Finance

Driven by artificial intelligence hardware makers like Nvidia, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 1.2% on Friday, securing its third consecutive weekly gain. In contrast, despite a positive final trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 concluded the week with net losses of 1.3% and 0.3%, respectively. This divergence highlights a concentrated market leadership heavily anchored in the technology sector.

U.S. government borrowing costs retreated from extreme highs that recently reached levels not seen since 2002. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield, which had touched 5.34% earlier in the week, moved lower toward 5.18% as the cooling payroll figures altered expectations for inflation and restrictive monetary policy. This reversal provided immediate relief to rate-sensitive sectors across equity markets.

Crude oil futures ended the week lower by 1.53% amid substantial policy interventions in energy markets. This decline followed an agreement by the G-7 and European nations to release 100 million barrels of crude and diesel from their strategic stockpiles to counteract structural price pressures. Despite a brief recovery on Friday alongside advancing stock indexes, energy prices remained lower on a weekly basis.