Wall Street Surges as Trump Softens Tone on China; Gold Hits Record Highs

U.S. stocks surged Monday, bouncing back from Friday’s sharp selloff as investors welcomed signs of easing tensions between Washington and Beijing. The S&P 500 jumped 1.6%, the Nasdaq Composite soared 3.2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 588 points, or 1.3%, after President Donald Trump struck a conciliatory tone toward China.

Trump said over the weekend that “everything will be fine” and that the U.S. was not looking to harm China, remarks that helped calm fears of a full-blown trade war. His earlier threats to impose tariffs of up to 100% on Chinese goods and restrict exports of critical U.S. software had rattled markets, especially after Beijing expanded its export curbs on rare earth materials. However, the upcoming meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could offer a diplomatic “off-ramp,” analysts at Capital Economics noted.

Despite hopes of de-escalation, traders remain cautious amid unpredictable policy shifts. A deeper U.S.-China rift could still weigh heavily on both economies, though China’s resilience has exceeded expectations so far.

Tech stocks led Monday’s rally, fueled by artificial intelligence enthusiasm and prospects for lower interest rates. Broadcom shares surged 10% after announcing a multiyear partnership with OpenAI to develop and deploy 10 gigawatts of custom AI accelerators and computing systems by 2029. Oracle also gained ahead of its major AI event in Las Vegas, while chipmakers ASML and TSMC prepare to release earnings later this week.

In media news, Warner Bros Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) jumped after reports that it rejected a $20-per-share takeover offer from Paramount Skydance, potentially setting the stage for renewed negotiations or a hostile bid.

Meanwhile, gold prices soared to new record highs, with spot gold hitting $4,109.79 per ounce and U.S. futures climbing to $4,128.85, as investors sought safety amid global uncertainty. Silver also reached an all-time high, underscoring strong safe-haven demand despite improving market sentiment.