Stocks swing as trade and earnings headline
Earnings Release Spurs Market Rally as Coca‑Cola, Tesla, Intel Deliver Results
Wall Street bulls return to trade talks and tariff fears, fueling caution
Investors weighed the week’s earnings from US powerhouses while monitoring trade talks that will wrap up before the August 1 deadline. Markets turned cautious after a positive start on Wall Street. The S&P 500 ended above 6,300 points for the first time, and the Nasdaq reached another record high.
Trade talks aim to avoid Trump’s high tariffs
Equities rallied on expectations that key partners will strike deals with Washington before August 1. The president said several agreements were close, but only three have been finalized so far. His press secretary warned that the president could announce new unilateral tariffs before next Friday.
Trump’s tariff threats remain muted, but optimism persists
Trump’s initial tariff shock on April 2 rattled global markets, but traders expect him to pause again. Data shows the US economy remained healthy despite the levies. A warning that markets have not priced the new tariff regime appeared on March 12.
Asian rally leads headline gains
Hong Kong stands out this year, adding roughly a quarter of its gains thanks to a rally in Chinese tech firms and fresh cash flow from mainland investors. The Hang Seng Index continued its advance, reaching its highest close since late 2021. Shanghai, Sydney, Manila and Mumbai also posted gains, while Singapore, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei, Jakarta and Bangkok experienced losses. London, Paris and Frankfurt struggled early, and Tokyo slid after an early rally fizzled as investors reacted to Japan’s upper‑house election results. The yen hovered around 147.70 per dollar in the afternoon.
Key figures at 08:10 GMT
- Tokyo – Nikkei 225: ↓ 0.1 % at 39,774.92 (close)
- Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: ↑ 0.5 % at 25,130.03 (close)
- Shanghai – Composite: ↑ 0.6 % at 3,581.86 (close)
- London – FTSE 100: ↓ 0.1 % at 9,008.67
- Dollar/yen: ↑ 0.3 % at 147.70 yen from 147.42 yen on Monday
- Euro/dollar: ↑ 0.2 % at $1.1690 from $1.1688
- Pound/dollar: ↓ 0.2 % at $1.3465 from $1.3485
- Euro/pound: ↑ 0.1 % at 86.78 pence from 86.68 pence
- WTI crude: ↓ 0.8 % at $66.68 per barrel
- Brent crude: ↓ 0.7 % at $68.72 per barrel
- New York – Dow: flat at 44,323.07 (close)
Earners to watch: The week’s spotlight on Tesla, Alphabet, GM, Intel, and Coca‑Cola
With earnings from the world’s biggest names on the agenda, analysts will focus on revenue guides and how companies’ performance aligns with the backdrop of Trump’s trade war.
