Market News

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,337.11 -28.01 -0.38% NASDAQ 25,806.20 -32.75 -0.13% DOW 49,596.97 -313.62 -0.63% Russell 2000 2,839.63 -47.15 -1.63% VIX 17.08 -0.31 -1.78% Broad pullback after recent record highs, with small caps (-1.63%) bearing the brunt. The VIX fell alongside equities — the move looks more like profit-taking than fear, with high-beta names (nuclear, space, Bitcoin proxies) leading the downside. Breaking News & Macro Events Fed’s Kashkari: Iran War Adds Uncertainty to Interest Rate Outlook — Bloomberg Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari cited the Middle East conflict as a key driver of policy uncertainty, signaling the FOMC has no clear glidepath. Comes against a backdrop of Strait of Hormuz disruptions that have pushed Brent crude into triple digits and reignited inflation worry. ...

Overnight Developments Trump Pauses “Project Freedom” as US–Iran Near Framework Peace Deal — CNBC / Bloomberg / Axios President Trump announced he is pausing “Project Freedom” — the US plan to escort shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — citing “Great Progress” toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Iran. Axios reports Washington and Tehran are edging toward a one-page framework to end hostilities and reopen Iranian ports, effectively lifting the US blockade after a roughly 10-week conflict. Risk-on response is broad: European indices surged (DAX +2.80%, FTSE +2.32%, CAC ~+3%), US futures jumped, and crude oil sold off sharply on easing supply-disruption fears. Affected sectors: Energy (down on lower oil), Defense (down), Airlines, Shipping, Tech/Semis, Financials, Consumer Discretionary (up on risk-on). ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,365.12 +105.90 +1.46% NASDAQ 25,838.94 +512.82 +2.02% DOW 49,910.59 +612.34 +1.24% Russell 2000 2,886.77 +41.77 +1.47% VIX 17.39 -0.01 -0.06% The S&P 500 and Nasdaq printed fresh record highs as a twin tailwind — diplomatic progress on the U.S.–Iran conflict and a runaway AI-server tape — pulled risk assets higher into the close. Energy was the lone red sector, with the S&P Energy index off more than 4% as crude collapsed. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,259.22 +58.47 +0.81% NASDAQ 25,326.12 +258.33 +1.03% DOW 49,298.25 +356.35 +0.73% Russell 2000 2,845.00 +49.01 +1.75% VIX 17.38 -0.90 -4.92% Risk-on tape across the board, with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ pushing fresh records and small-caps leading on a 1.75% Russell 2000 rip. Volatility compressed below 18. Breaking News & Macro Events Fed Signals Easing Bias; Four Dissents Over Rate Cut Language — Federal Reserve The FOMC held rates at 3.50–3.75% but inserted dovish easing-bias language that drew an unusually wide four-dissent split from the Dallas, Cleveland, and Minneapolis presidents. Kevin Warsh is set to take the chair by mid-June, layering personnel risk on top of a divided committee. ...

Overnight Developments Iran Rejects Trump’s “Project Freedom” Hormuz Plan — Euronews / CNBC Iran has rejected the Trump administration’s “Project Freedom” plan, which proposed US naval escort to help trapped tankers exit the Strait of Hormuz beginning Monday. The standoff keeps roughly 20% of global oil trade impaired and signals the disruption — already the largest oil supply shock in recorded history per industry estimates — will drag further into Q2. Affected sectors: Energy, Transportation, Shipping, Defense, Industrials. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,200.75 -29.37 -0.41% NASDAQ 25,067.80 -46.64 -0.19% DOW 48,941.90 -557.37 -1.13% Russell 2000 2,796.00 -16.83 -0.60% VIX 18.29 +1.31 +7.71% Breaking News & Macro Events Stocks slide, oil surges as UAE intercepts Iranian missiles — Yahoo Finance The Dow shed 557 points after the UAE intercepted Iranian missiles and Israel and Bahrain raised alert levels, reigniting Strait of Hormuz risk premiums. Brent crude jumped 5%, WTI rose 3%, and gold fell 2.2% — an unusual safe-haven divergence as the dollar firmed alongside oil. The 30-year mortgage rate ticked to 6.52%, the highest in over a month. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,230.12 +21.11 +0.29% NASDAQ 25,114.44 +222.13 +0.89% DOW 49,499.27 -152.87 -0.31% Russell 2000 2,812.82 +12.92 +0.46% VIX 16.99 +0.10 +0.59% S&P 500 and NASDAQ closed at record highs, lifted by an Apple-led tech surge and an easing geopolitical risk premium. The DOW lagged on softness in industrials and healthcare names. Breaking News & Macro Events Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Cuts Ahead — CNBC The Federal Reserve held the federal funds rate at 3.50%–3.75% for a third consecutive meeting, with forward guidance hinting at potential cuts. Four dissents — the highest count since 1992 — pushed back against the easing bias, citing core inflation back at 3.2% (highest since November 2023). This is Powell’s final meeting as Chair before Kevin Warsh takes over in June. ...

Overnight Developments Fed Holds at 3.50–3.75% as Four Dissents Roil Crypto and Tech — CNBC The FOMC held rates steady on an 8-4 vote, with the four dissenters pushing back against any forward easing guidance. Powell separately announced he will remain on the Board after his chairmanship ends. Bitcoin slid below $75k on the hawkish surprise; rate-sensitive tech and financials face pressure at the open. Affected sectors: Tech, Financials, Crypto ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,209.01 +73.06 +1.02% NASDAQ 24,892.31 +219.07 +0.89% DOW 49,652.14 +790.33 +1.62% Russell 2000 2,799.91 +60.43 +2.21% VIX 16.89 -1.89 -10.06% The S&P 500 closed above 7,200 for the first time, capping the strongest April since November 2020. Breadth led — Russell 2000 +2.21% and DOW +1.62% topped the megacaps, while the VIX collapsed more than 10% to 16.89. Beneath the headline rally, AI-capex sticker shock dragged Meta and Microsoft lower even as Caterpillar’s blowout quarter helped propel cyclicals. ...

Market Snapshot Index Close Change % Change S&P 500 7,135.95 -2.85 -0.04% NASDAQ 24,673.24 +9.44 +0.04% DOW 48,861.81 -280.12 -0.57% Russell 2000 2,739.47 -16.58 -0.60% VIX 18.81 +0.98 +5.50% Breaking News & Macro Events Fed holds rates steady in historic 8-4 vote with four dissenters — CNBC The FOMC kept the target range at 3.50–3.75% in Powell’s final meeting as chair, but the vote split 8-4 — the most dissent since October 1992. Governor Miran wanted a 25bp cut; three others objected to language hinting at future easing. The statement explicitly cited inflation pressures from rising global energy prices tied to the Iran conflict, signaling the Fed sees a stagflationary mix it can’t dovishly resolve. ...