S&P 500 Index Performance at Close:

The week ending April 17, 2026, saw a strong return to the arena, as the S&P 500 not only recovered from the pressures of March but surged to record new historical highs.

• Closing Price: 7,126 points.

• Daily Change: +309 points (+4.54%).

• Highest Level During the Session: 7,135 points.

• Lowest Level During the Session: 7,088 points.

• Opening Price: 7,092 points.

The index closed Friday's trading with remarkable weekly gains, reflecting a radical shift in investors' risk appetite driven by easing geopolitical tensions and economic data.

Main Market Drivers This Week

1- The most significant event that tipped the scales was the announcement of the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to global trade following positive developments in ceasefire negotiations and international mediation. This news led to a positive collapse in oil prices, with Brent losing about 10% of its value, easing the inflationary pressures that had troubled the Federal Reserve.

2- The revival of the technology sector after weeks of decline, led by software and artificial intelligence, saw shares of Oracle achieve remarkable weekly gains of nearly 30%, while reports of a 20% jump in iPhone sales in China supported shares of Apple.

Sector Performance

The biggest winner was the technology sector, which rose by 8.23%, supported by strong demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The biggest loser was the energy sector, which fell by 3.54% due to the sharp decline in crude oil prices.

Technical Situation

These levels are key for movement in the coming days:

• First Resistance (R1): 7,150 points. (Represents a very close psychological barrier and the highest liquidity point seen in recent futures contracts).

• Second Resistance (R2): 7,200 points. (Considered the next main target; breaking through it means the index enters a new explosive bullish wave).

• First Support (S1): 7,065 points. (Medium support area; breaking it could lead to a return to test the levels of the weekly opening).

• Second Support (S2): 6,980 points. (Very strong support; as long as the index remains above this level, the overall trend remains bullish in the medium term).

Expected Scenarios

First Scenario: Continuation

Continued strong earnings from technology companies for Q1 results, coupled with low oil prices. The index successfully breaks through the nearby resistance at 7,150  points and stays above it, opening the door to target 7,200 then 7,245 points, provided no new inflationary surprises or hawkish statements from Federal Reserve members emerge.

Second Scenario: Profit-Taking

The index reaches an overbought area, with funds wanting to liquidate some profits after a weekly rise of 4.5%. The index retreats to test the support areas it recently broke through, starting to drop towards 7,100  points. If it breaks this level, it may visit the 7,065 or even 7,000 points to fill the price gap.

Important Guidelines for Traders

• Do not buy at historical highs; wait for a slight decline to support levels to reduce risk.
• Activate stop-loss orders to ensure you exit with a profit in case the market suddenly reverses direction.
• Keep a portion of your portfolio in cash to seize opportunities in the event of any sudden correction.
• Do not increase the risk size in a single trade beyond 2% of your capital, no matter how optimistic the market seems.

Conclusion

The market is considered revolutionary, but caution is warranted against a natural technical correction after this rapid rise.

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