S&P 500, Nasdaq rise as oil falls, Dow slips

U.S. stocks opened mixed on 3 November 2026, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite advancing while the Dow (DJIA) Jones Industrial Average moved lower. The S&P 500 rose 7.77 points, or 0.10%, at the open to 7,549.17. The Nasdaq Composite opened 98.65 points higher, a gain of 0.39%, at 25,263.01. In contrast, the Dow (DJIA) fell at the open by 206.75 points.

The Dow opened at 51,777.23, down 206.75 points, or 0.40%. The S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite and Nasdaq 100 were each up between about 0.2% and 0.6% in morning indications, while the Dow lagged with losses of roughly two-thirds of a percent on some real-time readings.

Equity gains in growth-oriented indexes came as crude oil prices extended a recent downward move. Brent crude (UKOIL) fell 2.4% on the day, building on a sharp drop in the prior session. The continued retreat in oil prices helped lift risk appetite in equity markets, supporting sectors and indexes more sensitive to input cost trends and consumer demand.

Investors monitored developments on a peace deal between the United States and Iran, which contributed to the move in Brent crude (UKOIL).

The session took place as U.S. voters headed into midterm elections, described as a verdict on the first two years of President Donald Trump’s second term. Polls and nonpartisan analysts were viewed as favoring Democrats to gain control of the House of Representatives, while the outcome for the Senate was seen as uncertain. Market participants watched for results that could shape expectations for policy and legislative activity.

Commentary highlighted that periods of divided government are sometimes regarded as constructive for markets, on the view that they limit the passage of major new legislation. Against this political backdrop, major equity indexes showed modest early gains in aggregate, even as individual sectors and stocks diverged.

Apple (AAPL) was a notable individual mover around the open. The company’s results were described as having failed to impress some investors, adding Apple to a list of large technology firms whose earnings drew a cautious reception. In premarket trading, Apple shares fell 4.4% after the company warned that the cost of memory chips would continue to rise.

Apple indicated that higher memory chip costs would pressure its gross margin in the holiday quarter. This warning contributed to the weaker tone in the stock despite the broader gains in growth indexes such as the Nasdaq Composite and Nasdaq 100, illustrating the mixed reaction to big tech earnings within an otherwise firmer market open.