US Tech Stocks Drive Market to New Heights Amid Mixed Economic Signals

Key Highlights:

- Market Performance: S&P 500 and Nasdaq reach record highs.

- Sector Leaders: Broadcom, Nvidia, and Apple lead the tech rally.

- Economic Indicators: Rise in unemployment claims and unexpected drop in producer prices.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite marked record closing highs for the fourth consecutive session on Thursday, driven by a surge in technology stocks. This rally comes amid mixed economic signals, with an increase in unemployment claims and an unexpected drop in producer prices, which fuels speculation about a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve.

The S&P 500 technology sector saw a notable 1.4% increase, while the semiconductor index rose 1.5%, both achieving new closing highs. Broadcom's shares surged 12.3% following an optimistic revenue forecast driven by demand for semiconductors in artificial intelligence technology. Additionally, Nvidia climbed 3.5%, and Apple gained 0.5%.

Despite these gains, the broader market displayed mixed performance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 65.11 points, or 0.17%, closing at 38,647.1, while the S&P 500 rose by 12.71 points, or 0.23%, to 5,433.74. The Nasdaq Composite increased by 59.12 points, or 0.34%, ending at 17,667.56.

After the closing bell, Adobe's shares jumped over 14% after exceeding Wall Street's revenue expectations for the second quarter. In contrast, the economically sensitive industrials sector fell by 0.6%, and the small-cap Russell 2000 index dropped by 0.9%.

The labor market showed signs of weakening, with new unemployment claims rising to a nearly 10-month high. Additionally, producer prices fell unexpectedly in May, suggesting a potential slowdown in economic growth. These developments have led some investors to anticipate a more dovish approach from the Federal Reserve, which has projected only one rate cut for the year, compared to the three cuts anticipated in March.

In the tech sector, Tesla shares rose by 2.9% as shareholders prepared to approve CEO Elon Musk's $56 billion pay package. Market volume on U.S. exchanges was 10.14 billion shares, below the 12.49 billion average over the past 20 trading days, with declining issues outnumbering advancers on both the NYSE and Nasdaq.

Overall, the strength in technology stocks has provided a significant boost to the broader market, despite ongoing concerns about the economy's pace of recovery. The tech-driven rally underscores the sector's pivotal role in shaping market dynamics amid evolving economic conditions.

The above article is updated as of the US market closing time on 13th June 2024.