** S&P 500 gains 2.5%, on track for its biggest Jan rise since 2019
** Indeed, it looked like crunch time for the SPX as it neared key resistance as the week kicked off
** This, as the Nasdaq Composite , breadth measure, faced big hurdles
** But after a data deluge, the market chose to push higher
** By Fri close, the DJI scored six-straight up days , and the IXIC ended higher for a fourth-straight week. Nasdaq on track for its best Jan since 2001
** Vast majority of sectors heat up; consumer discretionary and tech burn hottest, while just utilities and healthcare doused
** Consumer discretionary soars 6.4%. Tesla rallies on Q4 beat, Musk's bullish sales outlook . TSLA notches biggest weekly gain in a decade with 33% advance
** Tech leaps 4.1%. Seagate Technology jumps as analysts raise PTs on memory devices maker's rev beat . Microsoft slips on disappointing Q3 cloud rev outlook , though MSFT finishes week up 3% On the flip side, IBM slides on annual cash target miss, 3.900 job cuts and Intel tumbles on bleak outlook for PC demand However, chip index still flashes a bullish look . SOX rallies >5%
** Financials rise 2.5%. AmEx surges after upbeat FY profit forecast eases slowdown worries
** Energy up 0.8%. Chevron hits 2-month high Thurs on $75 bln stock buyback plans , though falls Fri on 2022 profit miss
** Healthcare cools 0.9%. Medical tool makers fall after Danaher cuts growth expectations for unit
** Meanwhile, more on Tesla - retail punters flock to stock even as price jumps
** SPX performance YTD:
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ SP 500 2023 YTD THROUGH JANUARY 27 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Lance Tupper and Terence Gabriel are Reuters market analysts. The views expressed are their own)
lance.tupper@tr.com terence.gabriel.tr.com@reuters.net terence.gabriel@tr.com))