Key Takeaways

Major U.S. equity indexes ticked higher in the final trading session of the week following reports that China is evaluating a possible pause of tariffs on some U.S. goods. Meanwhile, President Trump indicated that tariffs on imports from China will remain in place unless the U.S. receives concessions from its major trading partner.

The S&P 500 advanced 0.7%, extending its winning streak to four consecutive sessions, while another strong trading day for the tech sector helped lift the Nasdaq 1.3%. After fluctuating for most of the day, the Dow ended with a slight gain of less than 0.1%.

Shares of cable, internet, and telephone services provider Charter Communications ( CHTR ) surged 11.4%, logging the S&P 500's top daily performance. In its first-quarter earnings report, released Friday morning, Charter reported better-than-expected revenues, although earnings per share (EPS) came in slightly below forecasts. The company also topped expectations for mobile phone line additions and lost fewer video subscribers than anticipated, citing benefits from streamlined pricing and packaging of video services.

Tesla ( TSLA ) shares jumped 9.8% after the Trump administration announced that it would loosen regulations on autonomous vehicles in the U.S., aiming to help domestic firms compete with rivals in China. Friday closed out the best week for Tesla stock since November. The stock has risen in every session since CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday said he would scale back his government work and dedicate more time to Tesla, overshadowing a disappointing first-quarter earnings report .

Internet services provider VeriSign ( VRSN ) topped first-quarter sales and profit estimates, and its shares powered 8% higher. The company also announced a cash dividend and increased its full-year guidance. An uptick in domain name registrations compared with the previous quarter helped underpin the strong results and upbeat forecast.

First-quarter EPS posted by Erie Indemnity ( ERIE ) fell well shy of expectations, and shares of the insurance firm plunged 11.5%, dropping the most of any S&P 500 stock on Friday. Although revenue came in slightly ahead of forecasts, higher operational costs weighed on profitability.