Wall Street Edges Higher, Powered by Nvidia/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. stock indexes inched higher Thursday, driven by tech sector strength. Nvidia and TSMC gains signaled continued optimism in the AI market. Investors eye earnings, delayed data amid inflation and slowdown concerns.
Wall Street Gains + Quick Looks
- S&P 500 rose 0.3% amid volatile weekly trading.
- Dow Jones climbed 116 points, while Nasdaq gained 0.5%.
- Nvidia boosted the S&P 500 with a 1.3% jump.
- TSMC posted stronger-than-expected earnings, fueling AI enthusiasm.
- Salesforce surged 8% on strong revenue growth plans.
- J.B. Hunt jumped 17.3% after beating Q3 profit forecasts.
- Overseas markets mostly climbed, led by South Korea’s Kospi.
- Delayed U.S. economic reports add uncertainty for investors.
Wall Street Edges Higher, Powered by Nvidia
Deep Look
NEW YORK — Wall Street saw modest gains Thursday morning as key technology stocks — led by Nvidia and Salesforce — lifted U.S. indexes on renewed investor optimism around artificial intelligence and corporate earnings. While market volatility continues to linger, signs of strength from the tech sector offered a stabilizing force amid broader economic uncertainty.
The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, continuing a week marked by swings between gains and losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 116 points, also up 0.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite — which is more tech-heavy — advanced 0.5%.
AI Boom Reinforces Tech Momentum
The market rally was fueled in part by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), a key global supplier of high-performance chips used in AI technologies. TSMC reported stronger-than-expected quarterly profits, with CFO Wendell Huang citing “continued strong demand” for the company’s cutting-edge chipmaking technologies.
Though TSMC’s U.S.-traded shares dipped 0.2%, its Taiwan-listed shares rose 1.4%. The news buoyed confidence across the AI and semiconductor space — with Nvidia rising 1.3%, marking it as the biggest single contributor to the S&P 500’s gains.
Nvidia remains Wall Street’s most valuable stock, and its performance has become a bellwether for AI-related investments. The company has been a cornerstone of 2025’s record-setting market run, despite ongoing concerns about elevated inflation and a slowing labor market.
Corporate Earnings: Mixed Results, Big Reactions
Investors are watching earnings season closely to determine whether stock valuations — many of which are considered expensive after a 35% surge in the S&P 500 since April — can be justified by strong financial performance.
Among notable movers:
- Salesforce soared 8% after announcing a roadmap that aims for over 10% annual revenue growth in the years ahead.
- J.B. Hunt Transport Services skyrocketed 17.3% as the freight company easily surpassed Wall Street’s Q3 earnings estimates.
- Travelers Insurance fell 4% despite posting stronger-than-expected profits, as revenue failed to meet forecasts.
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise sank 8.8% after offering long-term financial projections that disappointed some analysts.
These divergent earnings performances highlight the current market dynamic: investors are demanding both strong growth and future guidance to support elevated valuations.
Global Markets: Asia, Europe Mostly Higher
Stock markets overseas joined in the rally, with notable strength in Asia:
- South Korea’s Kospi surged 2.5% on renewed optimism about a possible trade agreement with the United States. Tech giants Samsung Electronics, Hyundai, and Kia were among the top performers.
- In China, indexes saw little movement: Shanghai’s benchmark rose 0.1%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.1%.
European markets also posted modest gains, adding to global investor confidence ahead of further central bank guidance.
Bonds and Economic Signals
In the bond market, 10-year Treasury yields eased slightly to 4.04%, down from 4.05% the previous day — a small but meaningful shift in a market sensitive to inflation expectations and Fed policy speculation.
However, reliable insights into the U.S. economy remain in short supply. A key Thursday report showed manufacturing activity in the Mid-Atlantic region is shrinking, an unexpected signal of cooling industrial momentum.
Further complicating matters, a partial government shutdown has delayed several major economic indicators — including weekly unemployment claims and a major inflation report — leaving both investors and the Federal Reserve with fewer tools to assess the health of the economy.
“We’re flying with limited visibility right now,” said one analyst. “The market is reacting to individual earnings and sector strength, but the bigger macro picture is incomplete.”
Outlook: Volatility, Valuations, and the Fed
The market’s modest climb comes in the context of ongoing uncertainty around inflation, Federal Reserve policy, and global supply chains. While investor enthusiasm for AI and tech continues to drive momentum, many analysts warn that valuations are stretched.
With no clear data from the government and mixed signals on growth and inflation, Wall Street remains cautious even as tech stocks offer a bright spot.
For now, gains from companies like Nvidia and Salesforce may be enough to offset broader volatility — but investors are still waiting for the full economic picture to emerge.
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