In a significant development for the tech industry, Tesla (TSLA) made headlines this week as it cleared two major barriers to launching its Full Self-Driving software in China. The company's shares surged 15% following Elon Musk's surprise visit to China, where he reportedly received approval from key officials. This news came amidst a busy week for markets, with the Federal Reserve set to announce its policy decision and release the monthly jobs report.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 both saw gains on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average also inching up. Tesla's strong performance contributed significantly to these gains, as investors looked to capitalize on the company's expansion into China's massive auto market.
Despite some initial uncertainty following the US Treasury's increased borrowing estimate for the current quarter, stocks held their ground. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.627% following the estimates, but investors remained optimistic about prospects for continued growth in tech and other sectors.
Beyond Tesla's China gambit, several other companies reported earnings this week, including Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Eli Lilly (LLY), Mastercard (MA), and others. Analysts are closely watching these reports for signs of strength in the labor market and manufacturing sector.
Bank of America expects a continued recovery in equities, with risk skewed to the upside. The manufacturing report is expected to indicate that the manufacturing recession has ended, while Friday's April jobs report is likely to show strength and little sign of slowing momentum in the labor market.
Investors will also be keeping an eye on developments from other sectors, including pharmaceuticals and AI chipmakers. Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY) are both on the watchlist for potential earnings reports, while Nvidia (NVDA), Broadcom (AVGO), and Astera Labs (ALAB) have already reported strong growth in their respective sectors.
Overall, this week is shaping up to be a significant one for markets, with a range of economic data and corporate earnings set to provide insights into the health of the economy and individual companies. Stay tuned for further updates.