The commencement of the new month saw a significant surge in U.S. equities, fuelled by robust gains made by tech giant, Amazon (AMZN), whose robust earnings instilled confidence in the sector. The subsequently lesser than expected employment report also incited a wave of optimism, stirring hopes for potential rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. All indices registered appreciable growth of roughly 1%, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq.
Amazon's triumph was attributed to profits and sales that exceeded expectations, as well as growth in advertising and cloud revenue. In another optimistic turn of events, shares for media and telecom company Charter Communications (CHTR) escalated as its quarterly performance topped predictions, with savvier subscriber loss management than expected.
Software provider Atlassian (TEAM) experienced a surge in shares following a forecast-beating report and increased guidance tied to a surge in subscription demand driven by the need for AI technology. Not all tech shares shared in the boom, however; Apple (APPL) shares took a hit due to slowing sales in China.
In the retail sector, though, online furniture company Wayfair (W) faced a slump in shares due to declining customer interest and falling orders, including from sustaining customers. Similarly, global packaging company, Amcor (AMCR) saw a drop in shares following subpar earnings and revenue results, experiencing downside risk factors such as unfavorable price/mix and overseas exchange rates.
In commodities, both oil and gold futures experienced a rise. The US dollar gained against the euro and yen, yet fell in relation to the pound. Meanwhile, most leading cryptocurrencies took a dip in value.