Dow Jones Industrial Average and Market Overview:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped by 0.77% to close at 39,475.90, but it had its best week of the year with a nearly 2% increase.
The S&P 500 slightly declined by 0.14% to 5,234.18, while the Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.16% to 16,428.82, marking another record close.
The market optimism is attributed to the recent Federal Reserve meeting, where rates were left unchanged and Chair Jerome Powell hinted at future rate cuts.
Notable stock movements included FedEx rising over 7% after beating earnings estimates, while Nike and Lululemon experienced declines due to disappointing guidance and slowing sales.
Semiconductor Index Performance:
The VanEck Semiconductor ETF is on track for its best quarterly performance since 2001, with a 30% increase since the start of the year.
Nvidia, a leading performer, is up 90% this quarter and is headed for its best quarterly performance since 2001.
Other notable gainers in the semiconductor sector include Taiwan Semiconductor, Broadcom, Advanced Micro Devices, and Applied Materials.