Wall Street ends lower as Middle East tensions escalate

Wall Street ends lower as Middle East tensions escalate

By Stephen Culp and Medha Singh

Wed June 3, 2026  

With the resumption of hostilities in Iran over the weekend, I would have thought that Monday and Tuesday would have been a short-sellers heaven. Instead, the market rose. It looks like it took three days for the war news to sink in as today there was a decisive rout all around with oil prices and inflation beckoning higher and higher and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz being critical to stemming the tide. Of course, this does not look like it’s happening soon. Inflation concerns caused a lot of profit-taking today even though fundamentals are strong, the job market looks solid and the services sector continues to expand.  

World stocks rally on AI optimism; jitters over Iran persist

World stocks rally on AI optimism; jitters over Iran persist

By Amanda Cooper and Chibuike Oguh

Tue June 1, 2026 8:38 PM EDTUpdated 1 hour ago  

The indexes edged slightly higher with continued AI fever as major companies continue to raise huge sums for AI expansion, Alphabet alone to the tune of some $80 billion. Job openings increased more than expected and that combined with yesterday’s data of increased factory activity lent more confidence to the stability and resilience of the economy. Of course, the real job numbers come on Friday. The jobs and factory data likely contributed to the big boost in the Dow.  

Wall St ends higher, boosted by tech gains, US-Iran peace hopes

Wall St ends higher, boosted by tech gains, US-Iran peace hopes

By Stephen Culp and Medha Singh

Mon June 1, 2026  

Nvidia today announced a revolutionary new AI chip that will go into personal computers and transform the entire PC market. With that news, there was a dramatic flight out of industrials and into tech with the Dow sinking almost 300 points by 11 a.m. but then recovering to close with a modest gain. Both the Nasdaq and S&P were on a consistent upward slope with the Nasdaq gaining some 220 by 2 pm before losing about half of that by close. Ditto for the S&P.  

Wall Street hits new closing highs on tech strength, Middle East deal hopes

Wall Street hits new closing highs on tech strength, Middle East deal hopes

By Saeed Azhar, Twesha Dikshit and Utkarsh Shetti

Fri May 29, 2026  

It was a choppy day for tech, up and down all day but still closing with modest gains, while the Dow reaped the benefit of exceptionally high volume suggesting more and more people were feeling good about coming into the market. The Dow was up all day and closed with a very nice 3-digit gain. But AI and really good Q1 earnings remain the major market drivers while Trump’s announcement that a final decision on Iran will be made today also brought hopes.  

S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record closing highs as US and Iran agree to extend ceasefire

S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record closing highs as US and Iran agree to extend ceasefire

By Saeed Azhar, Twesha Dikshit and Utkarsh Hathi

Thu May 28, 2026

There was bad news all around on the inflation front as PCE came in at a three-year high, mostly due to the Iran war, and GDP, for the first time in quite some time, was downwardly revised to 1.6% with expectations of more of the same in Q2. But the news of a tentative extension of the ceasefire (still to be approved by Trump) put all that on the backburner. Any good war news is good for tech since the oil supply and inflation so directly impact tech.  

Wall Street indexes post closing record highs, AI rally pauses

Wall Street indexes post closing record highs, AI rally pauses

By Saeed Azhar, Twesha Dikshit and Utkarsh Hathi

Wed May 27, 2026

Tech was certainly chaotic today with both indexes swinging wildly between red and black but spending most of the day well into the red though a late session comeback put them very modesty into the black. However, since they were already at records, even a very modest jump put them both into another record close. The Dow enjoyed the benefit of these tech jitters as AI investors chose caution today while watching the peace talks. Everyone was jumping from tech into industrials giving the Dow another nice 3-digit advance, recouping well more than yesterday’s losses, and once again putting it in record territory.  

S&P 500, Nasdaq hit record closing highs on AI optimism, Micron joins $1 trillion club

S&P 500, Nasdaq hit record closing highs on AI optimism, Micron joins $1 trillion club

By Saeed Azhar, Twesha Dikshit and Utkarsh Hathi

Tue May 26, 2026  

AI optimism is back in full swing with Micron suddenly becoming a trillion $ company when UBS today tripled its price target on the stock. It was more than enough for investors to start transferring money from industrials to any of the major AI players, bringing the Dow down but the tech indexes way up. Even the disappointing war news went on the back burner with the market ignoring it in favor of the continuing AI fever and an upbeat Q1. In fact Q1 has been so solid that the earnings growth forecast as it now nears its completion has been doubled from 16% a month ago to 29% today.