5 things to know before the stock market opens on Friday

Happy Friday. I’m CJ. I’m filling in for Alex this morning. You may know me from my coverage of technology stocks on and off since 2024. My colleagues know me as a news reporter who can make authentic origami cranes. Speaking of things that fly, wait until you hear where I have my share. Dell Technologies This morning, the company is heading in that direction, following breakthroughs in its AI-powered business.

Stock futures rose before the bell. All three major averages continue their strong weeks with winning sessions.

Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.

Iranian state media reported yesterday that the Iranian government fired a missile at an unidentified target. The military action comes after the White House confirmed a report that the United States and Iran had “substantially agreed” to the terms of a deal to end the conflict, although President Donald Trump has not yet given final approval.

Here’s what you need to know:

Inflation continues to hit consumers this spring. The Commerce Department reported yesterday that the personal consumption expenditure price index rose 0.4% last month, for an annualized rate of 3.8%. This is the highest level since May 2023. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.2% in April to reach an annual rate of 3.3%.

As CNBC’s Jeff Cox reports, the 12-month numbers were in line with expectations, but both months’ numbers were slightly below Wall Street’s expectations, indicating that recent price increases may be easing.

Inflationary pressures are reducing Americans’ savings. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released yesterday showed everyday living costs, along with gasoline and food prices, outpacing salaries, pushing personal savings rates to their lowest level since 2022.

shares of Dell technology Shares soared as much as 39% in after-hours trading after the company reported the fastest pace of revenue growth since returning to public markets in 2018.

The server maker beat analysts’ expectations in both areas, reporting an 88% increase in annual revenue thanks to a flood of AI demand. Dell said it expects AI sales to be $60 billion this year, up from its February forecast of $50 billion.

As CNBC’s Garrett Downs, Haley Cucinello and Jordan Nove report, CEO Michael Dell has been an early supporter of President Trump’s second term. Now, his company is coming off its best month in years, and just this week it secured a $9.7 billion contract with the Department of Defense.

A number of retail results showed mixed results on Thursday. shares of american eagle Despite ramping up its marketing campaign featuring actress Sidney Sweeney, sales fell by about 10% before the end as the company reported lower revenue for its namesake brand in the first quarter.

meanwhile, of the gap The namesake banner’s first-quarter sales rose 10%, well above analysts’ expectations. However, Old Navy’s sales slump prompted the company to lower its full-year sales outlook, and the stock fell about 15% in premarket trading.

best buyMeanwhile, the company closed up 15% in Thursday trading after reporting better-than-expected first-quarter results and a slight increase in revenue.

The tax-deferred investment account program is one step closer to its official July 4 launch as families can now download the Trump Account app.

Accounts can be opened for any U.S. child with a Social Security number. Babies born between 2025 and 2028 will be eligible for an initial $1,000 deposit from the Treasury, joining a growing list of companies and philanthropists who are pledging to match that deposit to specific eligible families.

Here are some stories you won’t want to miss this week.

— CNBC’s Kevin Broninger, Spencer Kimball, Hugh Leask, Justin Papp, Lisa Kailai Hung, Kamalon McNair, Jeff Cox, Jordan Nove, Garrett Downs, Haley Cucinello, Gabriel Fonrouge, Amelia Lucas, Eunice Yun and Charlotte Morabito contributed to this report.

CNBC’s Josephine Rosell edited this version.