Key takeout
- The S&P 500 dipped 0.3% on Friday, August 15th, 2025. Consumer sentiment reports indicated growing worries about the effects of tariffs, inflation, and employment issues.
- UnitedHealth’s stock soared after it was revealed that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has acquired a significant stake in health insurance companies.
- Applied Materials is cautious, citing macro uncertainty as it offers a bleak outlook for the current quarter, leading to declines in stock prices for chip equipment manufacturers.
US stocks managed to finish the week with some gains, but key indicators as the weekend approaches show mixed signals.
The S&P 500’s decline of 0.3% on Friday breaks a close streak of three consecutive records. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq dropped 0.4%, although the Dow managed a slight gain of 0.1%. For a detailed market overview today, keep reading.
Shares of UnitedHealth Group (UNH) surged after regulatory filings revealed increased investment from Berkshire Hathaway (Brk.A, Brk.B), led by renowned investor Warren Buffett. Although the company and others in the health sector have faced pressures from rising healthcare costs and shifting government reimbursement rates, which led to UnitedHealth withdrawing its annual guidance in May, the stock’s 12% leap made it the top performer in the S&P 500 for the day, with other health insurance stocks also showing gains.
Sunrun (RUN), the leading player in the US residential solar market, exceeded its quarterly sales and profit estimates. The company, specializing in solar panel installations and battery storage, aims to leverage lessons from previous regulatory shifts to lessen the impact of upcoming changes. Its shares skyrocketed by 33%, with S&P 500 components First Solar (FSLR) and Enphase Energy (ENPH) also seeing increases of 11% and 8.1%, respectively.
Moderna (MRNA) gained 5%, building on earlier profits. This was partly due to comments from Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, who highlighted the versatility of mRNA vaccine technology related to Moderna’s offerings. His view contrasts with more rigid stances from other health officials during the previous administration, which had sought to cut funding for mRNA research.
However, shares of Applied Materials (AMAT), a semiconductor equipment manufacturer, fell by 14%, significantly reducing its standing in the S&P 500. Despite outpacing fourth quarter sales and profit forecasts, its guidance for the current quarter is below expectations due to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties, particularly in China. The stocks of rival chip equipment manufacturers KLA Corp. (KLAC) and LAM Research (LRCX) also declined by 8.4% and 7.3%, respectively.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY) experienced a 4.6% drop, giving back some of the substantial gains from earlier in the week, especially in light of recent “Meme Stock” trading patterns. Following the merger between Skydance Media and Paramount Global, the stock has displayed significant volatility.
Lastly, HSBC changed its rating on Cisco Systems (CSCO) from “buy” to “hold,” while also reducing its price target. Analysts suggested that potential momentum reduction could benefit Cisco as it expects moderate revenue growth, alongside a replenishment cycle impacting computer networking firms. Cisco shares declined by 4.5% on Friday.
