NASDAQ Roars Ahead with 8.3% Weekly Gain as DJIA Lags—Traders Eye Make-or-Break Earnings

Tech-heavy NASDAQ leaves the Dow in the dust with its biggest weekly jump since the last Fed pivot rumor. Meanwhile, old-school industrials drag the DJIA like an anchor—just in time for earnings season to separate the hype trains from the profit machines.

Wall Street’s algo-trading overlords clearly picked their favorite child this week. Now the real test begins: can Big Tech’s earnings justify the rally, or will we get another ’growth narrative’ versus ’actual revenue’ showdown?

Bonus cynicism: Nothing boosts markets like the sweet combo of FOMO and selective amnesia about P/E ratios.

From Early Week Selloff to Steady Gains

After starting the week with a sharp 3% decline on Monday, U.S. equities have staged an impressive turnaround. As of today, both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones are posting a fourth consecutive day of gains, up 0.3% heading into the weekend.

This recovery comes amid renewed optimism that the White House may be approaching breakthrough announcements on trade deals—or at least some formal memorandums of understanding (MOUs)—with major global partners.

Markets Eye Tariff Developments as Optimism Builds

While key questions remain unanswered—such as what minimum tariff thresholds the U.S. may propose or what other countries are prepared to concede—the general market mood has improved significantly. Investors appear to be pricing in the possibility that some groundwork toward broader trade agreements is being laid, helping fuel risk appetite across equities.

President Donald Trump has played a central role in encouraging that sentiment, hinting at measured approaches to tariff policies and stating, “We will be reasonable with tariffs.”

He also emphasized that financial markets are adapting to current trade strategies, suggesting that further instability may be limited.

Geopolitical Notes: Rome Visit, Gaza Message, and Iran Concerns

President Trump is scheduled to travel to Rome tomorrow to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. He noted that many international leaders are expected to be present and expressed optimism about holding meaningful discussions while there.

In parallel, the President reportedly urged Yahoo’s leadership to ensure that humanitarian aid—specifically food and medicine—reaches Gaza, underscoring the administration’s attempt to show diplomatic and humanitarian engagement.

On Iran, Trump referenced ongoing efforts to manage tensions, indicating that the U.S. continues to monitor elevated conditions in the region, though without offering further details.

Friday Closing Levels for Major U.S. Stock Indices

• Dow Jones Industrial Average
  • Rose 20.10 points or +0.05%, closing at 40,113.50
• S&P 500 Index
  • Gained 40.44 points or +0.74%, finishing at 5,525.21
• NASDAQ Composite Index
  • Jumped 216.90 points or +1.26%, closing at 17,382.94

• Dow Jones: +2.48%
• S&P 500: +4.59%
• NASDAQ: +6.73%

The tech-heavy NASDAQ led the way, notching its strongest week since early 2024, fueled by risk-on sentiment and strong rallies in growth and AI-related stocks.

Palantir Technologies (PLTR): +19.88%

Robinhood Markets (HOOD): +19.72%

Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT): +18.83%

Tesla (TSLA): +18.06%

SoFi Technologies (SOFI): +17.21%

MicroStrategy (MSTR): +16.26%

Shopify Inc. (SHOP): +16.10%

Micron Technology (MU): +15.92%

Super Micro Computer (SMCI): +15.76%

AI momentum, crypto exposure, and tech optimism were key themes behind these outsized moves.

• Several high-profile earnings reports are on deck:
• Big Tech: Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Apple
• Consumer & Energy Giants: McDonald’s, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Chevron, Exxon Mobil
• Pharma: Pfizer

These earnings will be closely watched for clues on consumer strength, tech investment, cost trends, and corporate guidance for the rest of 2025.

Dow Jones Live Chart