US equity indexes rose ahead of Thursday's close, as strong gains in technology helped the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit fresh all-time highs.
The Dow climbed 0.7% to 50,080.2, with the Nasdaq up 1% to 26,672.5 and the S&P 500 higher by 0.8% to 7,505.5. Technology and energy led the gainers, while materials and real estate were among the decliners.
Of the top 10 companies with a market capitalization of more than $200 billion, implying a significant sway over indexes, nine were from the technology sector, according to data compiled by Finviz. The top performer in this category was Cisco Systems (CSCO), up 12% in the final leg of trading.
Cisco, also the leader on the S&P 500, the Nasdaq, and the Dow, overnight reported fiscal Q3 earnings and revenue that topped market expectations and raised fiscal 2026 guidance. The firm also announced restructuring plans that included lay-offs of nearly 4,000 employees.
Meanwhile, about 10 Chinese companies have secured US clearance to purchase Nvidia's (NVDA) H200 AI chip, Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources. Shares of the semiconductor manufacturer jumped 4.5%, among the top gainers on the Dow.
In economic news, retail sales in April rose for the third straight month, with analysts saying the increase largely reflected higher prices as the war in Iran kept fuel costs elevated. Sales rose 0.5% in April following a revised 1.6% gain in March, the Census Bureau reported, matching the consensus in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.
"Despite elevated prices at the pump and elsewhere, consumers continue to prove resilient thanks to decent wage gains, savings, and credit cards to support spending," Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at Stifel, said in a note. "That being said, consumers cannot perpetually withstand elevated costs."
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