US stocks rally as Trump-Xi meeting and strong earnings lift sentiment

Overnight in the U.S., major indices rose after the White House confirmed a meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping next week, while strong corporate earnings from big technology and energy firms bolstered risk appetite. The S&P 500 closed up around 0.6 % and the Nasdaq Composite gained about 0.9 %. Investors remain cautious ahead of U.S. inflation data and are watching geopolitics closely for cues on trade-relations and earnings momentum.