Stocks rise Thursday after strong corporate earnings reports
Briefly

Stocks closed higher due to strong corporate earnings reports and better-than-expected economic data. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq reached record highs, gaining 0.54% and 0.74%, while the Dow Jones increased by 0.52%. Significant contributors included PepsiCo and United Airlines, along with robust results from several major banks. About 88% of S&P 500 companies exceeded analysts' earnings expectations, indicating year-over-year earnings growth of over 8%. Investor sentiment improved as executives forecast strong results for the future, despite concerns about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's position.
"Anxious investors are breathing a sigh of relief as corporate executives forecast strong results for the remainder of 2025," Arone says. "Second quarter earnings season is off to a strong start, propelling market indices higher."
"The financial markets have provided the clearest guardrails to Trump's more extreme policy ideas this year, so the reaction yesterday may be enough to ensure that Trump does not follow through with trying to fire Powell," writes Stephen Brown.
Read at Fortune
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