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US Equity Markets End Higher Led by Technology Sector, Nonfarm Payrolls Data

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-- US equity indexes ended higher on Friday, with the technology sector posting big gains and positive employment data amid reports that the US struck Iranian tankers while awaiting a response to its peace proposal.

* The US expects a response from Iran on a proposal to end the war on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding he hopes "it's a serious offer," CNN reported.

* Nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday, beating the 65,000 gain expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.

* US consumer sentiment continued to fall in May, with the main sentiment index dropping to an all-time low of 48.2 from April's 49.8, according to the University of Michigan's preliminary survey on Friday.

* June West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $0.05 to settle at $94.86 per barrel, while July Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.48 at $100.60.

* Akamai Technologies (AKAM) shares were up roughly 27%, the biggest gainer on the S&P 500, after the company reported Q1 non-GAAP net income above market expectations and higher revenue. Anthropic also signed a $1.8 billion computing deal with Akamai to help meet surging demand for its artificial intelligence systems, Bloomberg reported Friday.

* Mettler-Toledo International's (MTD) shares were down nearly 15%, the steepest decline on the S&P 500, after Citigroup adjusted its price target to $1,550 from $1,700 a share, and Evercore ISI lowered its price objective for the company to $1,300 from $1,425 a share, with both cuts following Mettler-Toledo's Q1 results overnight.

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