Dow Surges 250 Points Into the Close

Gold acquired its fourth weekly rise in the last five weeks

Laura McCandless

Deputy Editor

Apr 24, 2020 at 4:38 PM

The Dow finished the day up over 250 points after rebounding from its midday lows, but still ended the week lower, its first weekly decline for April. Sentiment was boosted by U.S. President Donald Trump signing the long-awaited $484 billion coronavirus aid package. However, this sour session of earnings and economic data quickly provided a market cap. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 also finished modestly in the black for the day, but closed lower for the week, as investors focused on hopes of stabilizing oil output.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

Retail giant mulls over a big bank loan.
E-Trade stock lands bull notes despite gloomy quarterly report.
Plus, Victoria's Secret parent slides on legal buzz; CLS dips on production halt, and the post-earnings optimism surrounding SNY.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 23,775.27) rose 260 points, or 1.1% for the day. Home Depot (HD) topped the charts with a 4.9% win, while Boeing (BA) finished at the bottom with a 6.4% loss. For the week, the Dow lost 1.3%.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 2,836.74) gained 38.9 points, or 1.4% for the day, and dropped 1.3% for the week, while the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 8,634.52) earned 139.8 points, or 1.7% for the day, and shed 0.3% for the week.

The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 35.93) fell 5.5 points, or 13.7% for the day, and 5.8% for the week.

Closing Indexes Summary April 24

NYSE and Nasdaq Stats April 24

5 Items on Our Radar Today

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken enforcement action against 23 companies in regards to COVID-19. They've stated that investors should be aware of "fraudsters" using news to lure them in amid the pandemic. (MarketWatch)
According to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York will suffer a $13 billion revenue shortfall from the original forecast. Prior to coronavirus, Cuomo says the economy was growing at a very high rate. (The Washington Post)
L Brands stock dropped after $525 million deal went south.
Continental Resources felt pressure from the sector.
The pharma name with notable first-quarter growth.

Earnings April 24

Unusual Options Activity April 24

Data courtesy of Trade-Alert

Oil Marks Historic Weekly Drop

Oil futures rose for the third straight session. June-dated crude climbed 44 cents, or 2.7%, to settle at $16.94 a barrel. For the week, however, oil futures remained down more than 32%, marking the largest one-week decline in history, as storage capacity and prices weighed heavily.

Gold futures gave up earlier gains to finish lower today, hitting potential resistance near the $1,740 level. Gold for June delivery fell $9.80, or 0.6%, to settle at $1,735.60 an ounce. For the week, gold finished roughly 2.2% higher, marking its fourth weekly rise in the last five weeks.

Follow @Schaeffers

You Don’t Need 25 Alerts -- You Need ONE You Can Trust!

That’s the idea behind Trade of the Week, Schaeffer’s newest trade alert.

Every Monday morning before the opening bell, you’ll receive a single, expertly researched trade recommendation -- built from the same proprietary research we’ve been using for over four decades.

It’s not just a signal.

It’s a plan designed for traders who are tired of jumping from alert to alert without ever finding their edge.

No juggling alerts. No switching directions mid-week. Just one clear, expertly researched trade idea -- delivered before the market even opens.

👉 JOIN RIGHT NOW FOR JUST $1 TO GET THE NEXT TRADE!