Overview of Market Performance
On Thursday, the three major indices on Wall Street all recorded gains. The market’s upward trend continued due to the impetus from tech giants, as investors reviewed mixed quarterly results and monitored news from the United States and China.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: Increased by 1.23% to 40,093.40 points.
- S&P 500: Advanced by 2.03% to 5,484.77 points.
- Nasdaq Composite: Rose by 2.74% to 17,166.04 points.
Tech Sector Propels Market Gains
The elite group of seven leading companies on the market, all with some connection to artificial intelligence, rose in tandem with better-than-expected quarterly results from ServiceNow (+15.49%). This boosted the tech-heavy Nasdaq above its peers.
- Nvidia: (+3.62%) – A leading chip manufacturer for artificial intelligence.
- Microsoft: (+3.45%) – The second most valuable company in the market.
- Amazon: (+3.29%) – A major e-commerce and cloud computing player.
- Alphabet: (+2.53%) – Parent company of Google.
- Meta Platforms: (+2.48%) – Formerly Facebook, now focusing on metaverse development.
- Apple: (+1.84%) – A global leader in consumer electronics and software.
Tesla (+3.50%), although recently reporting weak quarterly figures and Elon Musk announcing a reduction in government activities, also experienced significant growth as an independent entity within this group.
Trade Tensions and Q1 2025 Reports
In trade-related news, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that there had been progress in easing tensions with China, following China’s assertion that any claims of advancement in negotiations should be disregarded.
Corporate news included declines in stable, income-oriented stocks like Procter & Gamble (-3.74%) and PepsiCo (-4.89%) after reducing or withdrawing their forecasts due to high consumer uncertainty.
However, not all news was negative. Hasbro’s stocks (+14.58%) surged after the toy manufacturer’s quarterly results significantly exceeded market expectations, driven by strength in its video games segment.
Economic Figures
In economic data, initial jobless claims in the U.S. increased last week as anticipated by analysts. Another report showed durable goods orders rising in March beyond expectations.
With no significant economic data releases expected this week, investors will continue to focus on developments in U.S.-China relations and quarterly reports from large companies.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: Which indices rose on Wall Street? A: The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite all recorded gains.
- Q: What drove the market’s upward trend? A: The impetus came from tech giants, as investors reviewed mixed quarterly results and monitored news from the U.S. and China.
- Q: Which companies were part of the Seven Dow Stocks and their respective gains? A: Nvidia (+3.62%), Microsoft (+3.45%), Amazon (+3.29%), Alphabet (+2.53%), Meta Platforms (+2.48%), Apple (+1.84%), and Tesla (+3.50%) all experienced gains.
- Q: What were the significant corporate news events? A: Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo reduced or withdrew their forecasts due to consumer uncertainty, while Hasbro’s stock surged after exceeding market expectations.
- Q: What were the recent developments in U.S.-China trade relations? A: U.S. President Donald Trump reported progress in easing tensions with China, despite China stating any claims of advancement in negotiations should be disregarded.
- Q: What notable economic data was released? A: Initial jobless claims in the U.S. increased as expected, and durable goods orders rose beyond expectations in March.
