The S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices closed at record highs on Wednesday, buoyed by strong performances from Nvidia and power equipment manufacturer GE Vernova, amid signs of a potential US-European Union trade agreement reminiscent of a prior US-Japan deal.
Diplomatic sources suggest the prospective agreement may introduce a 15% tariff on European Union imports, possibly including vehicles, echoing the framework established between the U.S. and Japan.
The S&P 500 rose 0.78% to finish at 6,358.91 points, while the Nasdaq climbed 0.61% to 21,020.02 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 1.14%, closing at 45,010.29 points, just shy of its 4 December record.
Shares of GE Vernova surged 14.6% to an all-time high after the company raised its revenue and free cash flow forecasts, beating second-quarter earnings expectations. The firm has now gained over 80% in 2025, driven by soaring electricity demand from Artificial Intelligence and cryptocurrency data centres.
Meanwhile, AI chip giant Nvidia advanced 2.25%, significantly contributing to the upward momentum in both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.
Tesla shares edged up 0.14% ahead of its earnings report, due after market close. Analysts anticipate a sharp decline in revenue due to intensifying competition, a limited new model line-up, and a consumer backlash against CEO Elon Musk.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, saw its stock slip 0.58%, also poised to release quarterly results after trading hours.
Texas Instruments dropped 13% following a disappointing earnings outlook, citing softer demand and tariff-related uncertainty. The report weighed on the broader analogue chip segment, pulling down shares of NXP Semiconductors, Analog Devices, and ON Semiconductor by between 1% and 4.6%.
U.S. existing home sales declined more than expected in June. Markets now await weekly jobless claims and S&P Global’s flash PMI figures for further insight into the economic landscape amid ongoing trade tensions.
Following last week’s mixed economic indicators, traders have largely ruled out an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve at next week’s meeting. According to the CME FedWatch tool, the likelihood of a rate reduction in September is currently around 58%.
Advancing issues in the S&P 500 outpaced decliners by a 2.1-to-1 ratio. The index posted 50 new highs and 2 new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 96 new highs and 20 new lows.
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Bulgarians headed to the polls on Sunday (19 April) in their eighth election in five years, with early signs pointing to a potentially higher turnout as frontrunner Rumen Radev promised to restore stability and tackle corruption after years of political deadlock.
Secretly filmed footage from two UK laboratories has reignited debate over animal testing in drug development, after a former worker alleged that monkeys, dogs and other animals endured prolonged distress during safety trials for new medicines.
Cleanup efforts are underway in Lena, Illinois, after a suspected tornado tore through the village on Friday (17 April), damaging homes, schools and infrastructure, leaving thousands without power. Residents and emergency crews spent Saturday clearing debris, and working around downed power lines.
Iran’s top negotiator has said recent talks with the United States have shown progress, but that major differences remain over nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz, as diplomatic efforts continue alongside escalating regional instability.
Dozens of Chinese-made humanoid robots have demonstrated improvements in speed, balance and autonomous navigation after completing a half-marathon in Beijing on Sunday (19 April), in a showcase of the country’s fast-developing robotics sector.
The U.S. Navy has forcibly intercepted and boarded the Iranian cargo ship TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach the ongoing naval blockade. President Trump confirmed that the vessel was neutralised and seized by Marines following a direct strike on its engine room.
Two Indian-flagged ships were shot at in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, India's Foreign Ministry said, as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again, less than 24 hours after reopening the 167km long sea passage, which is essential for global trade.
Six people have been killed after a man opened fire in a supermarket in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday (18 April). Ukraine's Security Service said it was investigating the incident as a "terrorist act."
Global leaders and diplomats gathered in southern Türkiye on 17 April for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict, and the future of global cooperation.
Secretly filmed footage from two UK laboratories has reignited debate over animal testing in drug development, after a former worker alleged that monkeys, dogs and other animals endured prolonged distress during safety trials for new medicines.
Cleanup efforts are underway in Lena, Illinois, after a suspected tornado tore through the village on Friday (17 April), damaging homes, schools and infrastructure, leaving thousands without power. Residents and emergency crews spent Saturday clearing debris, and working around downed power lines.
North Korea fired ballistic missiles towards the sea off its eastern coast on Sunday (19 April), accelerating its weapons tests amid heightened regional tensions linked to the Iran war and renewed diplomatic signals toward the United States and South Korea.
Construction of U.S. President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project will be allowed to continue after an appeals court granted an administrative stay, temporarily blocking a lower court order that had halted parts of the work.
European countries should expand the role of natural gas in their energy systems to reduce the risk of supply shocks caused by international crises, an energy industry chief has said.
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