The stock market rose on Friday, recording weekly gains, as investors shook off trade war worries. Earlier in the week, the U.S. and China decided to slash the huge tariffs they had imposed on one another for 90 days. Meanwhile, two other countries have ongoing trade negotiations.
Overall, S&P 500 was up 0.7% to 5,958, while NASDAQ increased 0.5% to 19,211.
Chart of the Day
Here is the one-year chart of Factset Research (FDS) as of April 14, 2025, when the stock was at $433.
Factset Research makes waves in investment banking workflows with the roll out of its new Generative-AI tool, Pitch Creator. This tool is designed to streamline pitch book creation for junior bankers.
Management stated that Pitch Creator already has a robust pipeline with more than 50 opportunities and about 24 major banking clients actively trailing it. With Pitch Creator, Factset Research is resonating with banks that look to boost the productivity of their junior employees.
Combined with its recent acquisition of LogoIntern, Factset Research is doubling down on workflow automation and AI-led solutions, reinforcing its lead in the junior banker tech stack. Management expects this to accelerate banking business in the second half of the year, despite a cautious macro backdrop.
FDS is part of our Conservative Stock Portfolio. This is a fabulous buy-and-hold stock.
