GDP Data Pushes S&P 500, Nasdaq to 6th Consecutive Win

Stocks were higher Thursday, following a fresh batch of positive GDP data. The S&P 500 rose for a sixth-straight session, just shy of securing another record high. Tesla's (TSLA) mixed quarterly report pressured the Nasdaq, though it did manage to score its own sixth consecutive win, moving above breakeven in the final hour of trading. Rounding out U.S. markets, the Dow and Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) both notched solid daily wins.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

• Retail stock poised to continue climbing higher.
• What gave these 2 airline stocks much-needed tailwinds.
• Plus, next week's news, and 2 earnings reports to parse.

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5 Things to Know Today

1. After its acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Microsoft (MSFT) let go of nearly 9% of its gaming division. (CNBC)
   
2. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is probing into investments and partnerships of major tech firms in regards to generative artificial intelligence (AI).(MarketWatch)
3. All eyes will turn to the Federal Reserve next week.
4. Why this "big blue" stock hit a 10-year high.
5. What prompted this casino stock's attention today.

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Oil Prices Near 2-Month Highs

Oil futures jumped once again, closing near two-month highs after inventories and production in the U.S. fell more than economists expected. For the session, March-dated West Texas Intermediate Crude (WTI) gained $2.27, or 3%, to finish at $77.36 a barrel on the day.

Gold prices fell today despite a weakened U.S. dollar. At last look, February-dated gold was $1.80, or 0.09%, higher to settle at at $2,017.80 for the session.