The benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq each rallied to their third record close in a row on Friday, while the blue-chip Dow marked its highest finish since late February, as investors cheered Iran's decision to open the Strait of Hormuz and were optimistic it could reach a deal with the United States to end their war.
01 Stock Market
The U.S. major indexes closed as follows: Dow Jones up 1.79% at 49,447.43; S&P 500 up 1.20% at 7,126.06; NASDAQ up 1.52% at 24,468.48. A rebound in heavyweight technology names and an afternoon short-covering surge helped all three benchmarks notch solid advances despite lingering geopolitical uncertainty.
Stand-out movers were led by megacap tech and high-beta plays. Tesla (TSLA) up 3.01% at $400.62 climbed after reports of fresh product launches, while Apple (AAPL) up 2.59% at $270.23 and Nvidia (NVDA) up 1.68% at $201.68 added to the upbeat tone across chip and handset names. In contrast, streaming giant Netflix (NFLX) declined 9.72% at $97.31 as a cautious revenue outlook overshadowed prior-quarter strength. Volatility products were busy: bullish semiconductor ETF SOXL jumped 7.14% at $94.68, whereas its inverse counterpart SOXS fell 6.95% at $18.87. Rare-earth explorer Critical Metals (CRML) soared 35.49% at $12.56 after expanding its Greenland stake, and bitcoin proxy MicroStrategy (MSTR) surged 11.80% at $166.52.
Across the tape, broad participation extended beyond the usual mega-caps: leveraged tech fund TQQQ rose 3.83% at $58.59, while oil-linked USO declined 7.79% at $116.04 on a steep crude-price retreat. The day’s mix of strong gains in growth favorites and sharp drops in energy plays left investors balancing optimism about resilient consumer demand against rapid shifts in commodity and bond markets.
02 Other Markets
U.S. 10-year Treasury yield fell by 1.51%, latest at 4.24%.
USD/CNH fell 0.06%, at 6.86; USD/HKD rose 0.09%, at 7.83.
U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.03%, at 98.23.
WTI crude futures fell 7.86%, at 84.00 USD/bbl; COMEX gold futures rose 0.85%, at 4,849.40 USD/oz.
03 Top News
1. Iran Reopens Strait of Hormuz, Driving Oil Prices Below $90 and Reviving U.S. Rate-Cut Hopes. Tehran announced full commercial access to the key shipping lane during a regional ceasefire, sending Brent and WTI futures tumbling more than 7%. Lower energy costs prompted traders to price in potential Federal Reserve easing as early as December.
2. Netflix Warns on Revenue Growth and Chairman Reed Hastings Plans Exit, Pressuring Shares. The streaming leader’s outlook fell short of analyst expectations, while co-founder Hastings said he will not seek board re-election. The stock declined 9.72% amid concerns about slowing subscriber momentum.
3. Critical Metals Raises Stake to 92.5% in Greenland Rare-Earth Project, Aiming to Bolster U.S. Supply Chains. The purchase of an additional 50.5% interest tightens the firm’s grip on the Tanbreez deposit rich in terbium and dysprosium. Investors applauded the strategic move, lifting shares 35.49%.
4. Eli Lilly’s New Obesity Pill Foundayo Logs 1,390 U.S. Prescriptions in Its First Week. Early IQVIA data show a solid start for the recently approved oral therapy, though rival Novo Nordisk’s pill maintains a larger footprint. Lilly’s shares gained more than 2% in pre-market trading as analysts highlighted significant market potential.
5. Tesla Poised to Debut Six-Seat Model Y Variant in India to Capture Growing Family-SUV Demand. Sources say the long-wheelbase model will be imported from the Shanghai Gigafactory, allowing Tesla to expand without a new platform. The introduction could strengthen its position in a market facing high import tariffs.
6. U.S. Mulls $20 Billion Cash-for-Uranium Deal with Iran to End Regional Conflict, Axios Reports. Negotiators are weighing releasing frozen Iranian funds in exchange for surrendering enriched uranium stockpiles. A breakthrough could ease geopolitical tensions and reshape energy and defense markets.
7. Goldman Sachs Initiates WeRide at “Buy,” Citing Leadership in Autonomous Driving Solutions. The bank highlighted the company’s end-to-end robotaxi, robobus, and delivery-vehicle platforms as key growth drivers. Analysts project significant market-share gains as self-driving adoption accelerates.
8. Mizuho Upgrades STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments, Downgrades NXP on Diverging Sector Prospects. The brokerage sees industrial recovery benefiting STM and TXN, while NXP’s heavy auto exposure is viewed as a headwind. Rating shifts underscore mixed outlooks within the semiconductor space.
9. Allbirds to Rebrand as “NewBird AI,” Triggering Five-Fold Intraday Surge in Share Price. The footwear maker’s planned pivot to artificial-intelligence infrastructure captured retail traders’ imagination, though the stock later pared gains. Analysts warn of heightened volatility amid speculative fervor.
10. U.S. President Trump Publicly Thanks Iran for Opening Hormuz, Signaling Diplomatic Backing. The statement on social media followed Tehran’s announcement and was interpreted as a supportive gesture toward de-escalation. Markets viewed the message as reinforcing the ceasefire’s credibility.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data
Disclaimer: This content is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice.
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