CBOE Volatility Index Soars 9.2% to 18.84 Early Friday as Rising Fed Rate Increase Bets Lift US Dollar

US Equity Futures Sink Premarket as Volatility Spikes Amid Surging Treasury Yields, Crude Oil Futures

US Equity Indexes March Higher as Technology Tops Sector Charts

US equity indexes rose ahead of Thursday's close, as strong gains in technology helped the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit fresh all-time highs.The Dow climbed 0.7% to 50,080.2, with the Nasdaq up 1% to 26,672.5 and the S&P 500 higher by 0.8% to 7,505.5. Technology and energy led the gainers, while materials and real estate were among the decliners.Of the top 10 companies with a market capitalization of more than $200 billion, implying a significant sway over indexes, nine were from the technology sector, according to data compiled by Finviz. The top performer in this category was Cisco Systems (CSCO), up 12% in the final leg of trading.Cisco, also the leader on the S&P 500, the Nasdaq, and the Dow, overnight reported fiscal Q3 earnings and revenue that topped market expectations and raised fiscal 2026 guidance. The firm also announced restructuring plans that included lay-offs of nearly 4,000 employees.Meanwhile, about 10 Chinese companies have secured US clearance to purchase Nvidia's (NVDA) H200 AI chip, Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources. Shares of the semiconductor manufacturer jumped 4.5%, among the top gainers on the Dow.In economic news, retail sales in April rose for the third straight month, with analysts saying the increase largely reflected higher prices as the war in Iran kept fuel costs elevated. Sales rose 0.5% in April following a revised 1.6% gain in March, the Census Bureau reported, matching the consensus in a survey compiled by Bloomberg."Despite elevated prices at the pump and elsewhere, consumers continue to prove resilient thanks to decent wage gains, savings, and credit cards to support spending," Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at Stifel, said in a note. "That being said, consumers cannot perpetually withstand elevated costs."

Technology Helps S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite Scale New Peaks

US equity indexes rose in midday trading on Thursday as technology topped sector charts, pushing the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to intraday all-time highs.The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.9% to 50,165.2, with the Nasdaq up 1.1% to 26,695.1 and the S&P 500 higher by 0.9% to 7,514.5. All sectors except materials and real estate rose.Of the top 10 companies with a market capitalization of more than $200 billion, implying a significant sway over indexes, eight were from the technology sector. The top performer was Cisco Systems (CSCO), up 15%, which made it the leader on the S&P 500, the Nasdaq, and the Dow.Cisco reported a year-over-year jump in fiscal Q3 earnings and revenue, topping market expectations, and raised fiscal 2026 guidance. The firm also announced restructuring plans that included lay-offs of nearly 4,000 employees.In economic news, retail sales in April rose for the third straight month, with analysts saying the increase largely reflected higher prices as the war in Iran kept fuel costs elevated. Sales rose 0.5% in April following a revised 1.6% gain in March, the Census Bureau reported Thursday, matching the consensus in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.