On Thursday, U.S. stocks gained ground, led by a significant rally in technology shares. The S&P 500 rose by 57.39 points (0.77%) to close at 7,501.64, while the Nasdaq Composite increased by 232.88 points (0.88%) to reach 26,635.83. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw a rise of 374.79 points (0.75%), closing at 50,067.99. This positive momentum came amidst a backdrop of solid economic data and a critical meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where they discussed trade and other significant issues. Notably, Nvidia shares surged after the U.S. approved sales of its chips to Chinese firms, reflecting a potential thaw in tech tensions. However, inflation remains a concern, with rising gasoline prices contributing to the largest jump in import prices since October 2022, which could hinder hopes for near-term rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve. The economic landscape remains resilient, but the Fed's hawkish stance indicates that inflation is viewed as a pressing risk.