S&P 500 Gains 1%; Fastenal Posts Downbeat Earnings

1. Fastenal reported Q4 earnings missed expectations with EPS at 46 cents. 2. Sales growth of 3.7% year-over-year totaled $1.825 billion, below estimates. 3. Overall U.S. stocks rose, potentially boosting market sentiment for materials sector. 4. Equity gains in the technology sector could indirectly influence Fastenal's performance.