Skip to main content

Featured

Wall Street Steadies as Trump Softens China Rhetoric, Banks Rebound

U.S. stocks swung between losses and gains on Friday before finding some footing, as President Donald Trump dialed back threats of steep new tariffs on Chinese imports. His remarks helped ease investor concerns over an escalating trade conflict that had rattled markets earlier in the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged higher, while the S&P 500 hovered near the flatline. The Nasdaq Composite pared earlier declines, supported by a rebound in technology shares. Futures trading showed modest gains for the Dow and S&P 500, while Nasdaq contracts remained slightly negative. Regional bank stocks, which had been under pressure amid worries about loan quality and credit risks, also staged a recovery. Analysts noted that while investor sentiment remains fragile, Trump’s comments signaled a willingness to avoid measures that could further destabilize the global economy. Market watchers say volatility is likely to persist as Wall Street weighs trade policy uncertainty agai...

article

Netflix and Tech Earnings Lift S&P 500 to New Record

 

The S&P 500 index reached a new all-time high on Wednesday, as strong earnings reports from technology companies boosted investor confidence. Netflix was the star performer, surging 10% after adding more subscribers than expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. The streaming giant also announced plans to buy back up to $5 billion of its shares this year.

Other tech firms also delivered impressive results, such as ASML, the world’s largest supplier of chip-making equipment, which saw its orders more than triple in the fourth quarter. Microsoft also hit a record high, becoming the first company to surpass $3 trillion in market value.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index rose 0.7%, outperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which fell 0.3%. The Dow was dragged down by losses in Boeing, Chevron, and Goldman Sachs.

Meanwhile, the TSX Composite index edged lower by 0.1%, as gains in energy and materials stocks were offset by declines in financials and industrials. The Canadian dollar weakened against the US dollar, as the Bank of Canada kept its key interest rate unchanged at 0.25%.

Investors are now looking ahead to the European Central Bank’s policy meeting on Thursday, where it is expected to maintain its ultra-loose monetary stance and signal its readiness to support the euro zone economy amid rising Covid-19 cases and lockdowns.

Comments