Stock Market Today: Indexes Surge After Better-Than-Expected April Jobs Report; S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit New Records, Poised for 6th Straight Week of Gains

U.S. stock indexes climbed Friday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 115,000 jobs added in April, double the forecasted 55,000, easing recession fears. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite reached all-time highs, up 0.8% and 1.4% respectively, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average also rose. The unemployment rate remained steady at 4.3%, matching expectations, though concerns about stagflation grew as wage pressures persist." "The 10-year Treasury yield dropped to 4.36% from 4.40%, easing mortgage rates, while oil prices rose amid Middle East tensions. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 1.2% to $96 a barrel, and Brent crude advanced 1.4% to $101.50. Gold futures increased slightly to $4,720 an ounce, and Bitcoin held near $79,900, with the U.S. dollar index dipping 0.2% to 97.92." "The Magnificent Seven tech stocks led gains, with Tesla rising nearly 4% and Nvidia advancing 2% to a new peak. Post-earnings moves saw mixed results: Cloudflare fell 24%, The Trade Desk dropped 6%, and Expedia declined 7%, while Akamai surged 20% and Monster Beverage rose 15%. Iren’s stock jumped over 7% after announcing a $3.4 billion, five-year deal with Nvidia to provide cloud services for AI research, marking a shift from Bitcoin mining to data center operations." "The Nasdaq, S&P 500, and Dow entered Friday up 2.8%, 1.5%, and 0.2% for the week, respectively, following Thursday’s retreat from record highs. Analysts noted the jobs report reduced near-term recession risks but warned of potential stagflation if wage inflation persists. Meanwhile, Treasury yields and oil prices reacted to economic data and geopolitical developments, shaping broader market sentiment.