🗞 Newsmakers — MID ET, 2026-09-24

📊 MARKET MACRO: S&P 500 $767.07 -0.10% Nasdaq $739.44 -0.24% Dow $512.95 -0.26% Russell 2K $281.05 -0.31% VIX $15.65 +3.10% US Dollar $28.68 +0.09% Oil $151.30 +1.66% Gold $391.97 -0.23% Bitcoin $84,654.61 +0.34% Treasuries: 10Y 4.96% 30Y 5.29% Today's Fed / econ events: 15:00 [Low] Kansas Fed Manufacturing Index (Sep) 15:00 [Low] Kansas Fed Composite Index (Sep) 14:00 [High] New Home Sales (Aug) 12:50 [Medium] Fed Hammack Speech 12:30 [Medium] Current Account (Q2) 12:30 [High] Jobless Claims 4-Week Average (Sep/19) 12:30 [High] Continuing Jobless Claims (Sep/12) 12:30 [High] Initial Jobless Claims (Sep/19) 12:00 [Medium] Fed Barkin Speech 08:10 [Medium] Fed Williams Speech

🔥 HOT SECTORS TODAY (the sectors to watch): Communication Services +1.72% Healthcare +0.27% Technology +0.05% Basic Materials -0.09%

📰 MARKET THEMES & CATALYSTS: • Average 30-year mortgage rates hit 7.03% this week, the first time they have surpassed 7% since the beginning of last year The effect of rates topping the psychologically important 7% level is rippling through the market for buyers, sellers and builders. — wsj.com · 09/24 12:00p https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/mortgage-rates-just-hit-7-heres-how-the-housing-market-is-about-to-change-35986dc6 • My Top Defense Stocks To Consider Lockheed Martin (LMT) and top defense contractors are well-positioned amid rising global conflict and surging defense budgets. Geopolitical tensions, especially Iran/U.S. and Russia/Ukraine, are fueling energy-driven inflation and likely further Fed rate hikes. — seekingalpha.com · 09/24 11:58a https://seekingalpha.com/article/4949475-my-top-defense-stocks-to-consider • U.S.-China summit: Push for AI deal CNBC's Seema Mody discusses the focus of the ongoing Trump-Xi summit. — youtube.com · 09/24 11:55a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8-_ZFOvGeo • Analysis: Higher Treasury yields deliver a reality check on a hot, inflation-prone economy Treasury yields climbed this week after stronger-than-expected economic data. The Fed's recent rate hike reinforced expectations of additional tightening. — cnbc.com · 09/24 11:40a https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/24/treasury-yields-warsh-bessent-fed-national-debt-analysis.html • Trump & Xi Meet While Oil & Bond Yields Rise Meanwhile, Darden Restaurants (DRI) missed on earnings by a penny. — zacks.com · 09/24 11:36a https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2995198/trump-xi-meet-while-oil-bond-yields-rise?cid=CS-STOCKNEWSAPI-FT-ahead_of_wall_street-2995198

📈 TOP 4 GAINERS (small/mid-cap % leaders, with catalyst):

1. P +18% $129.00 (43B cap) Everpure Stock Leads S&P 500 Gainers After Rosy Outlook on AI Demand Everpure shares are surging after the data storage company raised its fiscal 2028 outlook, citing growth opportunities from business with hyperscalers. — investopedia.com · 09/24 12:26p https://www.investopedia.com/market-update-everpure-stock-leads-sp-500-gainers-after-rosy-outlook-p-12138303

2. BOIL +11% $24.10 (295M cap) (no fresh news today — likely technical / low-coverage move)

3. TSSI +11% $10.28 (288M cap) (no fresh news today — likely technical / low-coverage move)

4. CDNA +11% $60.06 (3.1B cap) Medicare Lab Fee Changes Impact BillionToOne, CareDx Differently The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to align its 2027 clinical laboratory fee schedule rates with private sector payer rates, aiming to curb excessive Medicare payments and save taxpayers an estimated $1 billion annually. — benzinga.com · 09/23 2:09p https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/26/09/61955194/medicare-lab-fee-changes-impact-billiontoone-caredx-differently

— auto-generated, alert-only (not investment advice). 'No fresh news' = likely a technical/low-float move, not a catalyst.