Dow Charges More Than 800 Points Higher on Tariff Pause

Trade talks between the U.S. and China are in focus

Laura McCandless

Deputy Editor

May 12, 2025 at 12:27 PM

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) is up 862 points midday as Wall Street cheers the temporary reciprocal tariff cuts between China and the U.S. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are soaring as well, with both hitting their highest levels since early March.

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

Mining stock missing the Wall Street windup.
2 Chinese e-commerce stocks pop on tariff pause.
Plus, options traders target SE before earnings; NRG soars on billion-dollar acquisition; and another gold stock slide.

MMC May12

Options traders are targeting software stock Sea Ltd (NYSE:SE) today, ahead of the company's latest quarterly earnings results, due out before the open tomorrow, May 13. So far, 19,000 calls and 11,000 puts have been exchanged, which is 6 times the average daily options volume already. The July 145 call is the most popular, with new positions opening there.

Utility stock NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:NRG) is up 24.4% at $148.41 at last glance, gapping to fresh record highs and its best daily percentage pop since July 2017. The company announced strong first-quarter results and a $12 billion acquisition of a portfolio of natural gas generation facilities from LS Power Equity Advisors. Year to date, NRG is up 63.7%.

NRG May12

Gold mining stock Perpetua Resources (NASDAQ:PPTA) is feeling the heat from its disappointing first-quarter results, as well as sector pressure from the tariff news. At last glance, PPTA was down 16.7% at $12.64, falling sharply from its recent May 2, four-year high of $15.44. Since the start of 2025, the equity is now up 17.4%.

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!