Finance

Intel shares skyrocketed nearly 24% following a standout quarterly earnings report that highlighted strong demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. This performance represented the company's best single day since 1987 and pushed the stock to its first record high since the dot-com era in 2000.

As of April 25, 2026, Bitcoin is trading steadily around $77,743 as investors monitor diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Iran. While the market remains sensitive to wartime volatility and the ongoing naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, institutional adoption and the rise of spot ETFs have provided a stable foundation for digital assets.

U.S. Treasury yields edged lower on April 24, with the 10-year note ending at 4.31% as political hurdles for the next Federal Reserve chair began to dissipate. The Department of Justice's decision to close its probe into current Chair Jerome Powell has paved the way for the potential confirmation of Kevin Warsh, whom markets expect may favor lower interest rates.

While tech-heavy indexes thrived, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2% on Friday, snapping its three-week winning streak. Pressure on financials and cyclical industries, combined with concerns over elevated oil prices and souring consumer sentiment, caused the blue-chip index to underperform the broader market.

Investors are preparing for a pivotal week of earnings from mega-cap technology firms, including Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta. A central focus remains on whether massive increases in artificial intelligence capital expenditures are successfully translating into accelerated revenue growth to justify high valuations.