US markets showed slight gains in trading on Friday, continuing their recent upward momentum. With minimal news driving trading, market participants awaited the latest updates on consumer sentiment and inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower by 37.71 points to 42,285.04 (-0.09%), while the Nasdaq Composite rose 31.66 points to 19,143.98 (+0.17%) at the initial minutes of trading. The S&P 500 posted a modest gain of 3.34 points, or +0.06%, to 5,920.27.In commodities, gold prices fell sharply by 1.49% to $3,178.40, while oil rose 0.73% to $62.07 per barrel, buoyed by expectations of tighter global supply. The US 10-year Treasury yield declined to 4.394%, down 0.061 points, indicating increased bond buying amid inflation and policy uncertainty. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) slipped by 1.18% to 17.62, reflecting relative calm in equity markets. On the currency front, the euro edged slightly higher to $1.119 against the US dollar.The cautious tone in US markets comes as earnings season winds down and economic signals remain mixed. More than 90% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported quarterly results, with most beating expectations. However, a growing number of firms have cut or withdrawn full-year forecasts due to continued uncertainty around US trade policy and global supply chain disruptions.Earlier, Futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq each gained 0.4% prior to the official market open.Markets received a slight boost earlier this week after the US and China announced a 90-day pause in their ongoing trade dispute. Still, investors remain wary of what follows as tariff uncertainties persist. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade strategy has left businesses and investors struggling to assess long-term impacts.Adding to the cautious sentiment, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Thursday that the global economy may be entering a phase of more frequent and persistent supply shocks, potentially leading to sustained inflationary pressures. These concerns were echoed by major corporations like Walmart, which reported strong earnings but refrained from issuing a profit forecast due to tariff-related cost pressures.In notable corporate news, Charter Communications shares jumped 6.8% in pre-market trading after news broke of its proposed $34.5 billion merger with Cox Communications, signaling a major consolidation in the US cable industry. The combined entity will retain the Cox Communications brand and base its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, while maintaining a significant presence in Atlanta.Globally, European markets were mostly higher at midday. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 both rose 0.6%, and Britain’s FTSE 100 climbed 0.4%, supported by gains in industrials and financials.In Asia, markets had a mixed session. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was flat at 37,753.72 after data showed a steeper-than-expected economic contraction of 0.7% in Q1. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.5%, and the Shanghai Composite fell 0.4%. Shares of Alibaba slid 4.3% after missing earnings estimates. Elsewhere, South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.2%, Australia’s ASX 200 gained 0.6%, and Taiwan’s Taiex advanced 0.5%.
