A trader on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on January 19, 2024. Reuters
A trader on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on January 19, 2024. Reuters
A trader on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on January 19, 2024. Reuters
A trader on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on January 19, 2024. Reuters

S&P 500 reaches record high as US stocks surge


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Wall Street stocks rallied on Friday, boosted by the tech sector, with the S&P 500 and Dow hitting records.

The broad-based S&P 500 advanced 1.2 per cent to close at 4,839.81, surpassing its last all-time high set in 2022.

The session's gains were fuelled by chipmakers surging on AI optimism and investor bets that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in 2024.

The benchmark's record high confirms that the S&P 500 ended a bear market when it closed on October 12, 2022, and that it has been in a bull market since then, Reuters reported, according to one measure.

The S&P 500 had lost nearly 25 per cent in a sell-off between its last record high on January 3, 2022 and its low in October 2022.

Also on Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.1 per cent at 37,863.80, also reaching new heights, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index surged 1.7 per cent to end at 15,310.97.

While the Nasdaq recovered 43 per cent lost in 2023, it would need to rise another 4.8 per cent to return to its record high close of 16,057.4437, reached on November 19, 2021.

“The tech stocks are continuing to lead the market higher,” Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investments told AFP.

“You have explosive action in SMCI, in Nvidia, in Broadcom, in semiconductors in general, and that remains bullish for the market,” he said.

SMCI shares rocketed 35.9 per cent, Nvidia climbed 4.2 per cent and Broadcom added 5.9 per cent.

But Jose Torres of Interactive Brokers said in a note on Friday that the “recent market rally lacks broad participation”.

The latest jump comes after economic data showing that high mortgage rates and limited inventory dragged US existing home sales to the lowest annual level since 1995.

But in an encouraging sign, a University of Michigan gauge showed Americans are becoming more positive about the economy, with consumer sentiment rising 13 per cent in January – the highest level in nearly two and a half years.

“The key takeaway from the report is that the increase in sentiment was accompanied by another drop in year-ahead inflation expectations, which have returned to a level not seen in three years,” a Briefing.com note read.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Brief scores:

Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf

Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)

Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17

Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)

Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Match info

Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')

Southampton 0

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Crazy Rich Asians

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan

Four stars

The five pillars of Islam
Friday's schedule in Madrid

Men's quarter-finals

Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time

Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm

Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm

Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm

Women's semi-finals

Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm

Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Updated: January 20, 2024, 5:03 AM`