Nasdaq and Small Caps Lead Three Day Surge as Crude Slides and Blue Chips Hold Firm

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Stock Preachers News Commentary - Three sessions into the week, growth and small caps are setting the pace. The Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.04% on the day and is up 2.14% for the week to 26,700.62, while the Russell 2000 added 0.44% to push its weekly gain to 2.36%. The Dow and S&P 500 are contributing too, both up more than 1.2% for the week, as earnings from industrial, healthcare, exchange and homebuilding names give investors fresh data points to sort leaders from laggards. Active Companies from around the markets with current developments this week include: RTX (NYSE: RTX), Abbott (NYSE: ABT), CME Group Inc. (Nasdaq: CME), M/I Homes, Inc. (NYSE: MHO), and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 52,637.78, up 0.27% on the day and 1.22% for the week, trading between a weekly low of 51,863.80 and a high of 52,711.93. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% to 7,751.45, up 1.2% for the week with an RSI14 of 53.1, while the Nasdaq's RSI14 sits at 48.6 despite its outsized weekly gain. The Russell 2000's RSI14 of 44.9 trails the pack even as it posted the week's best percentage move.

Volatility eased alongside the rally. The VIX closed at 16.72, down 0.59 on the day and 1.72 for the week, while the Nasdaq-100 Volatility Index fell to 24.65, down 2.48 for the week. Both gauges sit near their weekly lows of 16.51 and 23.92, respectively, suggesting hedging demand has cooled as equities climbed.

Commodities told a different story. WTI crude tumbled 4.64% on the day and 6.36% for the week to $97.07 a barrel, and natural gas dropped 4.79% on the day and 7.75% for the week to $2.82 per MMBtu. Gold edged up 0.18% to $4,150.10 an ounce, silver gained 1.18% for the week to $57.65, and the 10-year Treasury yield held near 5.11%, up 1 basis point for the week.

The full report lays out the key support and resistance levels for each index along with a broader look at the week's corporate players and sentiment heading into the final sessions.

CONTINUED... Read this and more news for RTX (NYSE: RTX), Abbott (NYSE: ABT), CME Group Inc. (Nasdaq: CME), M/I Homes, Inc. (NYSE: MHO), and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) at: https://stockpreachers.com/articles/tech-carries-the-tape-as-midweek-leaders-pull-away-from-the-pack/

In other industry developments and happenings in the market this week include:

RTX (NYSE: RTX) RTX reported third quarter sales of $25.0 billion, up 11 percent versus the prior year and up 12 percent organically. Adjusted EPS of $2.26 rose 33 percent year over year, including $0.25 from IEEPA cost recovery. The company's backlog reached a record $340 billion, split between $176 billion commercial and $164 billion defense.

The company raised its full year 2026 outlook, now guiding adjusted sales of $97.0 to $97.5 billion, up from $95.0 to $96.0 billion, and adjusted EPS of $7.65 to $7.75, up from $7.10 to $7.25. Free cash flow guidance moved to $9.0 to $9.2 billion from $8.50 to $8.75 billion.

"Our strong execution and operational focus in the third quarter enabled RTX to deliver double-digit organic sales growth across commercial aerospace and defense," said RTX Chairman and CEO Chris Calio. "Demand for our products remains robust with over $81 billion of new commercial and defense awards, resulting in a record backlog of $340 billion." Read the release.

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) Abbott posted third quarter reported sales growth of 14.5 percent and comparable sales growth of 7.0 percent. GAAP diluted EPS came in at $0.53, while adjusted diluted EPS reached $1.42, excluding specified items.

The company reaffirmed the midpoint of its full year 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance and tightened the range to $5.50 to $5.55, while projecting full year comparable sales growth of approximately 6.0 percent. Abbott also highlighted several new product approvals during the quarter, including FDA approval for its Libre Duo dual glucose-ketone biowearable sensor and CE Mark for its Amulet 360 Left Atrial Appendage Occluder.

"Abbott delivered strong third-quarter results, reflecting balanced growth across our portfolio," said Robert B. Ford, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "With strong performance across multiple businesses and a robust pipeline of innovation, we are well-positioned to deliver sustainable growth in the years ahead." Read the release.

CME Group Inc. (Nasdaq: CME) CME Group reported third quarter revenue of $1.7 billion and operating income of $1.1 billion, with net income of $1.0 billion and diluted earnings per share of $2.89. On an adjusted basis, operating income was $1.2 billion, net income was $1.1 billion and diluted EPS was $3.02.

Average daily volume climbed to a third-quarter record of 29.4 million contracts, with non-U.S. ADV reaching a third-quarter high of 9 million contracts. Market data revenue hit a record $243 million, up 20 percent. The company returned nearly $1 billion to shareholders in the quarter, including $465 million in dividends and $524 million in share repurchases.

"As uncertainty intensified in Q3, clients turned to CME Group in record numbers to manage risk and capitalize on opportunities," said CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy. "With double-digit volume growth across all six asset classes, Q3 was our second highest quarter ever for revenue and adjusted net income." Read the release.

M/I Homes, Inc. (NYSE: MHO) M/I Homes reported third quarter revenue of $1.1 billion, down 5 percent, with homes delivered declining 2 percent to 2,241 and new contracts falling 2 percent to 1,861. Net income was $67 million, or $2.56 per diluted share, compared with $107 million, or $3.92 per diluted share, a year earlier.

Gross margin came in at 20.9 percent, or 21.3 percent excluding inventory charges. Shareholders' equity reached a record $3.3 billion with book value per share rising to a record $130, and the company repurchased $50 million of common stock while maintaining a homebuilding debt to capital ratio of 18 percent.

"Our third quarter results reflect increasingly difficult market conditions, including higher mortgage interest rates, weaker demand and growing economic uncertainty," said Robert H. Schottenstein, Chief Executive Officer and President. "Notwithstanding these conditions, we produced fairly solid results generating $87 million of pre-tax income, equating to an 8% return." Read the release.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Lockheed Martin delivered a C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft to the U.S. Navy at its Marietta, Georgia facility, marking the start of its conversion into the E-130J Phoenix II, the Navy's next-generation TACAMO airborne nuclear command and control platform.

The aircraft will be transferred to Northrop Grumman, the mission systems integrator, to complete the conversion. The delivery re-establishes a link to the Hercules family's TACAMO history, following the EC-130Q variant that flew the mission from 1963 to 1993.

"This delivery marks a historic milestone for the U.S. Navy, Lockheed Martin, and the nation's strategic communications network," said Trish Pagan, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Air Mobility & Maritime Missions. "It is built to deliver the capabilities our joint force demands and built to last through any operational challenge." Read the release.

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