FX.co ★ US Stocks on Track for Big Weekly Gain

U.S. stocks remained relatively stable on Friday, with market volatility anticipated due to the expiration of a substantial volume of options. Although trading was uneven, all three major indexes are poised to achieve notable gains for the week. Investor sentiment has brightened amid indications of reduced trade tensions, as the United States and China have mutually agreed on a temporary tariff reduction. Concurrently, a series of predominantly weak economic data has strengthened the expectation that the Federal Reserve has the capacity to lower interest rates at least twice within the year. Both housing starts and building permits fell short of projections, while export and import prices unexpectedly increased. Earlier in the week, inflation figures did not meet expectations, and retail sales were lackluster. Performance within the megacap tech sector was mixed: Apple rose by 0.2%, Nvidia by 0.6%, and Alphabet by 2.3%, whereas Microsoft and Meta saw declines of 0.6% and 0.9%, respectively. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has advanced by 2.6%, the S&P 500 has climbed 4.5%, and the Nasdaq has experienced a remarkable surge exceeding 6%.