Wall Street edged higher on September 25, 2026, as AI-related optimism helped offset concerns about rising oil prices above $100 a barrel and Treasury yields near 5.1%. Microsoft rallied between 3% and 3.7% after unveiling new Copilot app capabilities, including a coding tool and an always-on AI agent. The move lifted Microsoft's 2026 gain to 7% and dragged chip makers Qualcomm and Micron, along with Dell, higher. The S&P 500 gained 1.2% for the week and the Nasdaq rose roughly 2% to 27,048.75, hitting a record high earlier in the week.
Several companies announced significant AI-driven developments. Akamai Technologies surged after landing an $11.6 billion cloud services deal with Anthropic, a contract that includes a warrant potentially giving Anthropic up to 5% of Akamai. AMD reached a $1 trillion valuation, and Meta's Muse AI agent gained traction despite the stock dipping 3.3%. Separately, Microsoft dismantled an AI-powered phishing operation that had impacted over 12,000 accounts.
On the regulatory front, U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington said at The Texas Tribune Festival 2026 on September 26 that the United States should avoid over-regulating AI companies and should prioritize innovation. Former Indeed CEO Chris Hyams countered that regulation is necessary, though he acknowledged China's AI progress relies on U.S. models and compute power. The debate reflects broader uncertainty about how to balance AI advancement with safety.
Goldman Sachs forecast the S&P 500 will reach 8,700 over the next 12 months, attributing nearly half of current EPS growth to the AI investment boom. However, strategists expect investors to remain cautious about AI's long-term profit impact, making dramatic valuation increases unlikely. The S&P 500 traded at roughly 19 times expected earnings, its lowest level since 2023. Enphase Energy also entered the AI infrastructure space, beginning U.S. production of solid-state transformer power modules for AI data centers.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff pushed back on predictions that AI will kill SaaS platforms, reporting a sixfold increase in agentic AI usage during its second fiscal quarter of 2027. Growth came through Model Context Protocol and command-line interface calls, and Salesforce expanded its partnership with Anthropic. Proaction, a fleet software company, demonstrated how smaller firms benefit from AI coding tools, using Codex and GPT models to boost sales 60% and save dozens of engineering hours monthly. Oscar Health, meanwhile, appears undervalued at a 16.6x P/E ratio after launching an AI marketplace, trading below both its peer group and sector averages.
Key Takeaways
- <ul><li>Microsoft rallied 3-3.7% after unveiling new Copilot features including a coding tool and always-on AI agent, lifting its 2026 gain to 7%</li><li>Akamai Technologies secured an $11.6 billion cloud services deal with Anthropic, with a warrant that could give Anthropic up to 5% of Akamai</li><li>AMD reached a $1 trillion valuation and Meta's Muse AI agent gained traction, though Meta's stock dipped 3.3%</li><li>U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington urged innovation-focused AI regulation at The Texas Tribune Festival 2026, while experts disagreed on the need for oversight</li><li>Goldman Sachs forecasts the S&P 500 at 8,700 in 12 months, citing AI-driven EPS growth but cautioning on long-term valuation expansion</li><li>Salesforce reported a sixfold increase in agentic AI usage and expanded its Anthropic partnership, with CEO Benioff rejecting predictions AI will end SaaS</li><li>Microsoft dismantled an AI-powered phishing operation affecting over 12,000 accounts</li><li>Enphase Energy began U.S. production of solid-state transformer power modules for AI data centers</li><li>Proaction boosted sales 60% using Codex and GPT coding tools, saving 40-60 engineering hours per month</li><li>Oscar Health trades at 16.6x P/E, below sector and peer averages, after launching an AI marketplace</li></ul>
Wall Street edges up as AI optimism offsets oil and yield concerns
Wall Street's main indexes inched higher on September 25, 2026, as AI optimism helped ease worries over rising oil prices and Treasury yields. Microsoft shares rose 3% after unveiling new Copilot app capabilities, including a coding tool and an always-on AI agent. Chip makers Micron and Marvell Technology each gained about 1%. The Dow Jones rose 226.73 points to 51,576.71, the S&P 500 gained 22.49 points to 7,726.62, and the Nasdaq Composite added 109.38 points to 27,048.75. Investors also watched for progress toward ending the Middle East conflict.
Wall Street ends higher on AI stock buying and Microsoft rally
Wall Street ended higher on Friday as investors bought AI-related technology stocks, with Microsoft rallying. High oil prices and a surge in US Treasury yields kept investors cautious. The S&P 500 gained 1.2% for the week and the Nasdaq rose 2% for the week after notching a record-high close on Tuesday. The rally was driven by uncertainty about which industries will benefit from artificial intelligence and concerns about the US war with Iran.
AI stocks lift Wall Street despite oil above $100
Wall Street's major indexes edged higher even with oil above $100 a barrel and the 10-year Treasury yield near 5.1%. Microsoft climbed 3% after showing off new Copilot features, boosting other chip and AI-linked stocks. However, eight of the S&P 500's 11 sectors declined, showing the rally was narrow. Markets also nudged up expectations for another Federal Reserve rate increase in October. The S&P 500 traded just under 19 times expected earnings, its lowest valuation since 2023.
Wall Street climbs as AI stocks and Microsoft rally
Wall Street climbed on Friday, lifted by Microsoft and other AI-related technology stocks. Microsoft rallied 3.3%, lifting its 2026 gain to 7%, after unveiling new Copilot app capabilities including a coding tool and an always-on AI agent. Akamai Technologies surged 6% after an $11.6 billion cloud services deal with AI leader Anthropic, which includes a warrant that could give Anthropic up to 5% of Akamai. Chip maker Qualcomm gained 4% and Dell advanced 5%. The gains capped a volatile week driven by AI uncertainty and concerns about the US war with Iran.
US stocks end higher as investors buy AI stocks and Microsoft rallies
Wall Street ended higher on September 25, 2026, lifted by Microsoft and other AI-related technology stocks. Microsoft rallied 3.7%, lifting its 2026 gain to 7%, after unveiling new Copilot capabilities including a coding tool and an always-on AI agent. Qualcomm gained 4% and Dell advanced 5%. Akamai Technologies rallied 3.2% after an $11.6 billion cloud services deal with Anthropic. Meta Platforms dipped 3.3% despite its Muse AI agent gaining traction. The S&P 500 gained 1.2% for the week and the Nasdaq rose 2%. Brent crude remained above $100 a barrel and the 10-year Treasury yield hit 5.196%.
US Rep Arrington urges innovation focused AI regulation
U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington said the United States should avoid over-regulating artificial intelligence companies. He spoke at The Texas Tribune Festival 2026 on September 26, 2026. Arrington believes winning the AI race is an imperative. Other experts disagree and say regulation is needed to protect people.
Experts debate how to regulate AI at Texas Tribune Festival
U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, said the U.S. should err on the side of AI innovation at The Texas Tribune Festival 2026 on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. Former Indeed CEO Chris Hyams said the question is how to regulate AI, not whether to. Hyams said China's AI innovations are based on U.S. models because the U.S. has more compute power. Jason Tyszko of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation said colleges treat AI like the boogeyman while employers want applicants to have basic AI skills.
Goldman Sachs forecasts S&P 500 at 8700 as AI drives earnings
Goldman Sachs Research forecasts the S&P 500 will reach 8,700 over the next 12 months. The investment bank says the AI investment boom is driving nearly half of S&P 500 EPS growth this year. Strategists expect investors to stay uncertain about AI's impact on long-term profits. A dramatic increase in valuations is unlikely because of this uncertainty.
AI stocks surge as Nasdaq hits record high amid market shifts
The Nasdaq Composite reached an all-time high driven by strong performance in AI-related stocks. AMD achieved a $1 trillion valuation and Meta's Muse AI agent boosted its stock. Bitcoin surged to $86,000 this week. The FAA announced it will pilot an AI-powered air traffic management system. Microsoft also dismantled an AI-powered phishing operation impacting over 12,000 accounts. For the week, the S&P 500 gained 1.27%, Nasdaq gained 3.19%, and Dow Jones gained 0.31%.
Enphase Energy begins AI data center power module production
Enphase Energy began United States production of solid-state transformer power modules for AI data centers. The power modules are aimed at high-voltage direct current AI data centers. The company also makes microinverters that convert power at the level of individual solar panels. Solar selling resumed across the sector due to financing headwinds, which pressured the stock alongside its peers.
Oscar Health stock may be undervalued after AI marketplace launch
Oscar Health has seen strong share price growth over the past three years. The company launched an AI marketplace and set earnings targets for 2027. Its current P/E ratio of 16.6x is below the insurance sector average of 10.7x and a peer group at 32.5x. A valuation framework suggests the stock trades at a discount to its fair value. This means the market may be too cautious about Oscar Health's future.
Proaction boosts sales 60% and saves 75+ hours with Codex
Proaction uses Codex, GPT-Live-1, and GPT-6 Astra to build fleet management software faster. The company increased sales by 60% and saves 40 to 60 engineering hours per month. Co-founder Colin Knudsen now builds four to six custom demos each month without engineers. These demos help close more deals, increasing solution development by 50% to 60%. Codex also saves 33 founder hours per month.
Researchers unveil AI that can build viruses from scratch
University of California, Berkeley researchers created an AI system that can design and build viruses from scratch. The AI can create viruses with specific traits like evading the immune system or damaging cells. Tests on unguarded systems showed the AI could bypass traditional security measures. The researchers say their goal is to improve cybersecurity defenses. They hope the work will lead to better protection against cyber threats.
Salesforce CEO says predictions that AI will kill SaaS are wrong
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said fears that AI will end SaaS platforms are wrong. The company reported a sixfold increase in agentic AI usage during its second fiscal quarter of 2027. Usage grew through Model Context Protocol and command-line interface calls. Benioff said these tools are essential for businesses to use AI effectively. Salesforce also expanded its partnership with Anthropic.
Shearwater Group and 2 British AI stocks to watch
Bill Ackman says AI is changing how interest rates work because businesses see big potential returns. Shearwater Group provides AI-driven Mind Security managed services and cybersecurity software. It earns about £33 million from services and £2 million from software, with roughly £30 million from UK clients. Its market cap is £14 million. The company uses AI for threat detection and response related to ChatGPT-era risks.
Sources
- Wall St futures gain as AI enthusiasm eases worries over higher oil prices, yields
- Wall Street ends higher as investors buy AI stocks; Microsoft rallies
- AI Stocks Lift Wall Street, Even With Oil Over $100
- Wall Street climbs as investors buy AI stocks; Microsoft rallies
- US stocks: Wall Street ends higher as investors buy AI stocks; Microsoft rallies
- U.S. should err on the side of innovation in AI regulation, U.S. Rep. Arrington says
- U.S. should err on the side of AI innovation, U.S. Rep. says
- Goldman Sachs Asks: Can AI Investment Drive S&P 500 Earnings Even Higher?
- Weekend Morning Brew: AI Stocks Surge Amid Economic Uncertainty
- Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) Showcases AI Data Center Power Hardware As Solar Selling Resumes
- Oscar Health (OSCR) Stock May Be Undervalued Following Its AI Marketplace Launch
- Proaction boosts sales 60% and saves 75+ hours with Codex
- Researchers unveil AI that can build viruses from scratch, fear who uses it next
- Salesforce CEO: Predictions that AI will kill SaaS are wrong
- Shearwater Group And 2 British AI Stocks To Watch
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