Market recap for Monday, September 22, 2025
The main U.S. equity gauge closed modestly higher today with the S&P 500 finishing up 0.4 percent. The session was dominated by a handful of headline developments that pushed big-cap technology names, health care producers and select consumer stocks in opposite directions. Investor attention centered on a headline making waves in the chip and artificial intelligence sector, a sudden swing in a major enterprise software name, and a political controversy that rocked a consumer health spinoff.
At the center of market momentum was a newly disclosed alliance between Nvidia and OpenAI. Nvidia said it would provide up to $100 billion to support OpenAI’s expansion of AI data centers. The arrangement will help fund construction and operation of at least 10 gigawatts of AI compute capacity and calls for payouts to be made in stages as capacity is deployed. Nvidia added that the first phase of systems will come online in the second half of 2026 using next generation Vera Rubin chips. OpenAI is also expected to spend heavily on Nvidia chips over the course of the build out, according to reports. Investors rewarded Nvidia on the news with the stock ending the day up about 4 percent.
For the broader market the announcement reinforced the thesis that demand for AI compute hardware will be intense over the coming years. The deal effectively links a leading chipmaker more closely to one of the largest enterprise buyers of AI infrastructure. That linkage can amplify follow-on purchases of accelerators and systems and may increase revenue visibility for suppliers of silicon and supporting systems. The arrangement also highlights how AI projects bring together chipmakers, cloud and software providers. Nvidia described the agreement as complementary to OpenAI’s existing collaborations with other industry partners.
Software and enterprise IT also provided a headline mover. Oracle jumped 6.2 percent after news of senior leadership changes and reporting that the company will play a role related to TikTok’s U.S. algorithm. Oracle is already cited as a major provider of AI data software and was mentioned in connection with OpenAI partnerships. The stock’s gain reflects investor enthusiasm when corporate governance actions and new business roles combine with a narrative that the company may capture a larger slice of enterprise AI spending.
On the other end of the tape a major consumer health company took an immediate hit. Kenvue, the Johnson & Johnson spinoff that sells Tylenol, pushed back strongly after the administration linked acetaminophen use during pregnancy to autism during a White House event. In a public statement the company said independent science shows acetaminophen does not cause autism and said it was deeply concerned about the public health risk the claim poses for expecting mothers. The product is a linchpin of Kenvue’s self care franchise, which accounts for roughly 42 percent of the company’s revenue. Kenvue shares closed down 7.5 percent today and are off more than 20 percent over the last month as the controversy intensified.
The divergent moves in tech and consumer health underscore a market pattern that repeats during periods when a small number of high‑profile items dominate headlines. Big technology names can rally hard when news suggests more adoption of AI infrastructure. Consumer names can drop quickly when regulatory, political or safety debates introduce uncertainty that threatens demand or invites greater scrutiny.
There were other notable corporate developments that helped fill out the day’s tape. Berkshire Hathaway filed paperwork showing it sold its remaining shares of BYD. The Chinese electric vehicle maker delivered an extraordinary return since Berkshire first invested, with the stock up more than 4,500 percent over the past 15 years. In real estate and deals activity Compass agreed to acquire Anywhere Real Estate, the parent of Century 21 and Coldwell Banker. Pfizer agreed to acquire Metsera, an obesity medicine company, in a deal that could reach about $7.3 billion in total value. In the airline sector Spirit Airlines said it plans to furlough roughly one third of its flight attendants as the bankrupt carrier pares capacity and adjusts its workforce. Each of these moves has implications for their sectors and for investor sentiment toward consolidation, healthcare dealmaking and airline restructuring plans.
Retail and brand news also made the newsflow. Nike announced the launch of a collaboration with Kim Kardashian’s Skims with three core collections named Matte, Shine and Airy set to appear this Friday. The collection is a consumer product catalyst for Nike, which has seen volatile performance this year tied in part to international trade policy headlines.
Putting the session in context, the market’s modest advance was not a broad revival. Instead it reflected selective buying in technology and enterprise names exposed to AI hardware demand, offset by profit taking and headline driven selling in consumer sectors. That selective behavior often presages a period where leadership narrows to themes that can produce sustained earnings growth. For today the theme driving the tape was clear. A major infusion of capital and closer cooperation between a top chip supplier and a leading AI research firm crystallized expectations about future compute spending. That driver will be one to watch alongside developments in regulation, consumer safety debates and dealmaking that can sway pockets of the market in the days ahead.
Investors returning to their screens tomorrow will want to track follow-up details on how the Nvidia funding is structured, the planned timeline for deployment of AI data centers, and whether additional partners or procurement commitments emerge. They will also watch any regulatory or investigatory response related to the claims about acetaminophen and pregnancy. Those items are likely to produce volatility for affected stocks while providing directional clues for some of the market’s largest themes.
Today offered a reminder that headlines can accelerate moves across sectors. Technology investors cheered an AI infrastructure story that promises multiyear demand for chips and systems. Consumer investors contended with a politically charged health debate that instantly affected revenue outlooks for a major household brand. Meanwhile deal activity and long term investment histories kept other pockets of the market in focus. The market closed higher, but the session’s swings highlighted the uneven nature of the advance.
