On 24 April 2025, financial markets were vibrant, and investors around the world followed dynamic developments in stock exchanges, raw materials and currencies. The focus was on American technology companies, uncertainty around US-China customs and signs of improvement of mood in the European economy.
Technology Wave on Wall Street
On Thursday, April 24, the world's largest stock indices saw solid growth, driven mainly by the technology sector. Nasdaq gained over 2% and S&P 500 increased by nearly 1.8%, while Dow Jones contributed more than 1%. The leaders of the increases were companies such as ServiceNow (+14.3%), Microchip Technology (+9.9%) and Texas Instruments (+6%). It is worth noting that these increases have arisen despite the uncertainty surrounding US trade policy and mixed macroeconomic data.
Quarterly results and market reactions
- Texas InstrumentsIt exceeded the expectations of analysts in terms of both revenue and profit, which translated into a dynamic stock exchange growth.
- ServiceNowHe also surprised positively with results, which caused euphoria among investors.
- On the other hand, IBM recorded a decrease of nearly 8% after a disappointing guide for subsequent quarters.
Quarterly results
| Company | Amendment (%) | 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 impact on markets
The key topic of the day was reports of possible leniency of duties imposed by the Donald Trump administration on China. The U.S. President suggested that rates could fall from 145% to 50–65%, resulting in temporary optimism on the markets. However, quick correction by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury cooled the mood, reminding that no decision had yet been taken.
Markets have responded to temporary growth, but investors remain cautious of the unpredictability of the White House's commercial policy
– emphasises Reuters
Impact on selected sectors
- Technology and consumption: These sectors have gained the most on the wave of hope of leniency.
- European consumption: Nestle warned against the unclear indirect effects of the duties, which affected the company's stock exchange.
Europe: Improving the mood and strong performance of companies
In Europe, business mood figures in Germany have been positively surprised – the Ifo Index has increased, signaling an improvement in the economic climate. The German DAX gained as much as 3.1% and the growth leader was SAP, whose operating profit increased by 60% y/y.
Key developments in Europe
- France: CAC 40 increased by 2.1%, driven by Eurofins Scientific (+12%).
- United Kingdom: FTSE 100 recorded the ninth consecutive growth session, highlighting the resilience of the British market despite the weaker PMI data.
Asia: Careful optimism and growth in Japan
Asian markets were dominated by moderate optimism. Nikkei 225 in Japan grew by nearly 1%, driven by the technology and automotive sector. In Hong Kong, Hang Seng slightly withdrew after three days of growth as investors made profits before a key Politburo meeting.
Raw materials and currencies: Gold close to record, stable oil
Gold and oil
- Gold: The gold price rose by 1.6%, approaching record levels from Tuesday, reflecting the growing interest of investors in safe assets under political uncertainty.
- Oil: Oil prices stabilised after previous declines, due to speculation about possible increase in OPEC+ production in June.
Currency
- US Dollar: After earlier strengthening, the dollar rate began to lose on value when investors began to value the possibility of Fed interest rate reductions later this year.
- Euro and yen: The euro has weakened against the dollar, while the Japanese yen has recorded a decrease after comments from the U.S. Treasury Secretary on exchange rates.
Macroeconomics: Data and forecasts
In the US, the sales of new homes were positively surprised – an increase of 7.4% m/m to the highest level in six months. On the other hand, the PMI for the service sector has fallen to 51.2 points, indicating the slowest growth rate in 16 months. In Europe and the UK, PMI also signalled a slowdown in economic activity.
Key corporate and financial developments
- Morgan Stanleyannounced the sale of the last tranche of debt related to Elon Musk's takeover of the X platform (formerly Twitter), thus closing a loud chapter on the financial market.
- Chipotle Mexican Grilldisappointed the results, recording the first drop in comparable sales since 2020, which translated into a 2% drop in the share rate.
On 24 April 2025, he showed how dynamic and complex global markets are today. Technological euphoria on Wall Street, uncertainty around US–China customs, improving moods in Europe and stabilising the raw materials market are just some of the key threads. Investors should remain vigilant – volatility remains high and the following days can bring new returns, especially in the context of upcoming political decisions and publication of the results of major technology companies.
