US stocks gain as markets hope trade deals more likely

US stocks gain as markets hope trade deals more likely

Markets greet conciliatory signs following the 90-day tariff pause, including exemptions for key electronics.

Wall Street
US auto companies, including GM and Ford, gained after Donald Trump indicated help for carmakers affected by his 25% tariff. (EPA Images pic)
NEW YORK:
Wall Street stocks finished solidly higher Monday as markets greeted more conciliatory signs from the Trump administration on trade, including exemptions for key electronics.

“The market is reacting to a couple of glimmers of hope,” said Art Hogan of B Riley Wealth Management, pointing to the policy on electronics after Trump last week suspended for 90 days last hard-hitting tariffs.

“We’re slowly starting to stitch together some scenarios that are better than the worst-case scenario,” said Hogan, who is hopeful for trade accords that could be used by Trump to claim victory.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 0.8% at 40,524.79.

The broad-based S&P 500 also climbed 0.8% to 5,405.97, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 0.6% to 16,831.48.

Trump has insisted no country will be getting “off the hook” on tariffs, while other members of his administration have said levies on semiconductors are still coming soon.

But shares of Apple, which were battered in the days just after Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, climbed 3.7%.

US auto companies including General Motors and Ford also won big gains after Trump said he was “looking at something to help some of the car companies” hit by his 25% tariff on all auto imports.

Elsewhere, Goldman Sachs jumped 1.9% after reporting better than expected earnings on a jump in equity trading revenues.

This week’s earnings schedule includes reports from Citigroup, United Airlines, UnitedHealth Group and Netflix.

The calendar also includes a report on March retail sales and a European Central Bank monetary policy meeting.

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