{"id":61246,"date":"2026-04-24T11:38:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T15:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/tech-rally-and-geopolitical-shifts-nvidia-hits-record-high-amid-middle-east-tensions-and-us-eu-mineral-pact\/61246\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T11:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T15:38:15","slug":"tech-rally-and-geopolitical-shifts-nvidia-hits-record-high-amid-middle-east-tensions-and-us-eu-mineral-pact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/tech-rally-and-geopolitical-shifts-nvidia-hits-record-high-amid-middle-east-tensions-and-us-eu-mineral-pact\/61246\/","title":{"rendered":"Tech Rally and Geopolitical Shifts: Nvidia Hits Record High Amid Middle East Tensions and US-EU Mineral Pact"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) shares surged 5% to a record high<\/strong>, propelling the <strong>NASDAQ 100<\/strong> up <strong>1.5%<\/strong> as tech remains the primary driver of market momentum.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu<\/strong> announced the start of a &quot;historic peace&quot; process with Lebanon while simultaneously vowing to continue military strikes against <strong>Hezbollah<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>U.S. Department of Justice<\/strong> is expected to drop its criminal investigation into <strong>Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell<\/strong> following significant pressure from the Senate.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>United States and European Union<\/strong> signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on <strong>critical minerals<\/strong> to secure supply chains and counter non-market trade policies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Asian refineries<\/strong> have begun slashing output as the ongoing <strong>Iranian port blockade<\/strong> by U.S. forces severely chokes global crude supplies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Tech Sector Surges as Nvidia Hits New Peak<\/h2>\n<p>The technology sector led a broad market rally on Friday, with the <strong>NASDAQ 100<\/strong> rising <strong>1.5%<\/strong>. This growth was spearheaded by Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>), which saw its shares increase by <strong>5%<\/strong>, setting the stage for a record-high close. Investors remain bullish on the semiconductor giant as it continues to dominate the AI-driven market landscape.<\/p>\n<p>In broader economic data, the <strong>University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment<\/strong> for April was finalized at <strong>49.8<\/strong>, slightly exceeding market estimates of 48.5. However, the <strong>Kansas City Fed Services Activity<\/strong> index fell to <strong>3<\/strong>, significantly missing the expected mark of 10, suggesting some cooling in the domestic services sector.<\/p>\n<h2>Middle East Tensions and Diplomatic Maneuvers<\/h2>\n<p>Prime Minister <strong>Benjamin Netanyahu<\/strong> stated that Israel is working in &quot;full cooperation&quot; with <strong>President Trump<\/strong> to achieve a historic peace agreement with Lebanon. Despite these diplomatic efforts, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel retains &quot;complete freedom of action&quot; and will continue to attack <strong>Hezbollah<\/strong> to restore security to northern Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <strong>Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Metri<\/strong> indicated that Lebanon is negotiating to avoid a &quot;prolonged war&quot; but remains firm in its refusal to accept any form of occupation. In a separate development, <strong>Hezbollah legislators<\/strong> dismissed the idea of a ceasefire extension as &quot;meaningless,&quot; signaling continued volatility in the region.<\/p>\n<h2>U.S. Policy Shifts and the Federal Reserve<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>U.S. Department of Justice<\/strong> is reportedly prepared to drop its criminal probe into <strong>Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell<\/strong>. The move follows intense scrutiny and pressure from Senators, potentially removing a significant cloud of uncertainty over the central bank&#39;s leadership.<\/p>\n<p>On the trade front, <strong>U.S. Secretary of State Rubio<\/strong> and <strong>Trade Representative Greer<\/strong> announced a new agreement with the EU regarding <strong>critical minerals<\/strong>. The plan includes exploring trade measures such as <strong>border-adjusted price floors<\/strong> to protect local industries from non-market policies affecting essential supply chains.<\/p>\n<h2>Energy Crisis and Global Security<\/h2>\n<p>The energy market is facing increasing pressure as <strong>Asian refineries<\/strong> slash production due to a shortage of Iranian crude. <strong>U.S. CENTCOM<\/strong> confirmed that the blockade of Iranian ports continues, with <strong>34 vessels<\/strong> redirected to date. This has led to concerns that the Iranian regime may soon be forced to shut down oil wells due to a lack of storage capacity.<\/p>\n<p>In Eastern Europe, <strong>Ukrainian President Zelenskyy<\/strong> met with Saudi Crown Prince <strong>Mohammed bin Salman<\/strong> to discuss a strategic security arrangement covering air defense, energy cooperation, and food security. Additionally, Russian authorities reported that a fire at the <strong>Tuapse Black Sea port<\/strong> has been successfully extinguished, though regional stability remains a primary concern for global trade.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Nvidia (NVDA) shares surged 5% to a record high, propelling the NASDAQ 100 up 1.5% as tech remains 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