Market Pulse: Stock Market Surges as Tech Giants Lead the Way on April 28, 2025

Based on the information I’ve gathered, I’ll now write the article about today’s stock market.

Major Indexes Continue Upward Momentum

The stock market is showing strong momentum today, Monday, April 28, 2025, as major indexes build on last week’s gains. The S&P 500 is currently trading around 5,550, extending its four-day winning streak after closing at 5,525.21 on Friday with a 0.74% gain. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite continues to outperform, hovering near 17,450 after closing at 17,382.94 on Friday with a 1.26% increase. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is trading slightly higher around 40,150, after a modest 0.05% gain to 40,113.50 to end last week.

This positive momentum follows a strong previous week where the S&P 500 gained 4.6% and the Nasdaq climbed an impressive 6.7%. Despite recent volatility triggered by trade tensions, investors appear to be regaining confidence in the market’s direction.

Tech Giants Continue to Drive Market Performance

Magnificent Seven stocks remain the primary market movers today, with several tech giants showing significant strength. Tesla (TSLA) continues its impressive run after surging nearly 10% on Friday following the U.S. government’s announcement of new regulations supporting innovation and commercial deployment of self-driving cars. The stock is up another 2% today as investors remain optimistic about the company’s autonomous driving technology.

Nvidia (NVDA) is also extending its gains after climbing 4.3% on Friday, with shares up approximately 1.5% in today’s trading. The chipmaker continues to benefit from strong AI-related demand despite the broader semiconductor sector facing challenges, as evidenced by Intel’s (INTC) recent 6.7% drop after offering weaker-than-expected revenue forecasts.

Alphabet (GOOGL), Google’s parent company, is building on Friday’s 1.5% gain following better-than-expected first-quarter results. The company’s strong ad revenue and announcement of a massive $70 billion share buyback program continue to fuel investor enthusiasm.

Other tech heavyweights including Meta Platforms (META) and Amazon (AMZN) are also trading higher as investors position themselves ahead of this week’s crucial earnings reports.

Key Earnings Reports on Tap This Week

This week brings a packed earnings calendar with several market-moving companies set to report. Today’s relatively light schedule features Domino’s Pizza (DPZ) and Waste Management (WM), but the pace accelerates significantly tomorrow with reports from PayPal (PYPL), Spotify (SPOT), Visa (V), Pfizer (PFE), UPS (UPS), Starbucks (SBUX), and several other notable names.

Wednesday will be particularly significant with tech giants Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms (META) scheduled to report after the market close, alongside Caterpillar (CAT), Etsy (ETSY), Qualcomm (QCOM), and others.

Thursday brings another wave of high-profile reports, including Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Mastercard (MA), McDonald’s (MCD), and Eli Lilly (LLY). The week concludes with energy giants ExxonMobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) reporting on Friday.

Trade Tensions and Economic Outlook

Despite the market’s recent strength, investors continue to monitor ongoing trade tensions. Stocks have experienced volatility in recent weeks as traders attempt to assess the severity of President Trump’s tariffs first unveiled on April 2. Mixed messaging around trade has added to market uncertainty.

China stated last Thursday that there were no talks with the U.S. on a potential trade deal, contradicting earlier indications that the U.S. had softened its stance on trade relations. However, in comments published Friday, President Trump suggested that announcements on many deals could be coming “over the next three to four weeks,” while also indicating he would consider it a “total victory” if the U.S. has high tariffs of 20% to 50% on foreign countries a year from now.

Market Breadth Improving

Market breadth has significantly improved over the past week, though technical analysts note that fewer stocks are trading above their 50-day and 200-day moving averages compared to previous bull markets. This suggests that while short-term momentum is positive, a sustainable long-term uptrend may require more time and broader participation across sectors.

According to Wolfe Research, the stock market’s three-day win streak triggered a buy signal in the five-day moving average of the advance/decline line for the first time since November 2023. While this indicator has historically meant muted returns over the next month, it typically signals better gains over a three-month period.

Looking Ahead

As we move through this crucial earnings week, investors will be closely watching not only the financial results but also forward guidance from major companies. With the S&P 500 now trading around 5,550, approximately 10% below its all-time high of 6,152.87 reached in February 2025, market participants are assessing whether current valuations represent a buying opportunity or if more volatility lies ahead.

The upcoming earnings reports from tech giants will be particularly influential in determining market direction, as these companies represent a significant portion of major index weightings. Additionally, any developments regarding trade negotiations or policy clarifications could trigger substantial market moves in either direction.

For investors navigating today’s market, maintaining diversification while focusing on companies with strong fundamentals and reasonable valuations remains a prudent approach amid the current economic and geopolitical uncertainties.