According to final results, the Dow Jones concluded up 1.12% to 31,384.55 points.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 2.28% to 11,621.35 points and the S&P 500 advanced 1.50% to 3,902.62 points.

"Markets continued to show some resilience in the face of global recession fears" as the S&P 500 posted its fourth consecutive session of gains, the first since March, commented analysts at Schwab.

"But excitement remains with the arrival of the results season" next week, they added.

The fragility of the rebound in investor sentiment was seen in bond yields where, once again, the ten-year yield curve slipped – by very little, however – below that of two-year yields, which is often seen as a bad sign for economic growth.

Yields on ten-year Treasury bills thus stood at 3% against 3.02% for bonds with a shorter duration.

"It's the first time in a while that we've had four positive days in a row and it feels good," Maris Ogg of Tower Bridge Advisors told AFP.

"But I don't think the worst is behind us. It's a respite before earnings season is upon us," added the portfolio manager.

The market has continued its momentum since the publication of the Fed's minutes on Wednesday which showed that the central bank remained more than ever determined to curb high inflation, which reassured investors.

One of the governors of the Federal Reserve, Christopher Waller, repeated Thursday that he was in favor of a further increase in key rates by three quarters of a percentage point at the next meeting at the end of July.

On the economic data front, weekly jobless claims last week climbed to the highest since January at 235,000, slightly more than expected.

If the layoffs remain anecdotal in a still tight labor market, some noted that the pressure on prices, emanating from wage demands, was beginning to fade.

A very tight labor market favors wage increases and therefore inflation.

“A rise in layoffs, particularly in sectors like technology, crypto, artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, suggests a reduced ability to demand higher salaries,” noted Art Hogan of National Securities.

Official US employment figures for June are due Friday.

– Stay realistic –

"Let's be realistic," tempered Maris Ogg.

“Everything will depend on inflation in the next three to six months. Because if it eases, the Fed will be less aggressive, but if it persists, the central bank will continue to tighten its screws and for the moment it is the unknown,” she added fearing that if the rise in prices drops from 8.6% to 6% by the end of the year, “that will not be enough” to reassure the market.

On the odds, the energy sector (+3.51%), helped by a rebound in crude prices, drove the market, as well as the Nasdaq technology sector (+2.48%).

Semiconductor stocks, which have been battered in recent weeks by recession prospects and supply problems, have regained strength on the back of positive forecasts issued by Samsung Electronics.

South Korean giant Samsung - the world's largest smartphone maker - forecasts an 11.4% year-on-year jump in operating profit in the second quarter and expects sales to rise 21% between April and June.

Micron Technology climbed 2.58%, AMD 5.24% and Nvidia 4.81%.

In another register, the volatile action of the distributor of video games GameStop jumped 15.06% to 135.12 dollars, after the announcement of a division by four of its title.

GameStop is thus the latest to multiply its titles to be even more accessible to small carriers, after Amazon, Tesla and Spotify.

The title of AMC cinemas, another action with a viral tendency, also gained more than 15% to 14.48 dollars.

The chain of articles for the house Bed Bath and Beyond had a good day (+ 21.70% to 5.44 dollars) after a descent into hell in recent sessions, thanks to the initiative of its interim leader , Sue Cove, which acquired shares in the company, showing its confidence in the future of these stores.

© 2022 AFP