Technology stocks boosted U.S. stock indices to rise across the board, with the Nasdaq up 0.5%, while silver prices fell sharply by 5%

The latest wave of enthusiasm for technology stocks continued into Friday, with all three major U.S. stock indices opening higher. The S&P 500 index opened up 16.07 points, an increase of 0.23%, reporting 6960.54 points; the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened up 24.26 points, an increase of 0.05%, reporting 49466.70 points; the Nasdaq Composite opened up 109.67 points, an increase of 0.47%, reporting 23639.69 points.

Most industry ETFs in the U.S. stock market opened higher, with the semiconductor ETF rising 1.97%, the technology sector ETF rising 0.89%, the global technology stock index ETF rising 0.63%, and the energy sector ETF, banking sector ETF, and internet stock index ETF rising by up to 0.13%. The healthcare ETF fell 0.27%, and the utilities ETF fell 0.96%.

The following content was updated before 22:30:

S&P 500 index futures rose 0.2%, Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 0.2%, and Dow futures rose 0.1%.

Micron Technology rose over 5% in pre-market trading, as executives purchased $7.8 million worth of company stock, indicating internal confidence in performance prospects; Novo Nordisk rose over 3% in pre-market trading, with the market optimistic about the demand for its weight loss drugs; Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) rose over 2% in pre-market trading, benefiting from the overall rise in the semiconductor sector and the recovery of industry prosperity; Blackstone Group rose over 1% in pre-market trading, announcing an investment of $4.65 billion to build data centers in Germany, strengthening its presence in the European market; Li Auto fell over 1% in pre-market trading, as Citigroup lowered its target price to $18.50 and maintained a "neutral" rating, showing caution about short-term sales expectations.

Among the seven tech giants in the U.S. stock market, NVIDIA rose nearly 1%, as the company revised its technical papers to significantly reduce copper usage in data centers, alleviating market concerns about raw material costs. In terms of Chinese concept stocks, WeRide and Atour both rose nearly 3%, JinkoSolar rose over 2%, Qihoo 360 and MICROALGO rose nearly 2%, while Tuya Smart, NetEase, TAL Education, Waterdrop, Wanwu Xingsheng, and Lexin all rose over 1%; China Su Xuantang Pharmaceutical fell over 7%, while Xinyi Technology, Daqo New Energy, EPSIUM ENTERPRISE, and Zai Ding Pharmaceutical all fell over 1%.

Spot gold fell 0.6%, reporting $4590 per ounce, while spot silver fell sharply by 5.00% during the day, currently reporting $87.70 per ounce; the U.S. dollar index fell 0.1%, reporting 99.257.

In terms of international oil prices, Brent crude oil futures rose over 1%, reporting $64.46 per barrel; U.S. oil futures rose over 1%, reporting $59.72 per barrel.

Major European stock indices collectively fell, with the UK FTSE 100 index falling 0.06%, the French CAC40 index falling 0.72%, the German DAX30 index falling 0.28%, and the European Stoxx 50 index falling 0.34%.

The rise in U.S. stock index futures is mainly attributed to TSMC's strong spending and revenue outlook, alleviating previous market concerns about the industry's high valuations and return prospects. Market breadth is also continuously improving, with Russell 2000 index futures rising 0.2%, continuing the strong performance of small-cap stocks recently The index has risen 7.8% so far this year, far exceeding the less than 1.5% increase of major U.S. benchmark indices. Although the Nasdaq 100 index may still close lower this week, the current trend indicates that the dominance of technology stocks is reaching a new balance with broader market participation as the economic growth outlook improves.

Key company updates:

Intel: The company's sharp rebound in stock price since the beginning of the year reflects growing investor confidence in its chip foundry business gaining new customers.

Mitsubishi Group: This Japanese company has agreed to acquire Aethon Energy Management LLC's natural gas and pipeline assets in the U.S. for $5.2 billion, marking the largest acquisition by a Japanese firm in the U.S. shale oil and gas sector.

Vanke: Vanke's corporate bonds continue to rise after the troubled developer announced a favorable plan to extend payments on some bonds, alleviating market concerns about imminent default risks.

Ford Motor: According to sources speaking to Bloomberg, Ford is in talks with China's BYD to supply hybrid vehicle batteries for factories outside the U.S., although such cooperation faces political resistance domestically.

Walmart: The company's international business CEO, Kathryn McLay, announced her resignation.

In terms of news, Bloomberg analysis indicates that global investor optimism towards the technology sector remains high, largely supported by expectations of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and strong profit prospects from artificial intelligence. Taiwan Semiconductor is leading the way, boosting regional market sentiment. Market analysis points out that although investors recently shifted towards cyclical sectors due to concerns about overvaluation of tech stocks, this sector rotation seems to have stabilized following Taiwan Semiconductor's updated earnings guidance. Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada noted:

Taiwan Semiconductor's latest developments appear to stabilize the previous sector rotation trend rather than completely reverse it.

In the commodities market, traders are closely monitoring the escalating situation in the Middle East (U.S. aircraft carrier movements and potential actions against Iran), with oil prices rebounding after experiencing the largest drop since June. Silver has fallen sharply, with Citigroup believing that silver is likely to avoid tariffs, and the absence of tariffs will encourage metal outflows from the U.S., easing global market tensions. Silver prices may face temporary pullback pressure.

In the bond market, the treasury market remains relatively calm, with the 10-year Treasury yield experiencing minimal fluctuations for the fifth consecutive week as the market awaits clearer guidance on economic trends and the impact of the Trump administration on Federal Reserve policy. The ICE BofA MOVE index, which measures bond market volatility, has fallen to its lowest point since 2021.

Taiwan Semiconductor's strong earnings outlook has become key to reversing market sentiment, reigniting investor optimism in the artificial intelligence sector. Previously, concerns about AI valuation bubbles and investment return cycles had weakened the upward momentum of the industry. The current market response indicates that the fundamental support remains strong.

Despite the overall relative weakness of the European technology sector, institutions remain optimistic about core equipment manufacturers. Morgan Stanley has raised the target price for regional AI bellwether ASML by 40%. BlackRock's Alex Brazier also pointed out that AI valuations are driven by fundamentals, and this investment theme is expanding BNY senior macro strategist Yu pointed out that in the context of the ongoing expansion of the U.S. economy, there is room for the market to shift from concentrated positions to diversification. "As market return expectations remain optimistic, a rising tide can lift all boats."

Strong Start to Earnings Season and Frenzy in the Credit Bond Market

The latest earnings season has shown positive signs, providing fundamental support for the market. So far, 89% of the 28 companies that have reported earnings exceeded expectations. Andrea Gabellone, global head of equities at KBC Bank, stated that consumers are currently in good shape, trading activity and capital markets are healthy, and earnings revisions remain very positive. Next week, as companies like Netflix, Johnson & Johnson, and 3M report their earnings, investors will gain a clearer overall economic picture.

Meanwhile, sentiment in the corporate credit bond market is high. According to data released by Bloomberg, the yield premium on corporate debt has fallen to its lowest point since 2007, and the extra yield demanded by investors for junk bonds has also reached a near twenty-year low. This chase for risk has prompted companies to issue approximately $435 billion in bonds in the first half of January, setting a new high for the same period, and some of the world's largest asset management firms have warned the market not to become complacent