U.S. Stocks Soar as Jobs Smash Forecasts and China Signals Trade Thaw

Wall Street erupted in cheers on Friday as blockbuster job numbers and a surprise olive branch from China sent investors into a frenzy, shrugging off recent tariff jitters like yesterday's news.

The S&P 500 didn't just rally—it strutted to a nine-day winning streak, the longest victory lap in two decades!

With a swagger, the S&P 500 surged 1.47%, notching its ninth consecutive win—its best run since way back in November 2004. The Dow Jones Industrial Average pumped up by 1.39%, soaring over 570 points, while the Nasdaq Composite rocketed 1.51%.

The market went wild over the Labor Department's April jobs report, revealing the U.S. cranked out a whopping 177,000 new nonfarm jobs—way above the eggheads' predictions of around 135,000.

The unemployment rate stayed cool at 4.2%, showing the labor market's still got that unstoppable vibe, even with economic headwinds blowing.

China's Game-Changing Willingness to Talk

But wait, there's more! Investor spirits soared higher when China hinted at a major thaw in U.S.-China trade relations.

China's Commerce Ministry dropped a bombshell, saying they're eyeing U.S. proposals and might be ready to dive into formal talks if the U.S. backs off those pesky new tariffs.

Beijing's new friendly vibe was a total 180 from President Trump's April 2 "Liberation Day" tariff showdown.

The stellar jobs data and China's unexpected peace offering totally eclipsed the gloom from Big Tech's recent earnings.

Apple shares took a nosedive, dropping nearly 5% after sounding the alarm that tariffs could bleed them $900 million this quarter. Amazon shares stayed flat after their guidance didn't quite meet Wall Street's high hopes.

Despite Friday's party, investors are still playing it safe. Everyone's on the edge of their seats, waiting for the next move on interest rates, with traders dialing back bets on a June Fed cut.

Treasury yields climbed, and the dollar took a tiny dip as the market recalibrated its game plan.