Tech Rally Pushes Markets Higher

Markets rise on Friday as tech leaders push major indexes higher ahead of the weekly close and gold reaches record levels.

Tech Rally Lifts Wall Street Toward Weekly Gains

Stocks edged higher on Friday as traders look to wrap up a week of solid gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 0.6%, the S&P 500 gained around 0.8%, and the Nasdaq advanced roughly 1%. The Nasdaq closed at a new high on Thursday, and the S&P 500 sits near a record closing level as it heads into Friday. For the week, the Dow and S&P have posted gains of more than 1%, while the Nasdaq is up about 3% as concerns over tariffs and the economy ease. The market has been tempered by political headlines but largely supported by expectations of possible federal rate cuts.

Mega-cap tech shares paced the day’s gains. Apple climbed nearly 5% for a third straight session, lifting the stock about 13% over the stretch on news of a pledge to invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing. Alphabet and Tesla rose more than 2%, with Nvidia and Meta Platforms adding around 1%. Microsoft inched higher, while Amazon and Broadcom eased. Intel rose about 0.5% after President Donald Trump called for CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign; Tan replied that the board backs him. On the commodities front, gold futures jumped 1.1% to around 3,490 an ounce, extending a week-long rally that has pushed gold to record levels. Oil inched up 0.2% to $64, while the 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.28% from 4.24% a day earlier. The dollar softened, with the U.S. dollar index falling 0.2% to 98.16 and Bitcoin trading near 116,800.

The day’s moves reflect a market trying to balance growth signals from a tech-led rally with headwinds from political headlines and tariff policy. Investors appear focused on the potential for rate cuts, which would support higher asset prices even if growth remains uneven. Yet the concentration in a few megacaps means a sharper shift in sentiment could ripple quickly through portfolios that are already stretched in some corners. The Intel episode highlights how political noise can touch corporate leadership and investor confidence, especially when policy decisions intersect with earnings and guidance. Overall, the trend suggests a market craving clarity on policy and a sustainable path for growth rather than a quick relief rally.

Highlights

Policy signals will shape the next week’s volatility and direction.