Major U.S. stock indexes experienced a significant uptick on Thursday, driven primarily by a surge in technology shares. Investors are closely monitoring ongoing trade discussions between the U.S. and China, while the dollar weakened following a period of gains.
On April 24, 2025, the S&P 500 technology sector saw a remarkable increase of 3.5%, marking it as the best-performing sector of the day. This surge was largely influenced by positive earnings reports from major tech companies, including Alphabet, the parent company of Google, which reported earnings that exceeded analysts' expectations.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 486.83 points, or 1.23%, closing at 40,093.40. The S&P 500 climbed 108.91 points, or 2.03%, to finish at 5,484.77, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 457.99 points, or 2.74%, reaching 17,166.04.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that trade negotiations with China are ongoing, countering claims from Beijing that discussions had stalled. The Chinese government has urged the U.S. to eliminate all unilateral tariffs if it genuinely seeks to resolve trade tensions. This back-and-forth has contributed to market volatility, as investors remain uncertain about the future of these negotiations.
Economic data released on Thursday indicated a slight increase in new unemployment claims, suggesting that the labor market remains resilient despite the ongoing trade war. Additionally, U.S. Treasury yields fell, reflecting investor optimism regarding potential reductions in tariffs.
The dollar weakened against major currencies, with the euro rising 0.63% to $1.1383 and the yen gaining 0.58% to 142.61. This decline in the dollar's value has been attributed to the uncertainty surrounding Trump's tariff policies, which have caused fluctuations in the currency market.
In the commodities sector, gold prices rebounded after a previous decline, with spot gold rising 1.4% to $3,333.90 per ounce. Oil prices also saw an increase, with Brent crude futures settling at $66.55 per barrel, up 0.7%, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rising 0.8% to $62.79 per barrel.
The stock market's positive performance on Thursday reflects a complex interplay of earnings reports, trade negotiations, and economic indicators. As investors continue to navigate these factors, the focus will remain on upcoming earnings and developments in U.S.-China trade relations. The volatility in the markets underscores the ongoing uncertainty, but the recent gains in tech stocks provide a glimmer of optimism for investors looking ahead.
Wall Street faces significant turmoil as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq post their worst quarterly performances since 2022, driven by fears of a trade war due to new tariffs announced by President Trump.
The TSX faced its largest decline in three weeks due to trade war fears and economic uncertainty, closing down 1.6% as investors reacted to U.S. tariffs on automotive imports.
Wall Street faced a sharp decline as tariff concerns impacted major stocks like Nvidia and Tesla. The S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow all closed lower amid fears of rising prices and production disruptions.
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