S&P 500 Hits Fifth Record Close as Trade Deal Hopes and Earnings Lift Markets

The S&P 500 marked its fifth consecutive record close on Friday, driven by strong corporate earnings and optimism over potential trade agreements. At the 4:00 p.m. ET close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 208 points (0.5%), the S&P 500 added 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.2%.

Investor sentiment remained upbeat as nearly 83% of the 155 S&P 500 companies that have reported so far exceeded Wall Street estimates, pushing both the S&P and Nasdaq to fresh intraday and closing highs this week.

Trade developments also buoyed markets. U.S. President Donald Trump indicated a 50-50 chance of finalizing a trade deal with the European Union by Sunday, calling it potentially the biggest agreement among recent negotiations. The European Commission signaled optimism, with talks set to continue ahead of the August 1 deadline. Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese officials are scheduled to meet in Stockholm next week to extend negotiations following earlier tariff-reduction agreements in May and June.

On the corporate front, Intel shares fell after projecting steeper third-quarter losses than analysts expected and announcing plans to reduce its workforce to 75,000 by year-end, a 22% cut from 2024 levels. Conversely, Deckers’ stock surged as strong first-quarter sales from its Hoka and Ugg brands exceeded forecasts. Paramount Global also edged higher after the Federal Communications Commission approved its $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.

With earnings season in full swing and major trade negotiations underway, investors are closely watching for signs of continued momentum in U.S. equities, which have rallied to historic levels despite lingering global trade tensions and cautious corporate guidance.