U.S. stock markets saw slight upward movement on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 closing with small gains, while the Nasdaq slipped just a bit. Investor sentiment was shaped by recent remarks from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and anticipation ahead of earnings reports from America’s largest tech giants, which collectively hold a market valuation of roughly $20 trillion.
The Dow finished the session up by 114 points, or 0.28%, and the S&P 500 edged higher by 3 points, or 0.06%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite dipped by 17 points, marking a modest decline of 0.1%.
Optimism Surrounding Trade Developments
Monday’s market movement extended last week’s momentum, largely driven by renewed hopes for progress in international trade negotiations.
“There’s still plenty of optimism and talk about upcoming trade deals,” noted Vital Knowledge analyst Adam Crisafulli in a morning briefing. “This optimism may help keep the S&P 500 buoyant for now, but given its current levels near the upper end of its trading range, caution is warranted if it tries to move much beyond 5500.”
In a Monday interview with CNBC, Treasury Secretary Bessent revealed that numerous nations have presented the U.S. with “very good” tariff offers.
“We’re making meaningful strides in talks with several of our trading partners,” Bessent said. He highlighted successful negotiations with Asian countries, noting strong progress with South Korea, India, and Japan.
Bessent also emphasized that discussions with China were ongoing across various levels of the U.S. government but stressed that it was ultimately up to Beijing to take steps toward easing tensions.
The Trump administration has recently signaled a willingness to cool down the trade conflict, a welcome shift for investors who have been concerned about its potential impact on global growth.
Spotlight on Upcoming Earnings: Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta
Investor focus is now turning toward quarterly results from some of the world’s biggest tech names, often referred to as the “Magnificent Seven.” Companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) are all set to release their earnings this week.
“While Q1 results and economic data have generally been solid, the full brunt of tariff impacts hasn’t been fully realized yet something that could soon become more evident,” Crisafulli added.
Microsoft and Meta are scheduled to report their earnings on Wednesday, with Apple and Amazon following on Thursday. These results are seen as crucial indicators of corporate resilience amid ongoing tariff pressures and investment concerns tied to AI developments.
Beyond tech, several major players from other sectors, including Visa (NYSE: V), Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), and Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), are also set to report their financial results this week, giving investors further insight into the broader health of the economy.
