Dow Rises on Cisco Earnings, Market Optimism

The major averages were sharply higher near noon amid renewed optimism around the talks between U.S. President Trump and China's President Xi Jinping. Markets are extending a rebound despite another wave of inflation anxiety as investors continue favoring AI and semiconductor names over broader macro concerns.Big tech names appear to be lifting the markets, with Cisco's quarterly reporting giving the Dow a boost. Nvidia has also help pull up the Dow after Reuters reported the U.S. has cleared about 10 Chinese companies to buy the company's H200 chip.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Ciscoprovided areport for Q3 but said it is cutting 4,000 jobsAbout 10 Chinese firms, including Alibabaand Tencent, have been cleared to purchase Nvidia'sH200 chips,Cerebras Systemsisat $350 after its IPO was priced at $185Hasbroreportedearnings and revenueVersant Mediareportedand said it expects to enter into a $100M accelerated share repurchase agreement2. WALL STREET CALLS:Starbucksto Buy at TD CowenCheesecake Factoryto Neutral at JPMorganWhirlpoolto Neutral at Goldman SachsDoximityto Neutral or equivalent at BTIG, Wells Fargo, Jefferies, Baird and KeyBanc following earnings and guidanceDraftKingswith an Underperform at BNP Paribas3. AROUND THE WEB:Microsoft'sLinkedIn has "implemented organizational changes," according to a source, with plans to cut roughly 5% of its 17,500 full-time workers and focus on business growth areas, Reuters reportsIndia has raised effective import tariffs on gold and silver to 15% from 6% to curb precious metal imports and support foreign exchange reserves and the rupee, Reuters reportsNew York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine and California Public Employees' Retirement System CEO Marcie Frost, leaders of three of the largest U.S. public pension systems, sent a letter to Elon Muskdetailing the concerns they have over SpaceX's "extreme" ownership, Reuters saysSecurity researchers say they have discovered a new way of circumventing Apple'ssecurity technology, using techniques they discovered while testing an early version of Anthropic's Mythos AI software in April, WSJ saysMind Robotics, a startup founded by RivianChief Executive RJ Scaringe, has raised an additional $400M from investors, now having raised over $1B to pursue its plan to develop industrial robots for vehicle production, WSJ says4. MOVERS:Poet Technologieshigher in New York after entering aStubHubincreases afterand backing its guidance for FY26Ondasand Aquestive Therapeuticsgain afterRegenxbiolower after, with EPS lower year-over-yearAelumaand Doximityfalls after5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Milestone Scientific, with CEO Eric Hines commenting, "Our first quarter results reflect continued progress as we execute on the foundation established in 2025"Klarna, with revenue beating consensusLegenceand raised its guidance for FY26XTI Aerospaceand provided guidance for FY26NIQ Globaland provided guidance for Q2 as well as FY26INDEXES:Near midday, the Dow was up 0.97%, or 480.06, to 50,173.26, the Nasdaq was up 1.12%, or 295.38, to 26,697.72, and the S&P 500 was up 0.96%, or 71.71, to 7,515.96.