Weekly Global Markets Watch

Global markets advanced this week, largely driven by a massive semiconductor rally. The S&P 500 added 0.55% and the Nasdaq climbed 1.5% to hit new record highs, while the Dow slightly dipped. Intel’s historic 23.6% earnings-fueled jump catalyzed the tech surge.

In commodities, Brent crude remained flat at $105.33 per barrel. Energy was the weakest sector due to ongoing naval tensions and the functionally closed Strait of Hormuz. Conversely, Bitcoin climbed near $78,000, and technology led the broader market gains.

Geopolitically, anticipated direct US-Iran talks in Pakistan failed to materialize. However, President Trump’s three-week ceasefire extension in Lebanon boosted market sentiment. Economically, the U.S. Composite PMI positively surprised, recovering to a three-month high of 52.0 in April.

Semiconductor stocks dominated the corporate landscape. Intel and AMD surged on strong AI-driven demand, while MaxLinear highlighted growing interest in data center connectivity. Meanwhile, Coursera underperformed significantly as investors rotated away from software stocks lacking direct AI exposure.