Nasdaq Climbs as Nvidia Hits Historic $4 Trillion Valuation Amid New U.S. Tariff Threats
U.S. stock markets saw moderate gains on Wednesday, July 9, as the Nasdaq Composite led the charge, buoyed by a remarkable milestone from chipmaker Nvidia. While investor optimism in the tech sector helped lift major indices, uncertainty surrounding new U.S. tariff threats kept broader market sentiment in check.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 136.07 points, or 0.31%, and the S&P 500 rose 0.36%. But it was the Nasdaq Composite that stood out, gaining 0.65%, driven largely by strong performance among high-growth technology stocks.
At the center of the rally was Nvidia, which climbed 2% during the session to become the world’s first company ever to reach a $4 trillion market valuation. The landmark achievement pushed Nvidia ahead of both Microsoft and Apple, solidifying its position as the most valuable publicly traded company on the planet.
Nvidia’s historic ascent reflects the company’s increasingly critical role in powering the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Its high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) have become foundational to the infrastructure supporting large-scale AI models, data centers, and cloud computing.
Despite the celebratory tone in tech, global markets are keeping a watchful eye on escalating trade tensions. Former President Donald Trump, who has reemerged as a central figure in U.S. economic discourse, issued a new round of tariff threats targeting 20 countries, including the Philippines, Iraq, Moldova, and Algeria. The proposed tariffs, ranging from 20% to 30%, are set to take effect on August 1, unless bilateral agreements are reached.
Initially scheduled for July 9, the tariff implementation deadline was extended to give trade partners more time to negotiate. However, the threats have injected a note of caution into the market, as investors weigh whether this is a calculated negotiation tactic or a sign of more aggressive protectionist policies to come.
If enacted, the tariffs could ripple through global supply chains, potentially slowing growth and contributing to inflationary pressures—a risk that continues to temper enthusiasm in some sectors outside of tech.