| Key Points: – Stocks rose Monday as U.S. and Chinese officials met in London to address trade tensions and discuss resuming critical mineral exports. – Semiconductor and Chinese tech stocks outperformed, with major gains from Qualcomm, AMD, and Alibaba amid optimism over eased restrictions. – Investors await key inflation data later this week, while the S&P 500 continues to approach record highs despite lingering tariff uncertainties. |
Stocks climbed on Monday as investors closely monitored renewed trade negotiations between the United States and China. The diplomatic meeting, held in London, marked another key step in the ongoing effort to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite added nearly 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was also higher, gaining 84 points, or 0.2%, by the end of the trading session.
Representatives from both countries met to resolve outstanding trade issues, including the flow of critical mineral exports. The U.S. delegation included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Discussions centered around verifying China’s commitment to restoring exports of rare earth elements, which are essential for electronics and clean energy technologies.
This round of talks follows a recent phone conversation between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In that call, both leaders agreed to pause tariff escalations while negotiations progressed. The latest diplomatic push appears to be an attempt to move beyond high-stakes disputes and toward more sustainable trade cooperation.
Investors responded positively, especially in sectors with direct exposure to China and global supply chains. Semiconductor stocks rallied, with Qualcomm jumping over 4% after announcing its $2.4 billion acquisition of chipmaker Alphawave. Other chipmakers, including Advanced Micro Devices and Texas Instruments, also gained more than 4%. Nvidia saw more modest gains, while Chinese tech giant Alibaba advanced 2%.
The strength in semiconductors and Chinese equities reflects a broader investor belief that trade de-escalation could benefit high-growth sectors reliant on stable cross-border commerce. Market analysts noted increased appetite for risk, particularly in areas sensitive to trade dynamics.
However, not all sectors shared in Monday’s gains. Apple stock declined by 1.5% following the company’s keynote at its 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference. The event featured the first major iOS redesign since 2013, but investors appeared underwhelmed by the announcements.
Looking ahead, inflation remains a key concern for markets. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is scheduled for release on Wednesday, followed by the Producer Price Index (PPI) on Thursday. These data points will help clarify whether current tariffs are feeding through to consumer and producer prices — a key consideration for Federal Reserve policy decisions in the months ahead.
Despite lingering uncertainties, Wall Street’s mood remains cautiously optimistic. Last week, all three major indexes posted their second consecutive weekly gains. The S&P 500 even closed above the 6,000 mark for the first time since February, now less than 3% from its all-time high. Many investors appear to be looking past short-term trade noise and focusing instead on a more resilient and potentially stimulative economic environment.
