Wall Street Ends Week Strong Despite Inflation Jitters and Weak Sentiment Data

U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, marking a fifth straight day of gains for the S&P 500 and wrapping up a robust week for all three major indexes. Despite ongoing inflation concerns and softer consumer sentiment, investors pushed markets upward—thanks largely to a tech-led rebound and easing geopolitical tensions.

📈 Weekly Market Recap

• S&P 500: +0.70% (5,958.38)

• Nasdaq Composite: +0.52% (19,211.10)

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: +0.78% (42,654.74)

Weekly Performance:

• S&P 500: +5.3%

• Dow Jones: +3.4%

• Nasdaq: +7.2%

Tech stocks once again led the charge:

• Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA): +16%

• Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META): +8%

• Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL): +6%

• Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT): +3%

🧾 Trade Truce Fuels Optimism

A major catalyst for this rally came from a 90-day U.S.-China tariff truce, which offered temporary relief to investors wary of a full-blown trade war. While tariffs remain in place, the pause allows markets to reassess economic risks and gives diplomatic channels room to maneuver.

🔍 What's Ahead: May's PMI Data

This week, all eyes are on Thursday's release of the U.S. Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reports, which will provide fresh insight into manufacturing and services health. Analysts warn that most U.S. data to date remains backward-looking and hasn't fully captured the impact of President Trump's April 2 tariff measures.

Tariffs of 10% or more remain significantly elevated and could begin to weigh on forward-looking indicators.

📊 Monitor the Fundamentals

To stay on top of market and sector developments:

• Check the Sector Historical API for trends across key U.S. sectors.

• Use the Economics Calendar API for upcoming macroeconomic events, including PMIs and inflation data.

⚠️ Bottom Line

Despite ongoing inflationary pressures and weak consumer sentiment, Wall Street remains laser-focused on tech momentum and global trade relief. But with tariffs still lingering and macro risks ahead, volatility may return as investors digest real-time data in the weeks to come.