Traders at work at the New York Stock Exchange on April 17, 2026.
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of S&P500 Stocks rose on Friday after investors were given hopeful signs that peace talks between the United States and Iran will soon be held in Pakistan.
The broader market index rose 0.7%. Nasdaq Composite Added 1.5%. of Dow Jones Industrial Average However, it fell by 149 points (0.3%).
MS NOW reported, citing Pakistani officials, that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will arrive in Islamabad on Friday night to discuss the possibility of a second round of negotiations with the United States with Pakistani mediators.
In response to this trend, crude oil prices fell. us West Texas Intermediate Futures During the international benchmark, the most recent trade was above $93 per barrel. brent crude oil futures It was trading above $104 per barrel.
This follows President Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend the ceasefire for three weeks. President Trump said the announcement was made after a meeting with senior U.S. officials at the White House.
“The meeting went very well!” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social. “The United States will work together to protect Lebanon from Hezbollah,” he added, referring to Iranian-backed militias.
The Middle East conflict has escalated into a maritime confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz, with the United States and Iran seizing a merchant ship. President Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Thursday that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to shoot “any vessel” that was laying mines in the Strait.
Wealth Alliance CEO Robert Konzo believes that no matter what happens in Islamabad, the market has “pretty much put[the conflict]aside and faced the problem,” but headlines from the Middle East could still shake up the market given Thursday’s reversal from all-time highs in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.
Conzo said markets are becoming more resilient in the face of war due to factors such as President Trump’s push to keep conflicts short, the historically temporary nature of oil supply shocks and a strong start to the fiscal year.
“What we’re basically doing is saying, ‘Okay, this is something more short-term, or maybe it’s much more talked about than what’s actually happening, and we’re going to solve the problem here and get back to basics,'” he said. “[Investors]are happy with these fundamentals, and that’s what’s really driving the market up, especially in the US.”
The S&P 500’s gains on Friday were supported by the following factors: intel The stock price soared 22%. The company reported first-quarter profits that beat Wall Street expectations and gave an upbeat outlook for the current quarter.
This will fuel a rally in semiconductor stocks this week. On Thursday, iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) has recorded its 17th consecutive positive session and is currently on track to end the week with a 10% gain.
However, this week has been a mixed bag when it comes to the three major averages. The S&P 500 is expected to end the period up 0.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is expected to decline 0.6%. The Nasdaq rose 1% this week.
