New York, June 15, 2026, 16:03 ET
- S&P 500 was last at 7,563.10, up 1.77%. Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.93% to 26,647.28. The Dow added 1.15% to 51,793.25 in the after-bell update.
- Stocks climbed as oil prices fell, inflation worries faded and tech and chip names bounced back hard. Energy names trailed.
U.S. stocks jumped Monday with an early U.S.-Iran framework stirring hopes the Strait of Hormuz might reopen soon for oil shipping. Reuters, citing LSEG data, showed the Nasdaq on top as money returned to growth stocks. The Dow hit an intraday high after crude prices slid and traders dialed back inflation bets.
Brent crude slid 4.8% to $83.17 a barrel, AP reported, cutting pressure on companies facing high fuel costs and making it easier for the Federal Reserve to hold off on tougher rate hikes. Oil prices feed right into inflation, corporate expenses and interest-rate calls. “Markets are higher on a classic relief rally,” said Gene Goldman, chief investment officer at Cetera Investment Management, to Reuters. AP News
Market moves split on Wednesday. Airlines and cruise stocks got a lift from lower fuel costs—United Airlines jumped 4.2%, Carnival climbed 3.3%, AP reported. Chip names and AI plays rallied too, with Micron Technology up 10.8%, AMD rising 6.9% and Nvidia gaining 3.4% as traders took on risk. But energy names slid. Lower crude prices weighed on oil producers, with Reuters putting the S&P 500 energy sector off more than 3%. Fox shares also fell, after the company announced plans for a roughly $22 billion deal to buy Roku, showing that single-stock headlines matter even on strong days for the index.
The Fed’s policy decision is due Wednesday and traders are watching for that before the expected formal signing of the U.S.-Iran framework on Friday. A 25-basis-point move is 0.25 percentage point. Reuters reported traders still see some odds the Fed raises rates by a quarter point this year, even after oil’s slide took pressure off inflation worries for now. The bear case is that the Iran deal might not address Tehran’s nuclear program or stop fighting between Israel and Lebanon. AP reported energy might still take months to recover fully, even if the Strait reopens.
Stocks don’t look cheap to investors after Monday’s rally. FactSet’s Earnings Insight had the S&P 500’s forward P/E at 20.1, ahead of its five- and 10-year averages before the latest move. Bulls are pointing to strong earnings growth, with FactSet seeing 23.2% growth for S&P 500 profits in 2026 and 16.2% in 2027. Bears say high valuations could make stocks vulnerable if oil comes back up, the Fed turns more hawkish, or a geopolitical deal stumbles.
