FX.co ★ US Stocks Rise to New Records

US equities advanced as investors looked past the extended disruption to Middle Eastern oil exports and turned their attention to corporate earnings. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each gained 0.5%, closing at fresh record highs, while the Dow also finished solidly higher. Apple climbed 3% after delivering strong results and an upbeat outlook, driven by robust demand for its latest iPhone and solid performance in China. Energy majors were in focus as well: both ExxonMobil and Chevron inched higher after posting first-quarter results that topped profit forecasts. Elsewhere, Meta’s recent selloff paused and Nvidia added more than 1%, as markets continued to assess whether indications of increased AI spending are truly underpinned by demand growth—reflected in a mixed earnings picture for hyperscale cloud providers. According to the latest data, AI-related investment was a key driver of US GDP in the first quarter, helping to counterbalance signs of softening private consumption.