Investors Ride Google, Caterpillar to Market’s Best Month Since 2020

U.S. stocks closed April with their strongest month since 2020 as tech earnings and AI-driven optimism powered record highs. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit new records while the Dow jumped 1.6% (about 790 points). Alphabet (Google) led gains—surging about 10% and adding the biggest one-day market-cap increase in its history—while Caterpillar rallied ~9% to an all-time closing high on AI-related power-equipment demand. Some large-cap tech names diverged: Meta plunged nearly 9% and Microsoft slid ~4%, while Amazon edged up. Overall market momentum was bullish, fueled by corporate earnings and AI investment outweighing geopolitical and inflation concerns.