As the trading day approaches, brace yourself for key insights that could shape your investment strategy. Here are **five crucial updates** you need to know before the stock market opens on **Friday, April 25**:
1. **Market Momentum Continues**
After a positive performance this week, the stock market is riding a **three-day winning streak**. The **Dow Jones Industrial Average** has surged by **2.5%**, while the **S&P 500** and **Nasdaq Composite** have recorded gains of **3.8%** and **5.4%** respectively. This surge is largely fueled by a recovery in megacap tech stocks, but experts warn of a potential rollercoaster ride ahead. According to **Anthony Saglimbene**, chief market strategist at **Ameriprise**, “We’re likely facing a period of choppiness in trading, especially with big tech earnings set to dominate next week.” Stay updated with live market analysis here.
2. **Alphabet’s Resilience Amidst Challenges**
**Sundar Pichai**, CEO of **Alphabet Inc.**, recently announced a robust **12% revenue growth** for Q1, significantly bolstered by thriving search and advertising segments, which netted **$50.7 billion** and **$66.89 billion**, respectively. However, there’s a looming caution as executives indicate that the ongoing trade war may impact this growth if advertisers scale back. With sectors such as retail, travel, and healthcare currently driving ad revenues, the landscape remains uncertain. Dive deeper into Alphabet’s earnings report here.
3. **Insatiable Demand for AI Data Centers**
The demand for **AI data centers** remains unyielding, even against the backdrop of recession fears. Executives from **Amazon** and **Nvidia** confirmed this trend at a recent conference in Oklahoma City, with **Kevin Miller**, VP of Global Data Centers at AWS, stating, “We’re observing robust demand and are optimistic about future growth.” Meanwhile, **Nvidia**’s Senior Director noted, “We haven’t witnessed a pullback.” Discover more about the tech giants’ outlook on AI here.
4. **Home Sales Struggling**
Last month, home sales hit a significant slump, registering the slowest March since **2009**. According to the **National Association of Realtors**, sales plummeted by **5.9%** month-over-month, totaling **4.02 million units**. Despite a rise in inventory—with **1.33 million active listings** available—regional sales declined uniformly. **Robert Frick**, a corporate economist with Navy Federal Credit Union, reflects the general sentiment, claiming, “March numbers are bad, and they’re likely to get worse.” For details on home sales trends, click here.
5. **Surge in Big-Ticket Purchases**
March proved to be a lucrative month for **big-ticket purchases**, with durable goods orders soaring by a remarkable **9.2%** month-over-month—significantly higher than the **1.6%** projected by economists. This surge is attributed to consumers rushing to make purchases ahead of mounting tariffs. As individuals sought assurance against fluctuating costs, buying behaviors shifted notably last month. Read more about this data from the Commerce Department here.
– Contributions by CNBC’s Sean Conlon, Jennifer Elias, Spencer Kimball, Diana Olick, and Jeff Cox helped shape this report.
