The Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassed 40,446 points, as the three major U.S. stock market indices rose simultaneously, fueled by strong corporate earnings and positive economic data.

Taiwan • Business • 04/29 11:04
The Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassed 40,446 points, as the three major U.S. stock market indices rose simultaneously, fueled by strong corporate earnings and positive economic data.

On April 29, 2025, the three major U.S. stock market indices closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 40,446 points, the S&P 500 at 5,564.75 points, and the Nasdaq 100 at 19,577 points. The rally was driven by the market's focus on corporate earnings reports and economic data, despite mixed performance among tech stocks. The S&P 500 rose for the fifth consecutive day, marking its longest streak since November 2024. With earnings season at its peak, 180 S&P component companies are set to release their results, and the market remains cautious about the future outlook.

Key Updates

04/30 01:30

Early Days of President Trump's Second Term: Fast Money Traders Betting on Pharmaceuticals and Semiconductors, Avoiding Consumer Credit and Trade with China

In the first 100 days of President Trump's second term, the U.S. financial markets saw significant volatility. Corporate investments hit new highs, but the stock market performed poorly. Facing the tariff war and policy uncertainty, traders, such as hedge funds, adjusted their strategies, placing bets on big pharmaceutical companies, semiconductors, and international markets, while steering clear of consumer credit, transportation, and industries tied to trade with China. According to CNBC's "Fast Money," traders shifted to gold and overseas assets because of the dollar's depreciation and market uncertainty. Even though some companies invested in the U.S., the S&P 500 and Nasdaq still declined, showing doubts about the policy outlook.

04/30 01:01

The United States and India reached a trade agreement for the first time, leading the Dow Jones Index to jump 300 points, and both TSMC's ADR and Tesla's stock prices increased.

On April 29, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Lutnick, announced that the Trump administration had completed its first trade agreement, pending approval from the counterpart government, with India possibly being the partner. This news drove U.S. stocks higher, with the Dow Jones index rising by 300 points and the stock prices of TSMC ADR and Tesla also increasing. U.S.-China trade tensions intensified, with both sides imposing significant tariffs on each other. The U.S. imposed tariffs of up to 245% on Chinese goods, while China responded with retaliatory tariffs of 125% on U.S. goods.

04/29 23:01

The Dow Jones rose 300 points, achieving six consecutive days of gains, as the White House announced a trade agreement. In Trump's first 100 days, the stock market performance was the worst in half a century.

On April 29, 2025, the three major U.S. stock indices rose, with the Dow Jones climbing 300.03 points to 40,527.62, achieving a six-day winning streak. The S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq indices also rose for the sixth consecutive day. The White House announced a trade agreement with an undisclosed country and signed an executive order to lower automobile tariffs, boosting the stock market. Nevertheless, the stock market performance in the first 100 days of Trump's second term was the worst in fifty years, with significant declines in technology and small-cap indices, indicating internal market divisions.

04/29 22:32

US Ends Tax-Free Status for Chinese E-commerce: How Are Temu Orders Still Untaxed?

In April 2025, American consumers shopping on the Temu platform noticed that some orders were not subject to import fees, despite the Trump administration revoking the "de minimis" tax exemption for China and Hong Kong on May 2. This move drew attention as tariffs as high as 145% and import fees up to $200 per package are about to be implemented. The article explores the legal background of the U.S. "de minimis" system and how Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Temu and Shein have leveraged this system for cross-border sales, and analyzes the impact of these policy changes on their business models.

04/29 17:30

U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin: Ordinary investors continue to hold stocks due to their trust in President Trump.

At a White House press conference on April 29, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant stated that despite market fluctuations due to President Trump's high tariff policies, ordinary investors continue to hold their stocks, indicating their trust in Trump. Bessant cited data from Vanguard, noting that 97% of Americans refrained from stock trading during the first 100 days of Trump's presidency, which reflects confidence in his policies. Against this backdrop, the Trump administration is conducting trade negotiations with several countries and exerting pressure on China.

04/29 11:04

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassed 40,446 points, as the three major U.S. stock market indices rose simultaneously, fueled by strong corporate earnings and positive economic data.

On April 29, 2025, the three major U.S. stock market indices closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 40,446 points, the S&P 500 at 5,564.75 points, and the Nasdaq 100 at 19,577 points. The rally was driven by the market's focus on corporate earnings reports and economic data, despite mixed performance among tech stocks. The S&P 500 rose for the fifth consecutive day, marking its longest streak since November 2024. With earnings season at its peak, 180 S&P component companies are set to release their results, and the market remains cautious about the future outlook.

04/29 06:01

Trump's policy adjustment alleviates market pressure: European stock funds attract capital, U.S. tech earnings become the focus

President Trump's recent shift in stance on trade and monetary policy has eased global market tensions, resulting in significant changes in capital flows. European equity funds experienced a net inflow of $3.355 billion over the course of a week, indicating an increasing investor preference for regional diversification. U.S. tech giants are entering a busy earnings season, becoming the market focus. Even though many earnings reports exceeded expectations, market reactions have remained cautious due to persistent policy uncertainties. Investors are adjusting their asset allocation strategies to focus on industries with strong fundamentals.

04/29 03:06

U.S. stocks closing higher boosts investor confidence, Taiwan stocks fluctuate but maintain the 20,000-point level, and investors are focusing on earnings reports and economic data.

Following the major U.S. stock indices closing in the green, the Taiwan stock market turned positive after a slight dip in early trading on April 29th, with the index hovering around the 20,000-point mark. TSMC's stock price slightly declined, failing to continue the previous day's upward trend. Global market sentiment improved due to progress in tariff negotiations between the U.S. and several other countries, as investors focus on upcoming corporate earnings reports and U.S. economic data. Although market uncertainty persists, the overall atmosphere has stabilized compared to earlier periods.

04/28 10:00

After a 2,800-point rebound, US stocks face pressure from the seasonal moving average: AI demand, tariff policies, and US debt maturity are drawing market attention.

Recently, the US stock market rebounded by about 2,800 points, but it is approaching the resistance of the quarterly moving average, and market sentiment is cautious. Strong AI demand indicates that chip demand is outpacing supply, but tariff policy pressures are impacting the earnings reports of tech giants. The upcoming maturity of $6.5 trillion in US national debt has sparked debates on liquidity and debt sustainability. The trade and domestic policies from the Trump era are affecting investment confidence, boosting the performance of defense, aerospace, and cybersecurity stocks.

04/28 07:04

JPMorgan forecasts a 5% increase in the US stock market by 2025, boosted by strong corporate performance, stock buyback plans, and loose monetary policies, while Trump's pressure on the Fed causes market volatility.

JPMorgan forecasts a 5% rise in the US stock market by 2025 due to robust corporate capital spending, share repurchase programs, and the Federal Reserve's continuation of accommodative policies. Following Trump's return to the White House, he exerted pressure on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, which led to market volatility, underscoring the effects of policy uncertainty. A JPMorgan survey indicates that the risk of stagflation in the US economy surpasses that of a recession, and there are differing opinions on the future economic landscape.

U.S. Stocks Continue to Rise, Dow and S&P 500 Close Higher for Fifth Consecutive Day

U.S. stocks started the week on a steady note, continuing last week's rebound. According to MoneyDJ News, as of April 29, 4:31 PM Taipei time, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 78 points, or 0.19%, closing at 34,446 points; the S&P 500 Index increased by 11.75 points, or 0.21%, to 5,564.75 points; and the Nasdaq 100 Index climbed 49 points, or 0.25%, to 19,577 points.

This marks the fifth consecutive trading day that the S&P 500 Index has closed higher, setting the longest winning streak since November 2024. The Dow Jones Index also rose in tandem, indicating that the market maintains a certain level of confidence during a critical period of intensive corporate earnings reports and economic data releases.

Divergent Performance in Tech Stocks, Nasdaq Composite's Gains More Moderate

Despite the overall bullish market sentiment, tech stocks showed mixed performance, putting some pressure on the Nasdaq Composite Index. According to United Daily News, NVIDIA's stock price fell by 2.1%, and Amazon dropped by 0.7%, dragging down both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. However, Apple and Meta rose by 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively, partially offsetting the tech sector's weakness.

Additionally, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell by 0.4%, reflecting ongoing concerns about short-term uncertainty in the semiconductor industry. According to The Wall Street Journal, Huawei is developing a new generation of AI chips, which could pose competitive pressure on NVIDIA's high-end products, further affecting investor sentiment.

Earnings Season Peaks, 180 S&P Component Stocks to Announce Results

This week marks the peak of the U.S. earnings season. According to a combined report from Yahoo Finance and United Daily News, 180 S&P 500 component companies are expected to announce their first-quarter earnings, including tech giants like Apple, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, as well as representatives of traditional industries like Coca-Cola, Eli Lilly, and Chevron.

So far, 179 S&P 500 component companies have reported earnings, with 73% exceeding analysts' expectations, slightly below the five-year average of 77%. Although the overall performance remains solid, the market remains cautious about future outlooks, especially amid uncertainty over U.S. tariff policies on China, with some companies already lowering their second-quarter and full-year forecasts.

Economic Data and Policy Developments in Market Focus

In addition to corporate earnings, several important economic data releases are scheduled for this week, including the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation—the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the preliminary U.S. GDP for the first quarter, and the April non-farm payroll report. These data will provide more clues about the direction of the U.S. economy.

According to Yahoo Finance, the yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note stands at 4.216%, down 5 basis points from the previous trading day, indicating continued stabilization in the bond market. The dollar has shown a weakening trend, reflecting adjusted market expectations for future Federal Reserve monetary policy.

Chinese Stocks and Individual Stock Dynamics: Divergent Trends for Pinduoduo and NIO

In the realm of Chinese stocks, Pinduoduo has been affected by U.S. tariff policies, with its overseas platform Temu facing import tariffs as high as 145%, leading to doubled prices for some products and softer stock performance. Conversely, NIO saw a nearly 7% increase after Citigroup raised its target price, making it a standout among Chinese stocks.

Additionally, Boeing's stock rose by 2.4%, becoming one of the main drivers of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's increase. According to United Daily News, Bernstein upgraded Boeing's rating and target price, boosting market confidence.

Market Capital Flow Rebounds, Buyback Wave Approaching

Goldman Sachs estimates that as corporate earnings reports continue to be released, stock buyback activity will peak from late April to mid-June, with the total buyback authorization for U.S. stocks expected to reach a record high of $1.35 trillion this year. This capital momentum is expected to provide further support to the market, especially against the backdrop of solid corporate earnings performance.

References

People Also Ask...

faq

Does the rise in the U.S. stock market affect our local economy?

faq

How long can the current rally in the US stock market last? What potential risks should we watch out for?

faq

Will Huawei's new AI chip increase competitive pressure on Nvidia?