Wall Street Eyes Weekly Win as Stocks Rise on Strong Earnings and Eased Tariff Tensions

The Big Picture

U.S. stocks ticked up on Friday, keeping Wall Street on track for a third weekly gain in four weeks, as investors embraced strong earnings reports and a slight thaw in trade tensions. According to Finabase, the S&P 500 rose 0.3%, building on Thursday’s record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 143 points (0.3%) and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.4%, hitting another all-time peak.

Travel giant Expedia and drugmaker Gilead Sciences led the rally, both beating earnings expectations and raising full-year guidance. Their performances helped offset market anxiety tied to global trade uncertainty and mixed economic data releases.

What They’re Saying

“Markets remain remarkably resilient given the geopolitical backdrop,” said Lindsey Bell, chief strategist at 248 Ventures, as quoted by Finabase. “Investors are balancing optimism from corporate earnings with caution over trade developments and inflation trends.”

Analysts also pointed to rising Treasury yields as a signal of growing risk appetite, especially in sectors with strong earnings momentum.

Global Market Snapshot

Asian markets closed the day mixed. Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 1.9% after confirmation that the U.S. would lower tariffs on Japanese goods to a previously agreed 15% rate. Toyota rose 3.5%, and Honda added 4%, showing optimism among auto exporters.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 0.9%, and China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.1%, reflecting continued investor caution after U.S. economic data earlier this week showed conflicting signals.

European trading was similarly uneven. France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.3%, while Germany’s DAX fell 0.3%. London’s FTSE 100 hovered just below flat as currency volatility weighed on multinational firms.

What’s Next

Investors are now watching upcoming U.S. inflation data and another wave of corporate earnings expected next week. These reports could set the tone for Wall Street’s momentum heading into mid-August and determine whether recent gains can be sustained.

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