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AI-Fueled Rally Puts S&P 500 on Track for Eighth Weekly Gain

U.S. stocks approached the end of the week with the S&P 500 poised for an eighth straight weekly advance, as enthusiasm for AI-linked companies and resilient earnings outweighed worries about oil, bond yields, and Middle East uncertainty.

Wall Street headed into the close of the week with the S&P 500 on pace for its eighth consecutive weekly gain, a streak that would be its longest since December 2023. Even with recent volatility, the benchmark remained close to record territory, finishing Thursday at 7,445.72 after touching a fresh high of 7,517.12 last week. The broader message...