Block, which changed its name from Square in late 2021, is a technology platform company that provides payment and point-of-sale solutions to merchants worldwide. While changing its name, Block retained many of its well-known product titles, including its Square terminals. The company provides merchants with hardware for sales and payment solutions, along with software that converts iPads to payment terminals. Payments can be made on Square terminals via a tap, dip, or swipe, or through the company's Block Cash electronic tender. Block also provides CashApp, which allows consumers to send, spend, and store money on an app. Block processes transactions in the U.S. and internationally.

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday ahead of the April jobs report due out on Friday. Apple (AAPL) rose 6% after hours when it announced a $110 billion stock buyback plan. The two-year Treasury yield fell to 4.889% while the 10-year yield was down to 4.58%. The Dow was up 0.9%, the S&P 500 gained 0.9% and the Nasdaq rose 1.5%. Crude oil traded above $79 per barrel and gold rose $3 to $2313 per ounce.

Founded in 2009, Block provides payment services to merchants, along with related services. The company also launched Cash App, a person-to-person payment network. In 2023, Square's payment volume was a little over $200 million.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is the world's largest dedicated chip foundry, with almost 60% market share. TSMC was founded in 1987 as a joint venture of Philips, the government of Taiwan, and private investors. It went public as an ADR in the U.S. in 1997. TSMC's scale and high-quality technology allow the firm to generate solid operating margins, even in the highly competitive foundry business. Furthermore, the shift to the fabless business model has created tailwinds for TSMC. The foundry leader has an illustrious customer base, including Apple, AMD, and Nvidia, that looks to apply cutting-edge process technologies to its semiconductor designs. TSMC employs more than 73,000 people.