U.S. stock markets opened the week on an optimistic note, with Wall Street’s response to the latest tariff updates lifting tech shares.
Monday morning saw gains for Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA), and Dell (DELL). Over the weekend, the administration announced the exclusion of consumer electronics, including smartphones and computers, from the newly proposed tariffs.
This decision delighted investors in major tech firms, leading to an increase in the stock prices of several companies in that sector. In addition to AAPL, NVDA, and DELL, Tesla and Intel also experienced early rises.
As investors prepared for a busy week filled with earnings reports and possible tariff updates, the S&P 500 started with a 1.7% increase.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw a positive opening, climbing over 460 points. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq, which had initially fallen due to the substantial tariffs imposed by both the U.S. and China, gained 2.3% at the opening on April 14.
Despite the favorable start, investors took note of comments from U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who mentioned that while electronics were exempted from the current tariff rates, they were still expected to fall under different duties in the future.
The optimistic opening on Wall Street echoes the views of experts from the previous week, many of whom suggested that the sell-off triggered by the tariffs might have established a floor for the stock market.
Mark Newton, a managing director and head of technical strategy at a financial advisory firm, echoed this sentiment during a recent interview.
While the recent reprieve for major tech stocks has pushed AAPL and other shares higher, gold’s performance slowed slightly last week. The precious metal remained close to its historical highs but dipped nearly 1%.
Safe-haven assets are likely to continue attracting investors in uncertain market conditions, yet with tech stocks making gains, risk assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) may follow a similar upward trajectory. Analysts predict BTC could surpass stock performance as the market recovers.
However, the market remains cautious regarding comments made by Trump, indicating that the tech stock exemptions may not be permanent.
In addition to tariff developments, this week will also focus on earnings reports. Following robust results from several major banks last week, the impending reports from Goldman Sachs (GS), Bank of America (BAC), and Citi (C) will be under close scrutiny.