Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
Gold Prices Hold Near Record Levels as Inflation Concerns Offset Middle East Ceasefire Hopes 
Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar 
Oil Prices Jump After New U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Supply Concerns 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
ECB’s Philip Lane Warns Middle East Conflict Could Keep Inflation Elevated 
European EV Sales Surge in April 2026 as Tesla and Chinese Automakers Gain Ground 
Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
European Stocks Rise as AI Optimism Offsets U.S.-Iran Tensions 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
Gold Prices Slip as Stronger Dollar and Iran Peace Talk Uncertainty Weigh on Market 
Dollar Gains Slightly as U.S.-Iran Tensions Keep Forex Markets on Edge 
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 3.1% as Supermarket Price Pressures Ease in May 2026 
US Dollar Slips as Markets Weigh Potential US-Iran Peace Deal and Oil Price Outlook 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as Iran Ceasefire Talks and AI Rally Boost Markets 
The S&P 500 closed higher Tuesday as investors balanced strong earnings with rising US-China trade tensions. The Dow gained 142 points (0.3%), the S&P 500 climbed 0.72%, and the Nasdaq surged 262 points (1.4%).
President Trump postponed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico but imposed a 10% duty on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate. China imposed tariffs on US coal, LNG, crude oil, and automobiles while restricting rare earth exports, escalating trade war concerns. Beijing also blacklisted PVH Corp (NYSE:PVH) and Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) and launched an antitrust probe into Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG).
Wall Street remains cautious about Fed rate cuts, with Morgan Stanley now predicting only one in 2025. Meanwhile, earnings reports drove market movements. PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) dropped 4.5% on weak revenue growth, while Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) soared 13.3% on strong Q4 results. Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR) surged 24% on AI-driven revenue forecasts. Estee Lauder (NYSE:EL) fell 16% due to weak Asian retail sales, and Merck (NYSE:MRK) slipped 9% after pausing Gardasil shipments to China.
All eyes are on Alphabet’s post-market earnings, with investors eager for AI spending updates amid competition from China's DeepSeek.
Oil prices dipped as trade tensions threatened economic growth. WTI crude fell 0.49% to $72.80 per barrel. Despite global concerns, OPEC+ upheld production plans, keeping output cuts in place until April.
Markets remain volatile as earnings and economic policies shape investor sentiment.
