We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
U.S. stocks closed slightly higher on Thursday after a slew of big tech companies reported blowout earnings and data showed a jump in first-quarter GDP, which lifted investors’ sentiments. Investors’ confidence also got a boost from President Joe Biden’s speech on Wednesday evening wherein he announced a $1.8 trillion additional package on government spending. This resulted in the S&P 500 closing at a record high. All the three major indexes ended in positive territory.
How Did The Benchmarks Perform?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose slipped 0.7% or 239.98 points to close at 34,060.36 points.
The S&P 500 added 0.7% or 28.29 point to finish at 4,211.47 points to surpass its previous all-time closing high of 4187.62. The index at one point of time hit an all-time high of 4,218.78 points.
The rally was led by communications and financial stocks. The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (XLC) gained 2.8%, while the Financials Care Select Sector SPDR (XLF) added 1.8%. Nine of the 11 sectors of the benchmark index closed in positive territory.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.2% or 31.52 points to end at 14,082.52 points. The index had at one time of the day hit a high of 14,211.57 points. Shares of Facebook, Inc. and Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL - Free Report) jumped 7.3% and 1.4%, respectively. Facebook carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The fear-gauge CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) was up 1.91% to 17.61. A total of 10.5 billion shares were traded on Thursday, higher than the last 20-session average of 9.9 billion. Advancers outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by a 1.08-to-1 ratio. On Nasdaq, a 1.19-to-1 ratio favored declining issues.
Tech Giants Report Robust Earnings
It has been a great earnings season so far but markets haven’t managed to capitalize so far on it. Thursday was a shade better, with the tech heavyweights reporting blowout earnings. Both Facebook and Apple, Inc. (AAPL - Free Report) reported stronger-than-expected results. However, Apple’s shares still declined despite beating both sales and profit estimates.
Thursday was also one of the busiest days of this earnings season, with 11% of the S&P 500 scheduled to provide quarterly updates. Besides, other big companies like McDonald’s Corporation (MCD - Free Report) , Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT - Free Report) and Comcast Corporation (CMCSA - Free Report) also posting earnings beat. This somewhat gave investors’ confidence a boost, which didn’t happen in the previous few sessions.
Biden's Ambitious Plans
Thursday also marked Biden’s 100 days in office. Prior to that on Wednesday evening, he addressed a joint session of Congress, where he announced his major plans for giving a boost to the economy, including a $1.8 trillion additional government spending on childcare, education and paid leave. Biden’s announcement lifted investors’ sentiment on Thursday, sending shares on a rally.
Economic Data
The government said on Thursday that GDP for the first quarter increased 6.4%. This played a major boost to the morale of investors.
In other economic data, the Labor Department said that initial jobless claims fell to 553,000 last week from the revised 566,000 in the week earlier and also hit it lowest level since the coronavirus outbreak.
National Association of Realtors said, that pending home sales for March increased 1.9%.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
Image: Bigstock
Stock Market News for Apr 30, 2021
U.S. stocks closed slightly higher on Thursday after a slew of big tech companies reported blowout earnings and data showed a jump in first-quarter GDP, which lifted investors’ sentiments. Investors’ confidence also got a boost from President Joe Biden’s speech on Wednesday evening wherein he announced a $1.8 trillion additional package on government spending. This resulted in the S&P 500 closing at a record high. All the three major indexes ended in positive territory.
How Did The Benchmarks Perform?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose slipped 0.7% or 239.98 points to close at 34,060.36 points.
The S&P 500 added 0.7% or 28.29 point to finish at 4,211.47 points to surpass its previous all-time closing high of 4187.62. The index at one point of time hit an all-time high of 4,218.78 points.
The rally was led by communications and financial stocks. The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (XLC) gained 2.8%, while the Financials Care Select Sector SPDR (XLF) added 1.8%. Nine of the 11 sectors of the benchmark index closed in positive territory.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.2% or 31.52 points to end at 14,082.52 points. The index had at one time of the day hit a high of 14,211.57 points. Shares of Facebook, Inc. and Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL - Free Report) jumped 7.3% and 1.4%, respectively. Facebook carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The fear-gauge CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) was up 1.91% to 17.61. A total of 10.5 billion shares were traded on Thursday, higher than the last 20-session average of 9.9 billion. Advancers outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by a 1.08-to-1 ratio. On Nasdaq, a 1.19-to-1 ratio favored declining issues.
Tech Giants Report Robust Earnings
It has been a great earnings season so far but markets haven’t managed to capitalize so far on it. Thursday was a shade better, with the tech heavyweights reporting blowout earnings. Both Facebook and Apple, Inc. (AAPL - Free Report) reported stronger-than-expected results. However, Apple’s shares still declined despite beating both sales and profit estimates.
Thursday was also one of the busiest days of this earnings season, with 11% of the S&P 500 scheduled to provide quarterly updates. Besides, other big companies like McDonald’s Corporation (MCD - Free Report) , Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT - Free Report) and Comcast Corporation (CMCSA - Free Report) also posting earnings beat. This somewhat gave investors’ confidence a boost, which didn’t happen in the previous few sessions.
Biden's Ambitious Plans
Thursday also marked Biden’s 100 days in office. Prior to that on Wednesday evening, he addressed a joint session of Congress, where he announced his major plans for giving a boost to the economy, including a $1.8 trillion additional government spending on childcare, education and paid leave. Biden’s announcement lifted investors’ sentiment on Thursday, sending shares on a rally.
Economic Data
The government said on Thursday that GDP for the first quarter increased 6.4%. This played a major boost to the morale of investors.
In other economic data, the Labor Department said that initial jobless claims fell to 553,000 last week from the revised 566,000 in the week earlier and also hit it lowest level since the coronavirus outbreak.
National Association of Realtors said, that pending home sales for March increased 1.9%.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>