Wall Street ends modestly higher as trade relief eases investor nerves

U.S. equity markets closed higher Friday following comments from President Trump on trade policy towards China, which helped ease investor concerns. The S&P 500 gained ~0.53%, the Nasdaq ~0.52%, and the Dow ~0.52%. Banks posted mixed results as credit-stress worries lingered, but earnings from regional lenders provided some relief. Market participants also digested developments in tariffs, credit conditions, and macro data ahead of upcoming inflation and consumer reports.:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}