On Wednesday, the Nasdaq Composite had a strong day, closing up 1. 22% at 17, 648. 45. This boost was fueled by a lower-than-expected inflation report, which calmed worries about the economy. The S&P 500 also saw gains, rising 0. 49% to 5, 599. 30. However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped slightly, losing 82. 55 points or 0. 2%, to 41, 350. 93.

        The tech sector, which had been down over 3% for the week, saw a significant turnaround. Major players like Nvidia surged by 6. 4%, AMD jumped over 4%, Meta Platforms climbed 2%, and Tesla shot up more than 7%. This surge in tech stocks helped drive the S&P 500 higher.

        The consumer price index, a key measure of inflation, rose by only 0. 2% for the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 2. 8%. This was below the expected 0. 3% monthly increase and 2. 9% annual rate. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, also rose less than expected, increasing 0. 2% for the month and 3. 1% annually. These lower-than-expected numbers eased concerns about rapid inflation.

        The lower inflation figures suggest that the Federal Reserve might have more flexibility in its policy decisions. This is because a higher inflation rate could have limited the Fed's ability to respond to economic weakness.

        Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs went into effect on Wednesday. Canada responded with 25% retaliatory duties on over $20 billion worth of U. S. goods. The European Union also announced plans to impose counter-tariffs on $28. 33 billion worth of U. S. imports starting in April. These trade tensions have been a significant factor in the recent market sell-off.

        Stocks have been under pressure due to fears that these trade tensions could lead to a U. S. recession. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq have all dropped roughly 3% this week alone. The S&P 500 even briefly entered correction territory, down 10% from its February record. Over the past month, the S&P 500 has lost more than 7%, while the Dow and Nasdaq have shed 6. 8% and 10. 2%, respectively.

        Despite these challenges, some experts believe that once the market adjusts to these policy changes, there could be better news ahead. This is because the recent sell-off can be seen as a correction after a period of strong performance in U. S. equity markets.

Tech Stocks Soar as Inflation Fears Ease

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