The US stock market continued its upward trend, with S&P 500 futures rising 0.3% premarket today, following a 0.41% gain on Thursday. The index is now up 15% since its low point on April 8, a pace not seen since 1982.
Asia’s markets were mixed, with Japan flat and China down 0.5%. However, investors remain optimistic due to positive data on inflation and shipping. US retail sales were also upbeat, holding onto gains made in March.
The easing of President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs has contributed to the market’s optimism. Freight shipping into the US is expected to increase again as export volumes rise in response to the tariff rollback. JPMorgan’s conference with tech CEOs found them feeling more confident about the macro outlook, although some still expressed concerns about the impact of tariffs on customer decisions.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin sat above $103,000 this morning, while Coinbase fell 7.2% after traders took profits from a 20% runup over the past five days.
Source: https://fortune.com/2025/05/16/stocks-markets-rise-fast-40-years