US stocks fluctuated on Friday, hovering near record highs as signs of strength in the economy provided the buoyancy that Netflix's (NFLX) earnings report lacked. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq trimmed early gains after the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey showed one-year inflation expectations plunging to 4.

Wall Street analysts chime in on the latest financial results from the global streaming giant, management commentary, and the returns of 'Wednesday' and 'Stranger Things.'

As Netflix matures, the market will eventually re-rate it as a regular business. Read more on how investors may want to view NFLX in light of changing fundamentals.

Trump’s tariffs and trade war continue to affect global markets. Follow along for live updates on the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

The S&P 500 finished essentially unchanged on Friday, July 18, 2025, with strong consumer sentiment data pointing to waning tariff worries as trade negotiations remained in focus.

Shares of Netflix ( NFLX 1.28%) charged sharply during the first six months of 2025, with shares surging 50%, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. That runs circles around the roughly 5% gains of the S&P 500.

Trump’s tariffs and trade war continue to affect global markets. Follow along for live updates on the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

The Dow Jones index rose Thursday on surprise jobless claims and retail sales. Nvidia chipmaker TSMC rose on earnings.