U.S. markets closed broadly higher on Thursday, July 9, 2026, as investors looked past U.S.–Iran war headlines and refocused on AI leadership, earnings, and a still data‑dependent Federal Reserve. Risk appetite proved resilient, with gains across large‑ and small‑cap benchmarks and a clear bid into technology and select defensives.

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Index Performance

• S&P 500 (^GSPC): 7,543.64 (+0.81%)
• Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI): 52,487.41 (+0.27%)
• Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC): 26,206.89 (+1.30%)
• Russell 2000 (^RUT): 2,992.54 (+1.22%)

The Nasdaq’s outperformance reflected strength in AI‑exposed megacap tech, while the S&P 500, Dow, and Russell 2000 all posted constructive advances, signaling a broad‑based, if measured, risk‑on tone.

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Geopolitics and Oil

Oil’s earlier “war premium” has begun to stabilize. Brent (BZ=F) and WTI (CL=F) remain elevated versus late June but have eased off recent peaks, reducing immediate inflation fears even as Gulf tensions remain unresolved. Fresh U.S.–Iran headlines are still driving intraday volatility, yet equity markets are increasingly treating them as a risk to be hedged rather than a reason to exit.

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Macro and Fed Narrative

The Federal Reserve’s stance remains firmly data‑dependent. A cooling but resilient U.S. backdrop gives policymakers room to keep policy restrictive while watching upcoming inflation and labor reports. The U.S. dollar stays supported on safe‑haven flows and higher‑for‑longer expectations, reinforcing the macro backdrop in which today’s equity gains have unfolded.

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Sector & Stock Highlights

Today’s advance showed a barbell pattern:

• On one side, AI‑exposed megacap tech drove leadership on the Nasdaq (^IXIC).
• On the other, energy, health care, and utilities provided defensive ballast.

VP Watchlist Updates

Amwell® (NYSE: AMWL)

Amwell® (NYSE: AMWL) a leading provider of a comprehensive SaaS-based software platform for technology-enabled healthcare, closed at $9.12, +5.19%.

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (EPRX)

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (EPRX, $6.91) a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging its proprietary Diffusphere™ technology designed to optimize local, controlled drug delivery for applications with significant unmet need, announced (July 7) the appointment of Robert Bazemore, Amy Pottand Dr Helen Thackray to the Board of Directors. “We are delighted for Robert, Amy and Helen to join our Board of Directors at a pivotal stage for the company.”   said Dr. James A. Helliwell, Chief Executive Officer of Eupraxia. “Their collective expertise across late-stage drug development, commercial strategy, and global product launches will be invaluable as we execute on several key upcoming milestones for EP-104GI and continue to expand our pipeline. Their appointments reflect the commitment of Eupraxia to advancing and expanding our gastroenterology assets in an efficient and effective manner. I also want to thank Paul Geyer and Michael Wilmink for all of the support and contributions they have made to Eupraxia over the last decade as we proved the function and potential of the Diffusphere technology.”

Eupraxia announced (May 5) the first Eosinophilic Esophagitis Endoscopic Reference Score (EREFS) data from its ongoing Phase 1b/2a part of the RESOLVE trial evaluating EP-104GI for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis (“EoE”). These data were also presented at the ongoing Digestive Disease Week (“DDW”) conference in Chicago. “The EREFS is an important, validated visual index of severity of EoE disease in the esophagus of patients. It measures edema, rings and strictures and other visible markers of disease often associated with symptoms. Today’s data demonstrated improvement in two key outcomes with EP-104GI in the treatment of EoE: first, that a full injection protocol of 20 injections resulted in more pronounced improvement than a protocol with fewer injections and less coverage area within the esophagus; second, with the higher number of injections, a consistent response in both the inflammatory and fibrotic sub scores of EREFS was observed,” said Dr. James A. Helliwell, Chief Executive Officer of Eupraxia. “This EREFS data being reported at DDW is consistent with the improvements we have seen in EoE symptoms and tissue health (EoEHSS) and suggests improvement in inflammation, fibrosis and the associated narrowing of the esophagus.”

Modular Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: MODD)

Modular Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: MODD, $4.06), a leader in innovative, patient-centric insulin delivery, today (June 30) announced that the first patients have completed onboarding and training and are now actively using the Pivot™ tubeless insulin patch pump in real-world settings. This milestone marks the transition of the Pivot pump from development into active patient use and represents a significant step in Modular Medical’s commercialization strategy. The Company will now begin collecting real world utilization data and user feedback to support broader adoption and continued product deployment optimization.

MODD announced ( June 26) that the Pivot™ tubeless insulin patch pump is now shipping to physician offices for training. Upon completion of training, these pumps will be presented to potential patients in the next few days and weeks. The Company intends to expand the roster of practices that offer Pivot over the coming months. This is another significant milestone in the deployment of Pivot. Modular Medical looks forward to updating the market when these first patients are using the pump to deliver insulin. The Pivot pump is purpose-built for adults with diabetes on daily injections who have faced cost, complexity, and usability barriers with traditional pump systems. This group represents an estimated 70% of insulin-dependent adults who remain on multiple daily injections, a multi-billion-dollar opportunity within the diabetes technology market.

MODD announced (June 24) that the Pivot™ tubeless insulin patch pump is now commercially available. This marks the start of real-world patient use, and the Company’s transition to a commercial-stage medical device company. As only the second fully electronic, tubeless insulin pump available in the United States, Pivot is designed to make pump therapy simpler to learn and easier to live with. Its removable two-part design and 3 mL reservoir, intuitive interface, and flexible, wearable form factor support everyday activities, such as showering and sports, with no battery recharging required – all while maintaining clinical accuracy and connectivity. “Reaching commercial availability is a transformational milestone that marks Modular Medical’s transition from a development-stage company to a revenue-generating commercial business,” said Jeb Besser, Chief Executive Officer of Modular Medical. “As only the second fully electronic tubeless pump on the U.S. market, Pivot is positioned to serve a large, underserved ‘almost-pumper’ population. With first shipments beginning this week, we are focused on disciplined execution, as we scale adoption and seek to build long-term value for patients and shareholders.”

On (June 4) the launch of PivotPump.com, a patient-focused website designed to support individuals seeking a simpler path to insulin pump therapy. This launch follows the Company’s receipt of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) clearance in April 2026 for its Pivot™ insulin delivery system. The FDA clearance represents a significant milestone in Modular Medical’s strategy to expand access to insulin pump technology, particularly among individuals historically underserved by existing solutions. The Company remains on track for commercial launch in the fall of 2026. Pivot is designed for people living with diabetes who rely on daily insulin injections, as well as those who have encountered technological, usability, or cost-related barriers with traditional pump systems. The system emphasizes simplicity and ease of use for the patient and full access to clinical information for the clinician to reduce adoption friction. The PivotPump.com website provides accessible, educational content on insulin pump therapy and highlights the Company’s focus on real-world usability and supporting patients in evaluating and adopting pump-based diabetes care.

Similarweb Ltd. (NYSE: SMWB)

Similarweb Ltd. (NYSE: SMWB, $6.59, +6.63%), a leading digital data and analytics company powering critical business decisions, announced (June 15) that it has surpassed $300 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and signed two multi-year enterprise contracts, each representing seven-figure ARR commitments. Collectively, these contracts represent approximately $47 million in Total Contract Value to be recognized over the next three years and were signed during the second quarter of 2026.

NVIDIA (NVDA)

NVIDIA (NVDA) closes at $202.78.

Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB)

Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB, $82.85), a global leader in launch and space systems and Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM, $50.48) a leading provider of global voice, data, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite services, announced (June 29) they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Rocket Lab will acquire Iridium. Rocket Lab will acquire all the outstanding shares of Iridium common stock for $54 per share in a cash and stock transaction. This represents an enterprise value for Iridium of approximately $8.0 billion.

The InterGroup Corporation (NASDAQ: INTG)

The InterGroup Corporation (NASDAQ: INTG), a diversified holding company with interests in hospitality, real estate, and marketable securities. InterGroup consolidates its majority‑owned subsidiary Portsmouth Square, Inc., which owns the Hilton San Francisco Financial District hotel and related facilities, closed at $42.28.

The Sources

1. Yahoo Finance – “Stock market today: S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq rise as focus turns to AI despite war jitters”
   https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/live/stock-market-today-thursday-july-9-us-strikes-iran-223149196.html[1]
2. Reuters – “Wall St futures rebound as oil retreats, investors weigh US-Iran tensions”
   https://www.reuters.com/business/wall-st-futures-rebound-oil-retreats-investors-weigh-us-iran-tensions-2026-07-09/[2]
3. Reuters – “Oil settles at multi-week high as US-Iran truce buckles under fresh hostilities”
   https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-oil-prices-jump-after-us-military-launches-strikes-against-iran-2026-07-07/[3]
4. Reuters – “Dollar stands tall as Gulf tensions fuel oil price surge, Fed hike bets”
   https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/dollar-stands-tall-gulf-tensions-fuel-oil-price-surge-fed-hike-bets-2026-07-09/[4]
5. Trading Economics – United States Stock Market Index (US500)
   https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/stock-market[5]
6. Yahoo Finance – S&P 500 (^GSPC) Historical Data
   https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EGSPC/history/[6]
7. Yahoo Finance – S&P 500 Index (^SPX) Historical Data
   https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5ESPX/history/[7]
8. CNN Markets – U.S. Markets overview (Dow, S&P, Nasdaq snapshot)
   https://www.cnn.com/markets[8]
9. Moomoo – Russell 2000 Index (.RUT) Quote Page
   https://www.moomoo.com/index/.RUT-US[9]
10. The Globe and Mail – “Stock Market News for July 9, 2026” (ConocoPhillips COP and index context)
    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/stocks/COP/pressreleases/3200902/stock-market-news-for-july-9-2026/[10]
11. Mathrubhumi (English) – “Crude Oil Prices Surge to Two-Week High Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions”
    https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/crude-oil-price-surge-us-iran-tensions-july-2026-qw0hxwc7[11]
12. Fortune – “Current price of gold as of July 9, 2026”
    https://fortune.com/article/current-price-of-gold-07-09-2026/
13. Deloitte – “What’s happening this week in economics?” (Global economic outlook weekly update)
    https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/economy/global-economic-outlook/weekly-update.html[12]
14. Business World Online – “Stocks snap six-day run on ME, growth concerns” (Philippine market context)
    https://bworldonline.com/stock-market/2026/07/09/762394/stocks-snap-six-day-run-on-me-growth-concerns/
15. Times Now – “Stock Market Today (July 9, 2026): Sensex, Nifty Open Higher As Investors Track West Asia Tensions, Global Market Cues”
    https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/markets/stock-market-today-july-9-2026-sensex-nifty-open-higher-as-investors-track-west-asia-tensions-global-market-cues-article-109637920[13]