Wall Street closed mixed on Friday, driven by tech and discretionary stocks. A risk-on mood supported by easing geopolitical worries, particularly hopes of the war ending in Iran, and strong tech earnings drove investor sentiment in the session.Two of the three benchmark indexes ended in the green, while one ended in the red.
How Did the Benchmarks Perform?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) slid 0.2%, or 79.61 points, to close at 49,230.71. Eighteen components of the 30-stock index ended in negative territory, while 12 ended in positive.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 398.09 points, or 1.6%, to close at 24,836.60.
The S&P 500 gained 56.68 points, or 0.8%, to close at 7,165.08. Five of the 11 broad sectors of the benchmark index closed in the green. The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK), the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) and the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR (XLC) advanced 2.5%, 1.4%, 0.9% respectively, while the Health Select Sector SPDR (XLV) declined 1.4%.
The fear gauge CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) decreased 3.1% to 18.71. A total of 17.8 billion shares were traded on Friday, lower than the last 20-session average of 18.4 billion. Advancers outnumbered decliners by a 1.47-to-1 ???ratio on ???the NYSE and by a 1.38-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
Wall Street Up on Iran De-escalation Hopes and Tech Earnings
Wall Street ended Friday on a cautious yet upbeat note, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite both closing at record highs as investors embraced a renewed wave of optimism. Sentiment was lifted by reports signaling potential diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran, including a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to Islamabad to discuss restarting peace talks. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said that President Trump had directed special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to travel to Islamabad on Saturday for Pakistan-mediated discussions with Iran.The prospect of easing geopolitical tensions helped calm energy markets and reduced risk premiums, encouraging a broader “risk-on” mood.
Technology stocks led the rally, powered by a surge in Intel Corporation INTC, which extended gains across the semiconductor space and reinforced confidence in AI-driven demand. In the session before, Intel had come out with quarterly earnings of 29 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a penny. This compares with earnings of 13 cents per share a year ago. The company also posted revenues of $13.58 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.09%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $12.67 billion. INTC’s stock skyrocketed 23.6%.
Chipmakers and growth-oriented tech names saw strong inflows, while cyclical sectors such as industrials and consumer discretionary also benefited from improved global outlook expectations. Meanwhile, defensive sectors lagged as investors rotated toward higher-growth opportunities. Energy stocks were mixed, reflecting the balance between easing conflict fears and potential impacts on oil supply dynamics. Geopolitical optimism combined with tech strength created a strong tailwind, pushing equities to fresh highs and reinforcing bullish investor sentiment.
Overall, the session reflected cautious optimism, as investors balanced improving geopolitical signals and strong tech earnings with lingering uncertainties. Tech made significant gains. Consequently, shares of Arm Holdings plc ARM and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD added 14.8% and 13.9%, respectively. Both carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Focus Turns to Fed Outlook and Leadership
Markets are increasingly focused on the upcoming Fed meeting for guidance on potential rate cuts and leadership shifts. The U.S. Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into Jerome Powell, clearing the way for Kevin Warsh.
Weekly Roundup
For the week, the S&P 500 edged up 0.55% and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.5%, driven by strong semiconductor earnings and AI optimism. Hopes of easing U.S.–Iran tensions boosted risk appetite. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.44% as investors rotated away from industrial and defensive stocks.
Economic Data
Per the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment for April was revised up to 49.8, after the initial reportage of 47.6. The number for March remained unrevised at 53.3.
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