox Corp. declined over 6% after the Murdoch family resolved a protracted dispute concerning control of the family trust. The settlement stipulates that Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son, will take the reins of the media empire, while his three older siblings will benefit from new trusts funded by stock sales from the existing trust.
