The stock market rose on Friday for a fifth session and posted a sharp weekly gain, as investors looked past the release of disappointing consumer sentiment data and persistent inflation worries. The S&P 500 climbed 0.70% to end at 5,958.38, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.52% to close at 19,211.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 331.99 points, or 0.78%, settling at 42,654.74.
Friday’s advance put the 30-stock benchmark into positive territory for 2025. For the week, the S&P 500 surged 5.3%, the Dow gained 3.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 7.2%.
Technology stocks also had a strong week; shares of several major tech companies saw significant gains. Stocks have made a strong comeback since U.S. and Chinese officials agreed on a 90-day truce in their tariff measures earlier this week, which eased investors’ fears of escalating global trade tensions and the rising economic risk. “Markets are repricing the stagflation risk right now — what was once the base case for folks who were sure that tariffs were going to shoot inflation skyward immediately really hasn’t been supported in the data,” said Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group.
“The U.S. consumer may say he/she is worried, but they aren’t spending like they are. Consumption trumps all once you filter out all the noise.”
Wall Street also hopes for more clarity on the trade front in the weeks ahead. President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration will send letters to many countries detailing new tariff rates, possibly over the next two to three weeks.
Stocks closed higher on Friday, marking the end of a strong week that saw investors return to risk assets, pushing the S&P 500 into the green for the year.
About The Author
