Nasdaq 100: Tesla and Alphabet Lead Today’s Charge—Is the Tech Rally Just Starting?

Tech Surge Driving Index Gains: Can the Nasdaq Extend Its 5% Weekly Jump?

Wall Street is on track to close the week with a fourth straight day of gains, led by tech stocks powering a broad rebound across major indexes. The S&P 500 futures rose 0.3% in premarket trading Friday, while Nasdaq-100 futures matched the move, bolstered by strong tech earnings and AI-driven investment optimism. If the rally holds, it would mark the S&P 500’s first four-day win streak since February.

Alphabet Beats, Intel Misses: Will Big Tech Earnings Keep Driving the S&P 500?

Alphabet delivered a strong upside surprise, with shares jumping 5% premarket after beating on both revenue and profit. The results helped fuel this week’s near-4% gain for the S&P 500 and over 5% climb for the Nasdaq Composite. But not all tech names are lifting the tide. Intel tumbled more than 5% after providing weak guidance and announcing cost cuts. Traders will be watching for continued leadership from the “Magnificent Seven” ahead of key reports from Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple next week.

Self-Driving Momentum: Can Tesla and Waymo Capitalize on New U.S. Policy?

A regulatory push from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy promises to streamline the rollout of self-driving vehicles. Tesla rose 1.8% premarket after Thursday’s 3.5% gain, reflecting investor enthusiasm for its robotaxi ambitions. Alphabet’s Waymo is also in focus, operating autonomous fleets in several U.S. cities. The policy support strengthens sentiment, but analysts caution that technological hurdles still pose significant challenges to wide-scale adoption.

AI Spending Spree: Will Nvidia Maintain Its Edge in the Chip Sector?

Nvidia shares added another 1.2% premarket, building on Thursday’s 3.6% gain, as Alphabet reaffirmed a $75 billion AI infrastructure spend and noted demand is outpacing cloud capacity. The continued investment signals that AI remains a top strategic priority for big tech. Meanwhile, Intel, AMD, and Broadcom are jostling for relevance in the AI chip space, with Intel aiming to roll out a “full stack” AI product line. Competitive pressure may grow, but for now, Nvidia retains a firm lead.

Trade Tensions Easing? How Will Indexes React to Shifting Tariff Rhetoric?

Markets are regaining stability after recent concerns over “reciprocal” U.S. tariffs. President Trump’s hints at a partial rollback and China’s calls to cancel unilateral measures suggest a potential de-escalation. While negotiations remain opaque, traders appear more confident that a full-blown trade conflict may be avoided. The absence of further escalation has allowed equities to refocus on earnings and sector fundamentals.

Market Forecast: Bullish Near-Term Outlook Anchored by Tech Strength

With major indexes riding strong tech earnings and persistent AI investment, the short-term outlook remains bullish. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq appear well-supported heading into next week’s mega-cap earnings reports. While risks from trade policy and chip sector competition persist, current momentum suggests continued upside—provided earnings continue to deliver.

More Information in our Economic Calendar.