US markets mixed as Cisco, Nokia, Ford, Quantum Cyber and Nebius Group surge on earnings and partnerships

US-listed equities saw significant volatility on Wednesday, with five specific stocks—Cisco Systems, Nokia, Ford, Quantum Cyber, and Nebius Group—driving investor attention through earnings beats, strategic partnerships, and analyst upgrades. The broader market ended the session with mixed results, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.14% to 49,693.20, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.58% to 7,444.25 and the Nasdaq climbed 1.20% to 26,402.34.

Cisco Systems Inc. saw its stock climb 2.60% to close at $101.87, following a strong earnings report. The company reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $15.84 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.06 per share, both exceeding analyst expectations. Total revenue increased 12% year-on-year, driven by 25% growth in networking products. Cisco also raised its full-year adjusted earnings forecast to $4.27–$4.29 per share from $4.13–$4.17, above analyst estimates of $4.16 per share. In after-hours trading, the stock popped 19.76% to $122.

Nokia Corporation shares surged 11.69% to close at $14.71, hitting a 52-week high of $14.83 during the session. The Finnish telecommunications giant launched new agentic AI capabilities across its Altiplano, Corteca, and Broadband Easy platforms, aiming to automate telecom network troubleshooting and accelerate fibre deployments. Nokia reaffirmed its 2026 comparable operating profit outlook of $2.34 billion to $2.93 billion after reporting first-quarter net sales of $5.26 billion, up 4% year-on-year, while adjusted earnings rose 67% to 6 cents per share.

Ford’s stock jumped 13.18% to close at $13.57, buoyed by optimism surrounding its Energy division, which could be valued at $10 billion. Morgan Stanley highlighted Ford's partnership with CATL as a key advantage in supplying compliant energy storage systems for utilities and data centres in the US. The stock rose 1.03% to $13.71 in extended trading, with the company’s 52-week range sitting between $9.88 and $14.80.

Quantum Cyber experienced a dramatic 315.12% increase, closing at $1.34 after an intraday high of $1.62. The surge followed an announcement of an intellectual property license and supply agreement with BP United tied to autonomous drone and sky defence technologies. The deal granted Quantum Cyber exclusive rights to the technology and included manufacturing commitments for systems designed for immediate deployment. The stock shot up a further 19.4% to $1.60 in after-hours trading.

Nebius Group shares rose 15.72% to close at $207.27, reaching a 52-week high of $217.34. The rally was driven by BofA Securities reiterating its Buy rating and raising its price target to $205 from $175, citing continued momentum in AI and high-performance computing-related technology stocks. Analysts expect Nebius to report quarterly revenue of $374.23 million, up from $55.3 million a year earlier, despite forecasting a loss of 73 cents per share.

Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings indicate Cisco Systems stock has a Momentum in the 86th percentile and Value in the 16th percentile. The activity underscores the market's focus on AI infrastructure, energy storage, and defence technology sectors, even as broader indices remained divided.