Stock Market Today: Dow Rises After Key Inflation, Surprise GDP Data; Micron Rockets On Earnings

Stocks Open Higher After Inflation And GDP Data

U.S. stocks moved higher in morning trading on June 25, 2026, after a closely watched inflation report came in largely as expected and a government revision showed the economy grew faster in the first quarter than initially estimated. Micron Technology added a separate boost to the market after posting strong earnings and upbeat guidance.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite all opened in the green. At the open, the Dow was up about 0.6%, the S&P 500 about 0.5% and the Nasdaq about 0.2%.

The move followed a premarket tone of caution that gave way to relief once the data landed. Traders appeared to take the numbers as supportive of the soft-landing view of the U.S. economy, even as they continued to watch how the inflation reading might affect expectations for Federal Reserve policy.

Inflation And GDP Set The Tone

The core PCE price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, rose 0.3% from the prior month and 3.4% from a year earlier, matching expectations. That kept the report from delivering an upside surprise that could have pressured rate-sensitive assets.

At the same time, first-quarter U.S. GDP was revised up to a 2.1% annualized pace from a prior 1.6% estimate. Consumer spending was revised lower to 0.5%, but the stronger overall growth reading reinforced the idea that the economy remains resilient.

Initial weekly jobless claims also fell to 215,000, adding to the picture of a labor market that is still holding up. Together, the inflation, growth and jobs data gave investors a more balanced macro backdrop than they had been worried about earlier in the week.

Micron Revives The AI And Memory Trade

Micron provided the other major spark. The chipmaker reported fiscal third-quarter adjusted earnings of $25.11 per share on revenue of $41.46 billion, well above Wall Street expectations.

The company also guided fourth-quarter revenue to about $50 billion, above analyst estimates. Its shares jumped sharply in premarket and morning trading, with MarketWatch reporting the stock up 17.7% and on pace for a record post-earnings gain.

The rally spilled into other memory-chip names, including Sandisk and Western Digital. That reaction matters because Micron has become a key sentiment test for the broader AI and semiconductor trade after a recent sector pullback.

Why Traders Cared

The PCE report matters because it is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure. A reading that matched expectations helped ease fears that inflation was reaccelerating, even if it did not by itself settle the path for rate cuts.

The GDP revision carried a different message: growth appears to be holding up better than the earlier estimate suggested. That combination of steady inflation and firmer growth supports the soft-landing narrative that investors have been trying to preserve.

Micron’s results added a company-specific catalyst with broader market implications. Strong demand and guidance in memory chips can feed optimism about AI infrastructure spending, while also helping confirm that chipmakers still have pricing power and volume momentum.

What To Watch Next

The main question for the rest of the session is whether the morning gains can hold through the close. Early strength in stocks can fade if traders decide the inflation reading still leaves rates elevated for longer.

Investors will also be watching Treasury yields and any shift in rate-cut expectations as the market digests the new data. A stronger interpretation of the GDP revision could limit how far equities extend the move.

In semiconductors, follow-through in Micron, Sandisk and Western Digital will show whether the earnings reaction is isolated or broad enough to reset sentiment across the group. Any additional commentary from Micron management or analysts on supply, demand and forward guidance could also shape the next move.

For now, the market is treating the session as a rare alignment of supportive macro data and a powerful earnings catalyst. Whether that lasts will depend on how traders weigh inflation, growth and valuations over the rest of the day.