See All Market Updates LiveMajor Indexes Rally as Tech Stocks Lead the Way
The stock market is showing strong gains today as investors react positively to President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily exempt key technology products from his recently announced “reciprocal” tariffs. As of early trading on Monday, April 14, 2025, all major indexes are pointing significantly higher.
The S&P 500 futures are up 1.41%, while Nasdaq-100 futures have surged 1.86%, demonstrating particularly strong momentum in the technology sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures have climbed 0.91%, representing a gain of approximately 367 points.
This rally comes after a volatile previous week that saw wild market swings. Despite today’s gains, it’s worth noting that all three major indexes remain down sharply since Trump’s initial tariff announcement, with the S&P 500 down 5.4%, the Nasdaq Composite down 5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 4.8% from their pre-announcement levels.
Tariff Exemptions Boost Tech Sector
The market surge is largely attributed to the Trump administration’s decision to exempt smartphones, computers, and semiconductor components from the new tariffs. This announcement, made late Friday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, has provided significant relief to technology companies that rely heavily on imports from China.
Apple (AAPL) is among the biggest beneficiaries, with shares jumping 5% in premarket trading. The iPhone maker had previously lost nearly $640 billion in market capitalization in the three trading days following Trump’s initial tariff announcement.
Nvidia (NVDA) is also seeing strong gains, with the semiconductor giant’s stock up over 3% in premarket trading. Other tech companies benefiting from the exemptions include Dell Technologies (DELL), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), and HP Inc. (HPQ).
However, uncertainty remains as President Trump suggested on Sunday that these exemptions might not be permanent. In a Truth Social post, he indicated that these products are still “subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs, and they are just moving to a different Tariff ‘bucket.'”
Upcoming Earnings Week
Investors are now turning their attention to a busy week of corporate earnings reports. Major financial institutions are set to release their quarterly results, including:
– Goldman Sachs (GS)
– Bank of America (BAC)
– Citigroup (C)
Beyond the financial sector, several other high-profile companies will report earnings this week:
– Netflix (NFLX)
– Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
– UnitedHealth (UNH)
– United Airlines (UAL)
Today alone, over 400 companies are scheduled to release earnings reports, setting the stage for a potentially market-moving week.
Global Market Response
The positive sentiment has extended to global markets as well. The Stoxx Europe 600 index is rising 2%, while Asian markets closed higher with Japan’s Nikkei up 1.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng finishing 2.4% higher.
China has responded to the tariff exemptions, calling them “a small step for the U.S. side to correct its wrong practice of unilateral ‘reciprocal tariffs,'” according to a statement from the state-owned Xinhua News Agency.
Bond Market and Currency Movements
In the bond market, the yield on 10-year Treasury notes has pulled back to around 4.44%, providing some relief after recent surges. However, analysts note that investors remain concerned about holding U.S. dollar-based assets, with the dollar declining against major currencies on Monday.
Some market observers have pointed to uncertainty over China’s appetite for U.S. Treasury bonds as a factor affecting investor confidence in U.S. assets, given that China is one of the largest holders of Treasury securities.
Market Outlook
While today’s rally is encouraging, market participants remain cautious about the sustainability of these gains given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding trade policies. The temporary nature of the tariff exemptions and potential for further policy changes continue to create an environment of unpredictability.
Investors will be closely watching corporate earnings reports this week for insights into how companies are navigating the current economic landscape and preparing for potential trade disruptions. The financial sector’s performance will be particularly scrutinized as an indicator of broader economic health.
As the market digests both the tariff developments and upcoming earnings reports, volatility may continue to be a defining characteristic of trading in the near term.