Finance

The Nasdaq Composite outperformed other major benchmarks with a notable gain, wrapping up its strongest weekly performance since April. A robust recovery in semiconductor equities and strong quarterly software earnings from firms like Atlassian and Palantir provided heavy lifting for the broader market. Conversely, ad-tech firm Trade Desk suffered steep declines after presenting a weaker-than-expected revenue forecast.

Digital assets experienced positive price movement following the weaker-than-expected U.S. macro employment data. Bitcoin moved higher to trade near $65,000, while Ethereum firmed up around the $1,910 level. The softer labor statistics helped mitigate investor anxiety regarding aggressive near-term monetary tightening, which generally supports risk assets.

Gold bullion capitalized on shifting macroeconomic data, climbing to its highest valuation in roughly six weeks and posting its strongest weekly performance since mid-January. The gains inverse a decline in the U.S. dollar index and falling Treasury yields. Meanwhile, international oil benchmarks experienced volatility, with Brent crude dipping as investors monitored geopolitical developments regarding the Strait of Hormuz.