Wall Street ended a jittery week on a mixed note Friday, as a pullback in oil prices helped blue-chip stocks recover while a sharp slide in semiconductor shares kept pressure on the tech-heavy Nasdaq. The retreat in energy prices eased some of the inflation worries that had rattled markets a day earlier, but lingering concerns about the enormous sums technology companies are spending on artificial intelligence kept buyers cautious just days ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next policy decision.
What Moved Markets
The Dow Jones Industrial Average led the major benchmarks, rising 235.60 points, or 0.46 percent, to close at 51,947.25. The broader S&P 500 edged up just 3.69 points, or 0.05 percent, to finish at 7,411.99. The Nasdaq Composite bucked the trend, falling 161.87 points, or 0.64 percent, to end the day at 24,975.82.
The main driver was crude oil, which slipped back below $100 a barrel after surging on Thursday amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Lower energy prices help cool inflation expectations, and Treasury yields eased as a result, offering support to the interest-rate-sensitive corners of the market. The gains were far from broad-based, however. A closely watched gauge of semiconductor stocks tumbled 4.4 percent, a decline heavy enough to overwhelm strength elsewhere and drag the Nasdaq into the red. Friday’s action followed a rough Thursday session in which the S&P 500 dropped 1.21 percent and the Nasdaq shed 2.15 percent, so the day amounted to a partial and uneven stabilization rather than a clean rebound. A fresh round of tariffs from the Trump administration also took effect Friday, adding another layer of uncertainty for traders to weigh.
Notable Movers
Intel (INTC) was a standout, climbing after the chipmaker posted a blowout second quarter. The company reported earnings of 42 cents per share, double what analysts had expected, on revenue of $16.1 billion that rose 25 percent from a year earlier and topped forecasts. Even so, Wall Street analysts were slow to raise their ratings, keeping a lid on the enthusiasm.
Safety Insurance (SAFT) was the day’s biggest winner, soaring roughly 42 percent after agreeing to an all-cash buyout that valued the company at a 44 percent premium to its prior close. Amkor Technology (AMKR) jumped about 9 percent after Nvidia agreed to advance payments and deepen a partnership aimed at boosting capacity in the AI chip supply chain. On the losing side, the broad weakness in semiconductors weighed on the group, with worries about aggressive AI capital spending at companies such as Alphabet (GOOGL) continuing to sour sentiment across the sector.
Looking Ahead
The week ahead is a heavy one. The Federal Reserve’s policy meeting concludes Wednesday, and investors will parse the central bank’s language closely for hints on the path of interest rates. Second-quarter gross domestic product and the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, are due the following day. On top of that, earnings season shifts into high gear with reports from Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), and Apple (AAPL). With oil prices, AI spending, tariffs, and a Fed decision all in play at once, retail investors should brace for a potentially volatile stretch and keep a close eye on how those big technology names guide expectations for the rest of the year.