Finance

Intel's stock soared nearly 24% in a single session, marking its best performance since 1987 after the company reported quarterly results that far exceeded analyst expectations. This surge helped propel the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index to its 18th consecutive day of gains, a record-breaking streak for the industry.

U.S. Treasury yields remained elevated with the 10-year note ending the week near 4.31% and the 2-year note at 3.78%. Market participants are closely monitoring ongoing tensions in the Middle East and domestic monetary policy shifts as the nominee for Federal Reserve Chair advocates for a smaller central bank balance sheet.

Bitcoin rallied approximately 13% through April 2026, trading near $77,300 and $79,000 as of the weekend. This strong performance has been supported by consistent inflows into U.S. spot ETFs and an expansion in stablecoin supply, though some analysts warn of emerging indecision in the broader crypto market.

Crude oil futures saw a decline late in the week as investors reacted to potential restarts in U.S.-Iran talks, with West Texas Intermediate trading around $94 per barrel. This cooling follows a period of high volatility where prices had previously surged due to disruptions and military orders in the Strait of Hormuz.

While the 'Magnificent Seven' tech giants are projected to deliver 22.8% earnings growth for the first quarter of 2026, data suggests this dominance is increasingly concentrated. Excluding Nvidia, the group's projected growth drops significantly to 6.4%, which is lower than the 10.1% expected from the remaining 493 companies in the S&P 500.