US Markets
S&P 500, Nasdaq Reach New Peaks as Traders Track US-Iran Conflict
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite hit fresh highs on Monday as traders continued to track developments in the Middle East that sent oil prices rising.The S&P 500 rose 0.2% to 7,412.8, while the Nasdaq added 0.1% to 26,274.1 -- both logging new closing highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.2% to 49,704.5.Six of the 11 sectors ended in the green, led by energy, while communication services saw biggest drop.West Texas Intermediate crude was last up 3% to $98.25 a barrel, while Brent advanced 2.9% to $104.23.US President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran's counteroffer to end the war, extending uncertainty around oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.The US-Iran ceasefire is on "massive life support" and "unbelievably weak," news outlets reported Monday, citing Trump.Iran's proposal, delivered via mediator Pakistan, sought an immediate end to hostilities, the lifting of the US naval blockade of its ports and assurances against further aggression, BBC News reported, citing Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.Trump is scheduled to arrive in China Wednesday for a high-stakes state visit, with talks set to take place Thursday and Friday."The US will want China to use its influence with Tehran, especially because China is a major buyer of Iranian oil," Saxo Bank Chief Investment Strategist Charu Chanana said in a report Monday. "China, meanwhile, wants energy security and stable shipping lanes, but it is unlikely to appear as if it is acting under US instruction."US Treasury yields were higher, with the 10-year rate up 5.6 basis points at 4.42% and the two-year rate rising 6.7 basis points to 3.96%.Some 89% of S&P 500 companies have reported quarterly results in the latest cycle, with earnings up about 25% from a year earlier and revenue rising 10%, Oppenheimer Asset Management said in a note. Ahead of the earnings season, FactSet put expected earnings growth at 12.6% year over year."Notwithstanding the recent powerful rallies in stocks driven by earnings growth and better than expected US economic data over the past week, challenges remain to finding resolution to the conflict in the Middle East," Oppenheimer Asset Management Chief Investment Strategist John Stoltzfus said.Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Applied Materials (AMAT) are among the major names scheduled to report this week.Nvidia (NVDA) rose 2%, among the best performers on the Dow, while Qualcomm (QCOM) jumped 8.4%, among the biggest gainers on the S&P 500.Lumentum (LITE) shares surged nearly 17%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, after the company said it is set to join the Nasdaq-100 index, effective May 18.Trade Desk (TTD) shares slumped 6.8%, among the worst performers on the S&P 500, after HSBC downgraded the stock to reduce from hold while adjusting its price target to $20 from $31.Fox (FOX, FOXA) reported a surprise increase in quarterly earnings, while the media company's revenue topped estimates amid distribution growth. Fox's class A and B shares rose 7.6% and 8.1%, respectively.In economic news, US existing home sales increased less than projected in April, data from the National Association of Realtors showed."Despite mixed macroeconomic signals -- including a record-high stock market and historically low consumer confidence -- home sales were modestly boosted by the continued improvement in housing affordability," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said.Gold was last up 0.3% at $4,744.50 per troy ounce, while silver jumped 7.1% to $86.61 per ounce.
Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AMAT$CSCO$FOX$FOXA$LITE$NVDA$QCOM$TTD
