The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq rose on Friday, as Apple gained following a strong sales forecast and a reading of the U.S. central bank's favored inflation gauge reinforced expectations that the Fed would keep interest rates unchanged for longer.

Solid results from Apple are buoying spirits, as investors brace for PCE inflation and weigh Trump's renewed tariff threat.

Thursday's coverage included more tech earnings, focus on Trump's latest on potential tariffs and more analysis around Monday's DeepSeek Dive.

The NASDAQ-100 is widely followed as a measure mainly of the big tech and social media stocks that make up the index.

The yield of the S&P 500 is around its lowest level in 25 years, with well-known index funds like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ( VOO 0.52%) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF yielding just 1.2%. Here are three ways to generate more dividend income from stocks than passively investing in the S&P 500.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5% on Wednesday, Jan. 29, as the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady in a move widely expected by the financial markets.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq slipped on Wednesday, as losses in tech heavyweights Apple and Nvidia pressured broader gains and cautious investors braced for the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision,

S&P 500 futures are near flat Thursday night as investors analyzed earnings reports from Apple and other well-known companies ahead of the release of a closely followed inflation report. Futures tied to the broad index ticked higher by 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.3%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures added 53 points, or 0.1%.

Investors react to the Federal Reserve's policy decision and Chairman Jerome Powell's press conference, as well as results from Meta, Microsoft and Tesla.

It's difficult for companies to stay at the top of their industries for long. The competition in the global economy is just too fierce. Yet, there are proven winners, such as Nike ( NKE 2.29%), Hershey ( HSY 1.95%), and PepsiCo ( PEP 1.02%), that have stood the test of time due to their beloved brands and the pricing power it gives them.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 is the best performer but more risk-averse investors may prefer the more broadly diversified S&P 500.

The S&P 500 climbed to 6,100 for the first time during Wednesday's session. Traders cheered strong earnings and an AI initiative Trump announced on Tuesday.