U.S. stock markets surged during Thursday’s midday trading session in New York, with major averages all showing gains. Trader sentiment rebounded thanks to positive signals from corporate earnings and relief after Fed Chair Jerome Powell dismissed the possibility of a rate hike during Wednesday’s press conference. The S&P 500 inched 0.3% up at 12:30 p.m. ET, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 slightly outperformed, up 0.6%. Semiconductors stood out as a bright spot, buoyed by robust quarterly resul