Nvidia leads the S&P 500 higher | Macy’s, Kohl’s soar on earnings | Have layoffs hit a plateau?

Strong earnings from big-box stores on Wednesday weren't enough to keep investors from fretting about inflation.

VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE THU, NOV 18, 2021 EVENING BRIEF AS OF THU, NOV 18, 2021 • 05:08 ET DJIA 35870.95 -0.17% -60.10 S&P 500 4704.54 +0.34% +15.87 NASDAQ 15993.71 +0.45% +72.14   Most Active DOW NAME LAST CHG %CHG AAPL 157.87 +4.38 +2.85% CSCO 53.63 -3.13 -5.51% INTC 49.68 -0.55 -1.09% S&P 500 NAME LAST CHG %CHG AAPL 157.87 +4.38 +2.85% F 19.56 -0.30 -1.51% NVDA 316.75 +24.14 +8.25% NASDAQ NAME LAST CHG %CHG AAPL 157.87 +4.38 +2.85% NVDA 316.75 +24.14 +8.25% CSCO 53.63 -3.13 -5.51%   EDITOR'S NOTE The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite gained in a bout of choppy trading on Thursday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped slightly. The real action of the day was in a handful of stocks as investors digested blowout earnings reports from tech companies and big retailers.   The tech-heavy Nasdaq was the biggest gainer of the major averages, helped largely by a jump in shares of Nvidia after the chipmaker reported beats on the top and bottom lines and issued a bullish revenue forecast for the current quarter. That helped lift other chip companies, like Advanced Micro Devices, Qualcomm and Micron Technology. Even outside the semiconductor stocks, tech companies led market gains as U.S. Treasury yields turned lower. Apple and Amazon were up nearly 2.9% and 4.1%, respectively.   It wasn't all rosy, however. A 5.5% loss in shares of Cisco Systems weighed on the indexes after it reported a revenue miss and weaker guidance.   The retail sector also maintained its momentum as companies continued to report stellar earnings and revenue results for the quarter. Macy's and Kohl's kicked off the day and were among the biggest gainers throughout the session. Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret also made strides. Tanaya Macheel | Markets and Investing Reporter @tanayamac Watch our live stream for all you need to know to invest smarter. TOP NEWS  S&P 500 rises in choppy session as Nvidia leads gains in tech shares Jobless claims little changed in potential sign that layoffs have hit a plateau If Biden picks Brainard over Powell for Fed chief, expect an immediate market impact Nvidia approaches $800 billion market cap following strong earnings report Millions of people quit their jobs in the 'Great Resignation.' Here is why it may not last long Rivian and Lucid shares continue to fall as investors take profits John Malone says there's a misguided 'land rush' in stocks right now akin to late '90s bubble CVS to close about 900 stores over next three years, as it shifts to digital strategy Ford partners with GlobalFoundries to increase chip supplies Cathie Wood sells nearly all of her Zillow holdings after flagging housing market concerns   TOP VIDEO An autonomous Apple car makes a ton of sense, says Gene Munster   CNBC PRO As EV stocks soar to crazy valuations, Wall Street sees value in these related names   SPECIAL REPORTS Are you heading back to work after retiring? Here's how to navigate Medicare coverage Student loan forgiveness is excluded from Democrats' $2 trillion spending bill   Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy   © 2021 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBCUniversal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS