S&P 500 (NYSEARCA: SPY) Live: APH (NYSE: APH), WAB (NYSE: WAB) Drive Gains

By Gerelyn Terzo Updated Apr 23, 1:54PM EDT · Published Apr 23, 10:54AM EDT

Key Points

The stock market is extending its rally, including a 3.1% gain in the S&P 500. Earnings season rolls on and is helping to lift market sentiment.
President Trump’s willingness to negotiate with China on tariffs has sparked the rally. Also helping is the fact that he is not interested in removing Fed Chairman Powell from his perch.

Live Updates

Key Mid-Day Stock Market Drivers

Apr 23, 2025 at 1:51 PM EDT | Joel South

U.S.-China Trade Talk Optimism:

President Donald Trump’s indication of potentially reducing the 145% tariff on Chinese imports to a lower rate, coupled with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s comments about a possible “big deal” on trade, boosted market sentiment. This alleviated fears of escalating trade tensions, a major concern given the S&P 500’s 16% decline from its February 2025 high.

Mixed Corporate Earnings:

Boeing’s stock rose over 5% after reporting a narrower-than-expected first-quarter loss, signaling resilience in certain industrial sectors. Tesla gained 7% despite missing earnings estimates, reflecting investor optimism in growth stocks.

The S&P 500 gains are receding this afternoon, now up 2.10%

The markets have found their mojo, with all three of the major stock market averages skyrocketing today, led by a 4% pop in the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite. Not to be outdone, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is adding over 1,000 points while the broader market index, the S&P 500, is up 3.1%.

Today’s positive catalyst has been a Trump administration that is willing to sit at the negotiating table with China on tariffs, including a potential 50% cut to the levies in certain instances. Also, President Trump said he is not looking to remove Fed Chairman Jerome Powell from his post, giving the markets stronger legs to stand on.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has vowed to bring stability to the global financial system after helping to lift the market mood yesterday by hinting a de-escalation of the tariff wars between the U.S. and China was in the cards.

Here’s a look at the performance as of morning trading:

Dow Jones Industrial Average: Up 1,087.66 (+2.78%)
Nasdaq Composite: Up 692.15 (+4.2%)
S&P 500: Up 172.47 (+3.2%)

Market Movers

Electronic equipment company Amphenol Corp (NYSE: APH | APH Price Prediction) stock is up 11.7% today in response to a positive quarterly earnings report. The company is benefiting from rising demand for electronics tools. APH stock is on pace for its best performance in about a decade.

Westinghouse Air Brake (NYSE: WAB), a company that transformed the railroad industry, is up 10% today and is among the best performers in the S&P 500 index. The company is soaring on better-than-expected quarterly results and a good outlook amid robust sales for aftermarket parts and services.

Goldman Sachs has reiterated its “buy” rating on Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) stock but reduced the target price by $3 to $256 per share.

Deutsche Bank has reiterated its “buy” rating on EV maker Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA), whose shares have been rocked lower by 36% in 2025.

We’ll see if this stock market rally has enough strength to continue through the rest of the day.

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About the Author Gerelyn Terzo →

Gerelyn Terzo is the author of dividend investing handbook "Dividend Investing Strategies: How to Have Your Cake & Eat It Too." A veteran financial journalist, she covers agri-finance for outlets like Global AgInvesting and the broader stock market and personal finance for 24/7 Wall Street. She began at CNBC and later helped launch Fox Business in New York. Gerelyn currently resides in Woodland Park, Colorado and dabbles in nature photography as a hobby.