Wall Street ends week higher; SpaceX spectrum deal hammers mobile carriers
The Dow rose 0.8% and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 0.6% each. Over the week the S&P 500 gained 1.2%. T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon fell between 8.7% and 13.3% as SpaceX moves towards mobile services.
Closing prices from Friday 9 October; US markets do not trade at the weekend. The S&P 500 rose 0.59% (46.18 points) to 7,811.54, its first gain since Tuesday's record. The Dow Jones added 423.31 points (0.83%) to 51,654.95. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.64% to 27,366.17. The Russell 2000 (about 2,000 smaller US firms) gained 0.46% to 2,806.98.
Weekly tally according to AP: S&P 500 up 1.2%, Dow up 0.9%, Nasdaq up 0.6%. The Russell 2000, however, lost 0.9% over the week. Since the start of the year the S&P 500 is up 14.1% and the Nasdaq 17.7%.
The main story: SpaceX is buying a nationwide block of low-band spectrum (radio frequencies for mobile networks) that could make it a major US mobile carrier. The deal still needs regulatory approval. Investors saw a new competitor: T-Mobile lost 13.3%, AT&T 9.8% and Verizon 8.7%. Tower owners Crown Castle (+15.6%) and American Tower (+9.3%) rallied. Humana jumped 11.6% on strong quality ratings for its Medicare Advantage plans. Delta Air Lines ended almost flat after results slightly missed forecasts; it expects fuel costs to rise by $6 billion this year.
Brent crude rose 0.42% to $104.72 a barrel and WTI 0.39% to $91.85. Prices are swinging on uncertainty over the war with Iran. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 5.24% (Thursday: 5.22%), close to its highest level since 2002. Gold (December futures) gained 1.43% to $4,216.30 an ounce. The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell to 46.3 (September: 48.1), and expected inflation for the year ahead rose to 4.7%. Next week brings US inflation data and results from the big banks.
| Index | Close | Points | Day % | Week % | Year to date % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones | 51,654.95 | 423.31 | +0.83 % | +0.9 % | +7.5 % |
| S&P 500 | 7,811.54 | 46.18 | +0.59 % | +1.2 % | +14.1 % |
| Nasdaq Composite | 27,366.17 | 172.83 | +0.64 % | +0.6 % | +17.7 % |
| Russell 2000 | 2,806.98 | 12.85 | +0.46 % | −0.9 % | +13.1 % |
| Company | Day % | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Crown Castle | +15.6 % | SpaceX spectrum deal |
| Humana | +11.6 % | strong Medicare Advantage ratings |
| American Tower | +9.3 % | SpaceX spectrum deal |
| Verizon | −8.7 % | fear of SpaceX competition |
| AT&T | −9.8 % | fear of SpaceX competition |
| T-Mobile US | −13.3 % | fear of SpaceX competition |
| Indicator | Friday 9 Oct | Thursday 8 Oct | Day % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brent crude (USD/barrel) | 104.72 | 104.28 | +0.42 % |
| WTI crude (USD/barrel) | 91.85 | 91.49 | +0.39 % |
| Gold, December futures (USD/ounce) | 4,216.30 | – | +1.43 % |
| 10-year US Treasury yield (%) | 5.24 | 5.22 | – |
| UMich consumer sentiment (points) | 46.30 | – | – |
For information only, not investment advice. Prices as of the time stated, not real-time quotes.
Sources
- AP via KRMG: How major US stock indexes fared Friday 10/9/2026
- AP via WHDH: Wall Street finishes its record-setting week with gains (9.10.2026)
- Yahoo Finance: Stock market today – Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq rally to cap volatile week (9.10.2026)
- TheStreet: Stock Market Today (Oct. 9, 2026)
- Investrade: Market Review – October 09, 2026
- Motley Fool: Stock Market Today, Oct. 9 – Verizon slides on SpaceX spectrum deal (9.10.2026)
