Wall Street stocks close higher, Delta forecast boosts sentiment
Wall Street indexes rose on Thursday, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite marking closing record highs, as investors shrugged off President Donald Trump's latest tariff moves, while investors were encouraged by an upbeat forecast from Delta Air Lines.
Delta shares rallied after the carrier forecast third-quarter and full-year profits above Wall Street estimates.
Investors celebrated across the sector with United Airlines and American Airlines also rallying. The Dow Transportation Index, widely considered an economic barometer, hit its highest since late February.
Nvidia's return to its $4 trillion valuation milestone for a second straight day was also a boost.
Initial jobless claims for the week of July 5 came in at 227,000, below consensus of 235,000, as per a Reuters poll. The number marked a seven-week low although data around holidays such as last week's July Fourth break can often be volatile.
According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 gained 16.44 points, or 0.26%, to end at 6,279.70 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 20.03 points, or 0.10%, to 20,631.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 189.27 points, or 0.43%, to 44,647.57.
Last week's robust labor market report had sent Wall Street's major indexes to record highs, a rebound from April's sharp sell-off following "Liberation Day" tariff announcements.
Source : Reuters
