Wall Street just wrapped up the week on a high note, especially if you’ve got tech stocks in your portfolio.
On Friday, April 25, 2025, the Nasdaq soared over 1%, riding a wave of gains from major tech players, led by none other than Alphabet (Google’s parent company).
Meanwhile, the dollar flexed its muscle for the first time in weeks, and global markets followed suit with cautious optimism.
Let’s unpack what’s happening and what it means for investors like you.
Tech Takes the Lead (Again)
The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) jumped 1.07%, boosted by a strong performance from Alphabet (GOOGL).
The stock climbed 1.5% after the company beat profit expectations and doubled down on its AI investments. That’s big news, not just for Google shareholders, but for the broader AI sector, which has been a major market driver all year.
Other indexes weren’t left behind. S&P 500 (SPX) rose 0.62% to 5,518.60, while Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) inched up 0.04% to 40,108.31.
Global and European stocks also followed the upward trend, with Europe’s STOXX 600 up 2% for the week.
Dollar Finds Its Footing
After weeks of slipping, the U.S. dollar rebounded, posting its first weekly gain in over a month. The dollar index edged up to 99.49, while the euro slipped slightly to $1.1377, and the yen weakened, with the dollar climbing to 143.56 yen.
A stronger dollar often signals investor confidence in the U.S. economy, and can impact everything from commodity prices to emerging market flows.
Trump and Tariffs Return to the Spotlight
We leave trade war worries behind in 2019.
President Donald Trump said in an interview that tariff talks with China are back on the table, but Beijing flatly denied it.
So, once again, markets are caught in a whirlpool of mixed signals.
While investors are cautiously optimistic that the worst-case tariff scenarios won’t play out, the uncertainty is still keeping some traders on edge.
But hey, at least for this week, markets shrugged it off.
Relief, But Not Euphoria
According to Chip Rewey, CIO of Rewey Asset Management, “You’ve seen kind of a relief rally this week… but we haven’t pushed back to highs.”
This basically means investors are breathing a bit easier, but they’re not exactly popping champagne just yet.
More big tech earnings are on the way; expect names like Microsoft and Meta to move the needle. Traders should keep a close eye on Fed signals about potential rate cuts, especially as U.S. economic data slows. And of course, the tariff drama could still shake things up, so don’t blink.
