Wall Street is heading into the final trading session of May on a positive note. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 74 points, or 0.2%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures each climbed 0.1%.
If gains hold, the S&P 500 will close out a ninth straight week in the green. That would mark its best two-month run since May 2020. The Nasdaq is also close to recording its best two-month stretch since November 2002.
All three major indexes posted record closing highs on Thursday. A rally in software stocks helped push them over the line.
After the bell on Thursday, Dell reported earnings that blew past analyst expectations. The company’s stock jumped close to 40% in after-hours trading.
Dell pointed to strong demand for its servers, which are powered by Nvidia chips and used to build out data centers for artificial intelligence. The company gave an upbeat outlook, saying AI-driven expansion would continue to fuel orders.
That result added to the broader confidence in the AI trade that has helped lift markets in recent weeks.
Hopes around a US-Iran ceasefire have also been supporting markets. Last week, President Trump said talks were in the “final stages.” Since then, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have hit record highs three days in a row.
Reports suggest a deal for a ceasefire extension has reached Trump’s desk, but no official confirmation has been issued. Markets are watching closely, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been putting upward pressure on oil prices and stoking inflation concerns.
Oil prices slipped on Friday. Brent crude fell 0.8% to $91.94 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate dropped 0.9% to $88.06.
The 10-year Treasury yield ticked up one basis point to 4.46%. The US dollar was flat against a basket of major currencies.
Not everything is clear for bulls. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, hit 3.8% in April. That is its highest reading in nearly three years.
Emily Bowersock Hill, CEO of Bowersock Capital Partners, warned that rate cut hopes are likely to fade if inflation keeps rising. She said that if the Fed were to tighten policy as inflation approaches 4%, both stocks and bonds could suffer, similar to 2022.
For now, traders are watching for any official word on the Iran deal and digesting Dell’s strong results as the month closes out.
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