$GOOG

Stock Market Today (Oct. 29, 2026): S&P 500 falls on Alphabet earnings miss

Alphabet (GOOG) shares fell 10.19% premarket after missing earnings expectations, while Microsoft (MSFT) rose 2.61% on strong Azure growth. The S&P 500 declined as investors reacted to mixed Big Tech earnings and the Fed's rate decision.

Original reporting
Published Oct 29, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC
Analysis
AlphAI AI DeskAI-generated
Added to AlphAI Oct 29, 2026, 1:51 PM UTC. Informational, not investment advice.
How this was made
AlphAI summarizes source reporting and applies a structured AI analysis for relevance, timing, sentiment and ticker impact. Always verify material claims with the original publisher.
Stock Market Today (Oct. 29, 2026): S&P 500 falls on Alphabet earnings miss — source image
Decision brief

The 30-second read

$GOOGBearishHigh
01

Why it matters

Alphabet’s miss drives a broad sell‑off in AI‑related stocks, while Microsoft’s beat provides a rally point for cloud‑focused equities.

02

Market read

The contrasting earnings outcomes create immediate trading opportunities and sector‑wide sentiment shifts.

03

What to watch

Potential cost‑cutting measures or upcoming product launches could mitigate the impact of the earnings miss.

Relevance 9/10Novelty 9/10Timing: pre‑market today

Background

The article is a live market blog covering the immediate reaction to two major tech earnings releases on the same day.

Company-level read

Ticker impact

$GOOGBearishHigh confidence
Context

Alphabet reported a 10.19% pre‑market drop after missing revenue and profit expectations and posting negative free cash flow.

Expected impact

likely pressure as the market prices in the earnings miss and slower ad growth.

Evidence & confidence

The earnings miss is a fresh, material disclosure for a large‑cap stock with a double‑digit move, prompting immediate trader reaction.

$MSFTBullishHigh confidence
Context

Microsoft posted earnings beat, driven by 48% Azure growth, sending its shares up 2.61% in pre‑market trading.

Expected impact

likely support as investors reward the cloud growth and earnings beat.

Evidence & confidence

The beat is a fresh, material event for a large‑cap stock, providing a clear catalyst for short‑term buying.

Market effects

AI‑related ad spending scrutiny may weigh on other tech and ad‑revenue companies.

U.S. equity markets likely dip on Alphabet weakness, while cloud‑focused stocks could benefit from Microsoft’s beat.

The divergent earnings outcomes highlight sector‑wide uncertainty around AI investment returns.

Counterpoint

Alphabet’s long‑term AI positioning may still justify buying on the dip despite the short‑term miss.

Key entities

  • Alphabet Inc.

    Search and AI giant reporting earnings miss.

  • Microsoft Corp.

    Software and cloud leader reporting earnings beat.

Related articles

$GOOGHighAI 9/10

Google stock plunges more than 12% on Q3 earnings miss

Google's stock fell over 12% after Q3 earnings missed expectations, with EPS of $2.12 vs. $3.01 expected and revenue of $127.58B vs. $127.93B. Google Cloud grew 103%, but free cash flow declined to -$9.06B. The company launched its Gemini 4 Carbon AI model, claiming it outperforms competitors. CEO Sundar Pichai noted the Gemini app has over 1 billion users. Investors remain uncertain about AI investments and competition from Meta's Muse AI.

$GOOGLMed

US Stocks Fall, Alphabet Tumbles

US stocks declined on Thursday, with the S&P 500 down 0.5%, Nasdaq down 1.4%, and Dow down 310 points. Alphabet fell 12% after missing earnings and revenue expectations. Amazon and Intel also dropped ahead of their earnings reports. Caterpillar fell nearly 12% due to moderate sales growth forecasts. Microsoft rose 0.8% on strong cloud sales. Eli Lilly and Merck gained 7.3% and 3.3%, respectively, after raising their revenue outlooks.

$GOOGHighAI 8/10

Scotiabank cuts Alphabet stock price target on AI costs, weaker search

Scotiabank reduced its price target for Alphabet (GOOG) to $375 from $450, citing weaker search monetization and higher AI costs. Alphabet's shares fell 10% in after-hours trading as Q3 free cash flow burn worsened to negative $9.1 billion. The company's Q3 revenue grew 12% YoY, but earnings missed expectations. Analysts have mixed outlooks, with some lowering price targets but maintaining positive ratings.