Nasdaq Compo‌‌site Surge‌‌s 3.07% to Close at 26,683.94 as US-Iran Peace De‌‌al Resha‌‌pes Mar‌ke‌t Dynamics

Mumbai, 16 June 2026: The Nasdaq Composite delivered its strongest single-day performance since March, surging by 795.10 points or 3.07% to settle at 26,683.94, as a breakthrough peace agreement between the United States and Iran sparked a broad risk rally across global financial markets. The tech-laden index outperformed all other major US benchmarks, with semiconductor stocks rallying by double-digit percentages while crude prices fell to their lowest levels since early March. 

Tech-Heavy Nasdaq Leads U.S. Indices wit‌‌h 3.07% Gain 

The 3.07% rise in the Nasdaq Composite is the second-best trading day for the index in 2026. The intraday trading range for the Nasdaq Composite was between 26,438.77 and 26,687.56. Trading volume was about 9.35 billion shares, slightly exceeding the average volume of 9.30 billion. 

The S&P 500 Index rose by 1.65%, to close at 7,554.29, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.92%, to end at 51,671.03, hitting a fresh all-time intra-day high during the session. 

US-Iran Peace Framework Reopens Strait of Hormuz, Sending Oil Prices Tumbling 

President Dona‌‌l‌‌d Tru‌‌mp announced late Sunday through Truth Social that an agreement with Iran was “now complete,” bringing to end months of hostilities that had effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in early March 

The memorandum of understanding will be formally signed on Friday in Switzerland, with a senior administration official confirming that the deal had already been signed electronically. Trump stated he had “fully authorised the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz” and the immediate removal of the US naval blockade. 

The geopolitical breakthrough prompted a sharp sell-off in energy markets. Brent crude futures dropped 4.7% to approximately $83 per barrel, on track for its lowest close since the earliest days of the conflict. 

 West Texas Intermediate crude fell 5.3% to around $80.37 per barrel. European natural-gas prices also tumbled as concerns over supply disruptions through the vital shipping channel eased substantially. 

Semiconductor Stocks Rally as Micron and Western Digital Post Double-Digit Gains 

The easing of geopolitical tensions and falling oil prices provided a powerful tailwind for technology and semiconductor stocks, which have been sensitive to inflation concerns and potential interest rate hikes. The PHLX Semiconductor Index jumped more than 5 %, with memory chip companies leading the advance. Western Digital Corporation surged 16.05%, while Micron Technology gained 10.84% and Marvell Technology advanced 10.60%. Advanced Micro Devices rose 6.93%, pushing its market value above $900 billion for the first time, while Nvidia Corporation added 3.52%. NVIDIA Corporation also attracted extraordinary investor demand for its jumbo bond offering, which reportedly drew approximately $85 billion in institutional interest, underscoring market confidence in the company’s AI-driven growth trajectory. 

Intel Corporation (INTC) advanced 2.64% to close at $127.86  after touching an intraday high of $132.61. The stock pared early gains of over 7% but remained firmly in positive territory, contributing to the semiconductor-led rally that propelled the Nasdaq Composite higher by 3.07%. 

Among the Magnificent Seven technology giants, Meta Platforms led with a 4.60 % gain, followed by Amazon.com at 3.16%, Alphabet at 2.69 %, Microsoft at 2.31%, and Apple at 1.80%. Tesla closed up 1.11%, while Netflix added 1.64%. 

Also Read: How to invest in US stocks from India

SpaceX Shares Extend Rally by 15 % After Record-Breaking Public Debut 

The newly public Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SPCX) continued its remarkable momentum into its second trading day, with shares surging an additional 15% following a 19% jump in Friday’s record-breaking initial public offering. The company’s market valuation now stands at approximately $2.1 trillion, making it the sixth-largest US-listed company. The IPO, which was nearly three times larger than the previous US record, generated the highest-ever retail order activity for an IPO auction, according to Citadel Securities. 

Goldman Sachs, listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which held the lead-left position on the SpaceX offering, climbed approximately 1.5% in Monday’s session, building on a 2.6% gain from Friday. The bank is expected to benefit from index inclusion events, with Russell planning to add SpaceX to its indexes on 26 June, followed by MSCI on 29 June. The Nasdaq-100 will add the stock after approximately 15 trading days following a recent rule change that fast-tracks newly public companies into the index. 

Seagate, Qualcomm, Lam, Applied, Broadcom, AppLovin, Nebius & Index Additions Rally 

Seagate Technology (STX) surged 9.53% after JPMorgan, BofA Securities and Wells Fargo raised price targets on tight memory supply and durable AI storage demand. Qualcomm (QCOM) rose 5.65% as the PHLX Semiconductor Index jumped over 5%. Lam Research (LRCX) gained 6.39% on a Mizuho price-target hike and a patent settlement covering EUV resist technology. Applied Materials (AMAT) climbed 6.54% on AI-driven wafer equipment demand. 

Broadcom (AVGO) added 3.56% as a key AI chip beneficiary. AppLovin (APP) jumped 4.86% alongside Micron and AMD as a top tech gainer. Nebius Group (NBIS) spiked 8.9% in pre-market trading after being named to the Nasdaq-100 Index effective 22 June , alongside fellow additions Astera Labs (ALAB), CoreWeave (CRWV) (up 5.02%) , Rocket Lab (RKLB) , and Teradyne (TER) (up 5.72%), as investors positioned for passive fund buying ahead of the index rebalance. 

Fox Shares Plunge 16.58 % on $22 Billion Roku Acquisition Announcement 

In one of the session’s most notable declines, Fox Corporation (FOXA) tumbled 16.58% after the media giant announced it would acquire streaming pioneer Roku Inc (ROKU) for $160 per share in a cash and stock deal valuing Roku at nearly $22 billion. Investors viewed the transaction as richly priced, sending Fox shares to levels not seen since May 2025. Roku’s stock edged down approximately 1%, erasing premarket gains that had followed Friday’s 20% advance. 

Fiserv Inc (FISV) slid 8.2% after Chief Executive Mike Lyons abruptly stepped down to lead Truist Financial Corporation, prompting several analyst downgrades over concerns about strategic continuity. NYSE-listed Truist shares fell 3.9 %, while Alcoa Corporation (AA) dropped 9.7% as aluminium futures slid nearly 5% on easing Middle East supply risks and expectations of a 2026 surplus. 

DoorDash Surges 11.63% as Lower Fuel Costs Ease Margin Pressure 

DoorDash Incorporated (DASH) rallied 11.63% to close at approximately $168.09, marking its best single-day performance since April 2025. The food delivery company, which had declined 15% since late February, benefited substantially from the sharp drop in crude oil prices, as lower fuel costs directly improve delivery margins. 

Energy Stocks Bear Brunt of Crude Collapse as Chevron and Exxon Slide 

Energy producers tracked crude oil lower across the board, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE), which trades on NYSE Arca, sliding 3.2% as the worst-performing sector. NYSE-listed Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) declined 4.0%, while Chevron Corporation (CVX) fell 3.8%.  

NYSE-listed Murphy USA Inc (MUSA) tumbled 5.5%.  In contrast, the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX), also traded on NYSE Arca, surged 7.5% as gold rallied, and the US Global Jets ETF (JETS), another NYSE Arca product, climbed 4.5% as plunging fuel costs lifted airline stocks. 

Treasury Yields Retreat as Inflation Expectations Moderate on Falling Energy Costs 

Global bond yields retreated as lower oil prices eased concerns about inflation pressures that had built during the Middle East conflict. The 10-year Treasury yield fell 3 basis points to approximately 4.46%, its lowest level in a month, while the 2-year yield declined 4 basis points to 4.05%. The 30-year yield held near 4.97%. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note has risen about half a percentage point since the US and Israel began strikes on Iran in late February, driven by concerns over the inflationary impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure. 

Investors significantly pared back expectations of an interest rate rise this year following the peace announcement. According to CME FedWatch data, traders are pricing in a 98 % probability that the Federal Reserve leaves rates unchanged at its policy meeting concluding on Wednesday. The chances of a rate hike by year-end have diminished, with markets now seeing a 41% chance of no change through December, up from 28 % a week ago. 

Gold Rallies 3.2% to $4,357 an Ounce as Dollar Weakens 

Spot gold rose 3.2% to approximately $4,357 an ounce, reaching its highest level in more than a week, as falling yields and a softer dollar burnished the metal’s appeal. Silver advanced over 3% to $70.07 per ounce. Barclays analysts noted that gold’s recent correction appears more like a reset than a break in the longer-term case, with the bank’s fair value estimate at $4,150 per ounce. Bitcoin surged more than 4% to around $66,600, extending gains as easing geopolitical tensions boosted risk appetite across speculative and growth-driven assets. 

Federal Reserve Meeting in Focus as New Chair Kevin Warsh Prepares First Policy Announcement 

All attention now turns to the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on 17 June, which will mark the first for new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. The central bank is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, but traders will scrutinise Warsh’s post-meeting press conference on Wednesday afternoon for signals about the future path of rates. While the peace deal has reduced near-term inflation concerns, some analysts caution that elevated wholesale inflation readings from May—with raw industrial input prices up more than 12% year-over-year, could still influence the Fed’s stance. 

The Nasdaq Composite recorded its strongest rally since March 2026, gaining 3.07 % to close at 26,683.94. The US-Iran peace framework triggered a 4.7% drop in Brent crude to $83 per barrel. Semiconductor stocks led sectoral gains, with Western Digital up 16.05 % and Micron gaining 10.84%. The Fed’s policy decision on Wednesday remains the week’s primary focus, with markets pricing a 98 % chance of unchanged rates. 

Source 

• https://www.nasdaq.com/