Market Performance and Record-Breaking Trends

Traders celebrated at the New York Stock Exchange on April 15, 2026, as the S&P 500 closed above the 7,000 level for the first time, a milestone surpassing its pre-Iran war peak of 6,800 in early 2024. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rose to fresh all-time highs on Thursday, adding to their strong gains this week on optimism for a possible resolution to the Iran war. The broad market index gained 0.26% to close at 7,041.28, while the Nasdaq gained 0.36% to settle at 24,102.70. The tech-heavy index posted its 12th consecutive positive session, notching its longest winning run since 2009, when it achieved a 13-day streak during the post-financial crisis recovery. Both averages logged intraday and closing records. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 115 points, or 0.24%, and ended at 48,578.72.

Weekly Gains and Geopolitical Optimism

This week, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have risen 3.3% and 5.2%, respectively, while the Dow has advanced more than 1%. Stocks received a boost on Thursday after President Donald Trump confirmed discussions with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, beginning at 5 p.m. ET, marking the first significant pause in hostilities since the conflict's escalation in late 2023. The halt in Israel's attacks on Lebanon has been cited as a key condition for U.S.-Iran negotiations to proceed, according to the speaker of Iran's parliament.

Market Sentiment and Economic Outlook

Stocks have risen in recent days on hopes for an eventual peace deal between the U.S. and Iran. President Trump suggested earlier this week that the Iran war is "very close to over," claiming that Tehran wants to "make a deal very badly." The S&P 500 kicked off the week by wiping out all of its losses since the beginning of the Iran war, which had contributed to a 12% decline in the index at its lowest point in 2025. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both hit key milestones on Wednesday, with the former closing above 7,000 for the first time and the latter seeing its first close above 24,000.

However, even if a U.S.-Iran peace deal materializes soon, as investors anticipate, some market volatility may still lie ahead due to the war's potential economic impact. The conflict has already disrupted global oil supplies, with Brent crude prices peaking at $120 per barrel in 2025 before stabilizing around $90 in recent months. "We are going to have to weather a couple subpar quarters of GDP," said Rob Williams, chief investment strategist at Sage Advisory. "Everyone's kind of just been waiting for Iran to sort itself out, and that'll be a big positive, but the economy is still [at] 2% growth. We'll probably get a couple quarters under 2% here."

Closing Market Performance

U.S. equities finished Thursday's session with gains. The S&P 500 rose 0.26% to end the day at 7,041.28, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.36% to reach 24,102.70. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 115 points, or 0.24%, to 48,578.72.

Via CNBC.