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US Equity Indexes Rise This Week as Crude Oil Drops Amid Hopes of Iran Peace Deal

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US equity indexes rose this week after crude oil prices declined and Iran peace talks progressed, helping restrain a surge in government bond yields.

* The S&P 500 closed at 7,473.47 on Friday versus 7,408.50 a week ago. The Nasdaq Composite stood at 26,343.97, compared with 26,225.15 a week earlier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at 50,579.70, versus 49,526.17 at the end of last week.

* Utilities, health care, and real estate led the gainers this week, according to data compiled by Finviz. The communication services sector was the steepest decliner.

* A Qatari negotiating team arrived in Tehran on Friday in coordination with the US to help secure a deal to end the war, Reuters reported, citing a source with knowledge of the matter. Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir is headed to Tehran to help mediate a settlement, Al Jazeera reported Friday.

* While there are "good signs" that an agreement to end the conflict is in sight, any deal would be "unfeasible" if Iran pursues measures to permanently control the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday, according to CNBC. The US plans to seize Tehran's stockpile of enriched uranium as part of peace negotiations, President Donald Trump reportedly said Thursday.

* West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures traded below $96 a barrel after having started this week at around $107.

* The US 30-year Treasury yield, which climbed to as high as 5.18% on Wednesday, the highest since the global financial crisis, traded at around 5.06% on Friday. Similarly, the 10-year yield retreated from its strongest level since January 2025 of 4.67%, headed for a close at around 4.56% on Friday.

* A majority of FOMC participants appear to be leaning away from rate cuts for now and were open to the possibility of rate increases, minutes of the April 28-29 meeting released Wednesday showed.

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Exchange-Traded Funds Rise as US Equities Advance After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV edged higher. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) gained 0.9%.US equity indexes rose as pressure on government bond yields eased and crude oil retreated from intraday highs amid progress in Iran peace talks.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each added about 0.2%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) was 1.6% higher; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) added 1.4%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 1.3%.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) gained 4.6%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) was up 3.2%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) rose 0.6%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) climbed 1.6%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 1.6%.CommoditiesCrude oil rose 0.5%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) slipped 0.9%. Natural gas dropped 3.7%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was down 3.4%.Gold on Comex slipped 0.5% and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) shed 0.5%. Silver fell 0.7%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) dipped 1%.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) rose 0.1%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) fell 0.1%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) was up 0.4%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) gained 0.5%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) fell fractionally, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) rose 0.4%.HealthcarThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) gained 1.1%, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) added 1.1%, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) was up 1%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 0.2%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) rose 1%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also higher.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell 1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) dipped 0.9%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was down 0.9%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 1% lower.

$^DJI$^EEM$^EXI$^FAS$^FAZ$^GLD$^IBB$^IGM$^IGV$^IPK$^IVV$^IWM$^IXIC$^IYE$^IYH$^IYJ$^IYK$^IYW$^PMR$^QQQ$^RTH$^SOXX$^SPX$^SPY$^UNG$^USO$^VDC$^VHT$^VIS$^XLE$^XLF$^XLI$^XLK$^XLP$^XLV$^XRT$^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH
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US Equity Indexes Rise as Momentum Builds to Secure Iran Peace Agreement

US equity indexes rose as pressure on government bond yields eased and crude oil retreated from intraday highs amid progress in Iran peace talks.The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.5% to 26,423.4, with the S&P 500 up 0.6% to 7,488.2 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher by 0.8% to 50,709.3 in Friday's midday trading. The Dow hit an all-time high of 50,746.25, according to data compiled by CNBC.A Qatari negotiating team arrived in Tehran on Friday in coordination with the US to help secure a deal to end the war, Reuters reported, citing a source with knowledge of the matter. Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir is headed to Tehran to help mediate a settlement, Al Jazeera reported Friday.While there are "good signs" that an agreement to end the conflict is in sight, any deal would be "unfeasible" if Iran pursues measures to permanently control the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday, according to CNBC. The US plans to seize Tehran's stockpile of enriched uranium as part of peace negotiations, President Donald Trump reportedly said Thursday.West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures rose 0.8% to $97.19, and Brent crude futures climbed 1.1% to $103.65. The WTI and Brent futures traded more than 3% higher earlier in the day.US Treasury yields were mixed, with the 10-year down 1.6 basis points to 4.57% and the 30-year down 3.4 basis points to 5.08%. The two-year yield, however, rose 3.8 basis points to 4.13%.In economic news, the Conference Board's measure of leading indicators rose by 0.1% in April following a 0.6% decrease in March."Strong investment in AI infrastructure, data centers, and energy production likely will have a positive impact on growth and sustain business spending but may only partially offset weakness on the consumer side," said Justyna Zabinska-La Monica, Senior Manager for Business Cycle Indicators.The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index was revised down to 44.8 for May from 48.2 preliminary, compared with expectations for no revision in a Bloomberg-compiled survey and a drop from the final 49.8 in April. Respondents expected a 4.8% inflation rate over the next year and 3.9% annual inflation over the next five years, up from 4.7% and 3.5%, respectively, in April."Consumer sentiment fell for the third straight month as supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to boost gasoline prices," Michigan said.In company news, Dell Technologies (DELL) shares jumped 17%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, after Wells Fargo raised its price target to $270 from $180.Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO) reported a narrower fiscal Q4 net loss as revenue increased. MoffettNathanson adjusted its price target on the company's shares to $196 from $206 while maintaining its neutral rating. Take-Two shares slumped 4.3%, the steepest decline on the Nasdaq.Merck (MRK) said Friday the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended the approval of Keytruda, in combination with Padcev, to treat a type of bladder cancer. Shares of Merck jumped 5.4%, the Dow's top performer.

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Asia Markets

DAX Index Jumps Amid Upbeat German Economic Data

The blue-chip DAX index ended the trading week in the green, closing 1.15% higher on Friday, following an improvement in German economic growth and business and consumer confidence metrics.Final data from Destatis showed that Germany's gross domestic product ticked up 0.3% in the first quarter, following a 0.2% uptick in the previous three-month period. Federal Statistical Office President Ruth Brand noted exports "rose considerably" at the beginning of the year, bolstering the country's economic performance.Concurrently, the ifo Institute's business climate indicator stood at 84.9 points in May, up from April's revised 84.5 points and the expected 84.2 points. The expectations indicator ticked up to 83.8 points from the revised 83.5 points, while the current conditions index rose to 86.1 points from 85.4 points.ING noted that the stronger-than-expected first-quarter growth data offered some relief for the economy, but warned that business sentiment remained weak. "While German companies seem to have recovered somewhat from the first shock, the absolute level of the Ifo index remains weak. Yesterday, the latest PMI data already showed a high risk of the economy falling into contraction in the second quarter."Meanwhile, German consumer sentiment is expected to moderately improve in June, with the GfK consumer climate indicator up to -29.8 points from the revised -33.1 points in May. The reading, which compares with the consensus estimate of -33.7 points, reflects a "noticeably more positive" outlook for income expectations among German consumers, even as their willingness to buy remains muted.In corporate news, Deutsche Bank Research upgraded Deutsche Post (DHL.F), d/b/a DHL Group, to buy from hold and raised its price target to 56 euros from 48 euros, noting the strength of its DHL Express business."In an uncertain macro/geo-political backdrop, DHL benefits from: (i) self-help (delivery of fit for-growth savings EUR1bn); (ii) a well-invested network, esp. in DHL Express (market-leading positions); and (iii) superior pricing power given near-term pressures in global supply chain and structurally higher complexity. We see an end to the earnings d/g cycle, and mgmt. guide for c. EUR3bn [free cash flow] in 2026 underpinned," the research firm wrote. The German logistics company was one of the session's best performers, climbing 4.11%.German sportswear companies adidas AG (ADS.F) and Puma (PUM.F) were up 3% and 5.50%, respectively, on Xetra, bolstered by the better-than-expected fiscal 2026 results from Hoka-owner Deckers Outdoor.

$^DAX$ADS.F$DHL.F$PUM.F