Yahoo Finance

Key Takeaways

• The S&P 500 added 0.7% on Friday, May 16, 2025, closing the week with a fifth straight day of gains even as a survey showed sagging consumer sentiment.

• UnitedHealth stock recovered a portion of the losses suffered following reports of a criminal probe into the insurer's Medicare Advantage business.

• Slowing China sales contributed to a revenue miss for Applied Materials, and shares of the chip gear maker tumbled.

Major U.S. equities indexes ticked higher on Friday, shaking off a report showing an unexpected drop in consumer sentiment to close out a positive week of trading bolstered by signs of a thaw in U.S.-China trade relations.

The S&P 500 advanced 0.7%, closing higher for a fifth straight day. The Dow rose 0.8%, while the Nasdaq gained 0.5%. Read Investopedia's full coverage of today's trading here.

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) shares soared 6.4%, logging the top daily performance in the S&P 500. The stock clawed back some of the heavy losses posted in the prior session amid reports that UnitedHealth's Medicare Advantage business was the subject of a criminal probe. News of the investigation came on the heels of the insurance giant withdrawing its full-year guidance and announcing the departure of its CEO. Analysts suggested the company could face a costly legal settlement and may need to adjust its Medicare Advantage strategy.

Moderna (MRNA) announced that it has administered the first dose in a Phase 1 trial of an experimental cancer therapy, signaling a step forward for the biotech firm's oncology portfolio. Moderna shares added 5.1%.

Shares of financial technology firm Fiserv (FI) also staged a partial recovery on Friday, bouncing 4.7% after sinking on Thursday. The volatility came after Fiserv's chief financial officer offered lackluster growth projections for Clover, the company's point-of-sale platform.

Semiconductor equipment manufacturer Applied Materials (AMAT) reported lower-than-expected revenue for its fiscal second quarter, pressured by declining sales in China, which fell year-over-year for a third straight quarter. Although net income for the period topped estimates, Applied Materials shares tumbled 5.3%, losing the most of any S&P 500 stock on Friday.

First Solar (FSLR) shares fell 4.2%, reversing a portion of the gains posted by the stock this week as a Congressional proposal included an extension of certain solar tax credits. Before the selloff to close out the week, First Solar stock got a boost from analysts at Wolfe Research, who upgraded the stock to "outperform," citing the brighter outlook on tax credits.