Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on April 8, 2026 in New York City, USA.
Brendan McDiarmid | Reuters
Stocks soared Wednesday after President Donald Trump halted attacks on Iran for two weeks and suspended a five-week conflict that has shut down a critical waterway for global energy supplies.
of Dow Jones Industrial Average It was 1,200 points (2.6%) higher. of S&P500 2.4% increase; Nasdaq Composite It rose by 2.8%.
West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil Futures Prices fell more than 17% to $93.42 per barrel following President Trump’s declaration. international benchmark Brent delivered in June It fell more than 16% to $91.65 per barrel.
“We agree to a two-week moratorium on bombing and attacks on Iran,” President Trump posted on Truth Social. “We have received a 10-point proposal from Iran that we believe provides a viable basis for negotiations.”
President Trump said the “two-sided” ceasefire was conditional on Iran agreeing to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has agreed to reopen the waterway for two weeks as long as all attacks stop, according to a statement from Iran’s foreign minister. The statement said the passage would require coordination with the Iranian Armed Forces. According to media reports, Israel has also agreed to a ceasefire.
“The announcement of a moratorium on the Iran conflict wasn’t all that surprising. Markets have gotten much better at sniffing out President Trump’s next move,” said Jay Woods, chief market strategist at Freedom Capital Markets. “The concern now is whether this all-too-familiar ‘two week’ deadline will lead to a solution.”
S&P500, 1 day
Stocks rose further after President Trump posted Wednesday that the U.S. is working with Iran to remove nuclear material from the country and that the two countries are discussing tariff and sanctions relief.
The first ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, according to ship tracking service Marine Traffic. However, industry experts say overall traffic has not meaningfully recovered like the corridor experienced during the war.
Stocks that have been most under pressure since the start of the conflict led the gains. Semiconductor stocks vulnerable to supply chain disruptions rallied; VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) It has jumped nearly 5%. broadcom It was 4% higher. micron technology Increased by 7%.
The international market has become increasingly dependent on energy imports. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF It will increase by about 5%. South Korean stocks rose 8%. Small-cap stocks, which are more exposed to economic cycles, also rose nearly 3%.
On the other hand, energy stocks, which had soared since the start of the conflict, slumped. exxon mobil and chevron Each fell more than 5%.
“Nothing goes up in a straight line, but I think we’ve built a solid foundation here,” said Stephen Tuckwood, director of investments at Modern Wealth Management. “A lot of the market has been sold off quite heavily since the war started, so we’re seeing reasonable valuations again, and that’s kind of a tailwind here.”
— With reporting by Fred Imbert
