On April 24, 2025, financial markets buzzed as investors worldwide tracked sharp moves in stocks, commodities and currencies. US technology companies, uncertainty over US–China tariffs and signs of improving sentiment in the European economy took center stage.
Tech-driven rally on Wall Street
On Thursday, April 24, the world’s major stock indices posted solid gains, driven mainly by the technology sector. The Nasdaq rose more than 2%, while the S&P 500 gained nearly 1.8% and the Dow Jones added over 1%. The leaders were companies such as ServiceNow (+14.3%), Microchip Technology (+9.9%) and Texas Instruments (+6%). Notably, these gains came despite uncertainty over US trade policy and mixed macroeconomic data.
Quarterly results and market reactions
- Texas Instruments beat analysts’ expectations for both revenue and profit, which translated into a sharp rise in its share price.
- ServiceNow also surprised positively with its results, triggering euphoria among investors.
- On the other hand, IBM fell almost 8% after disappointing guidance for the coming quarters.
Quarterly results
| Company | Change (%) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| ServiceNow | +14.3 | Results above expectations |
| Microchip Technology | +9.9 | Strong demand for semiconductors |
| Texas Instruments | +6.0 | Better quarterly results |
| IBM | -7.6 | Disappointing results |
US–China trade tensions and market impact
The key topic of the day was reports of a possible easing of tariffs imposed on China by the administration of Donald Trump. The US president suggested that rates could fall from 145% to the 50–65% range, which triggered temporary optimism in the markets. However, quick clarifications from the US Treasury Secretary cooled sentiment, reminding investors that no decision had yet been made.
Markets reacted with a temporary rise, but investors remain cautious about the unpredictability of White House trade policy
– Reuters stresses
Impact on selected sectors
- Technology and consumer goods: These sectors gained the most on the wave of hope for an easing of tariffs.
- Consumer goods in Europe: Nestle warned of unclear, indirect effects of tariffs, which weighed on the company’s share price.
Europe: Improving sentiment and strong company results
In Europe, data on business sentiment in Germany surprised positively – the Ifo index rose, signaling an improvement in the economic climate. The German DAX gained as much as 3.1%, with SAP leading the gains after its operating profit grew 60% year on year.
Key European developments
- France: The CAC 40 rose 2.1%, driven by Eurofins Scientific (+12%).
- United Kingdom: The FTSE 100 recorded its ninth consecutive session of gains, highlighting the resilience of the British market despite weaker PMI data.
Asia: Cautious optimism and gains in Japan
Moderate optimism dominated Asian markets. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose nearly 1%, driven by the technology and automotive sectors. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng slipped slightly after three days of gains as investors took profits ahead of a key Politburo meeting.
Commodities and currencies: Gold near record, oil stable
Gold and oil
- Gold: The gold price rose 1.6%, approaching the record levels seen on Tuesday, reflecting growing investor interest in safe-haven assets amid political uncertainty.
- Oil: Oil prices stabilized after earlier declines, triggered by speculation that OPEC+ could increase output in June.
Currencies
- US dollar: After an earlier strengthening, the dollar began to lose value as investors started pricing in the possibility of Fed interest rate cuts later this year.
- Euro and yen: The euro weakened against the dollar, while the Japanese yen fell after comments from the US Treasury Secretary on exchange rates.
Macroeconomics: Data and forecasts
In the US, data on new home sales surprised positively – a 7.4% month-on-month rise to the highest level in half a year. On the other hand, the services sector PMI fell to 51.2 points, indicating the slowest pace of growth in 16 months. In Europe and the United Kingdom, PMIs also signaled a slowdown in economic activity.
Key corporate and financial news
- Morgan Stanley announced the sale of the final tranche of debt linked to Elon Musk’s takeover of the X platform (formerly Twitter), closing a high-profile chapter in the financial market.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill disappointed with its results, recording its first decline in same-store sales since 2020, which translated into a 2% drop in its share price.
April 24, 2025 showed how dynamic and complex global markets are today. Tech euphoria on Wall Street, uncertainty over US–China tariffs, improving sentiment in Europe and stabilization in commodities are just some of the key threads. Investors should stay alert – volatility remains high, and the coming days may bring new twists, especially in the context of upcoming political decisions and earnings reports from the largest technology companies.
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