US Stocks Inch Higher on Choppy Thursday

2026-04-02 20:37 By Andre Joaquim 1 min. read

US stocks closed mostly higher on a volatile Thursday as markets continuously gauged how the surge in energy prices may impact corporate returns.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 inched higher by 0.3%, while the Dow closed flat.

Global crude oil prices surged after President Trump delivered formal warnings of escalated attacks on Iran over the next weeks, prompting a retaliatory response by Tehran, with dated Brent prices notching their highest since 2008.

Still, equities recovered from session lows on reports that Iran and Oman are coordinating a toll for tankers leaving the Persian Gulf, alleviating the magnitude of the current energy shock.

Tech giants inched higher in tandem with Treasuries, with Nvidia, Microsoft, and AMD gaining between 3% and 1%.

Meanwhile, Tesla sank 5.4% after it posted one of its worst sales quarter in recent years.

Blue Owl lost 1.6% as it faced redemption requests of 41% in private credit funds, forcing it to cap liquidation on added turmoil in the sector.



News Stream
US Futures Mixed as Markets Close for Good Friday
US stock futures were mixed on Friday after a volatile Wall Street session, where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq eked out modest gains while the Dow slipped. Sentiment stayed fragile as oil prices spiked following President Trump’s warning that the Iran conflict could drag on for weeks, despite saying the U.S. was “getting very close” to ending the war. Travel stocks, including airlines and cruise operators, fell under pressure as rising fuel costs squeezed margins. Tech names were uneven: Tesla slid 5.5% on weaker-than-expected deliveries, while Globalstar jumped 13% after a report said Amazon may pursue an acquisition. The S&P 500 posted its first weekly gain since the conflict began, while the Dow and Nasdaq also advanced. Thursday marked the week’s final trading day ahead of the Good Friday holiday, though investors remain focused on the March jobs report due Friday.
2026-04-02
US Stocks Inch Higher on Choppy Thursday
US stocks closed mostly higher on a volatile Thursday as markets continuously gauged how the surge in energy prices may impact corporate returns. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 inched higher by 0.3%, while the Dow closed flat. Global crude oil prices surged after President Trump delivered formal warnings of escalated attacks on Iran over the next weeks, prompting a retaliatory response by Tehran, with dated Brent prices notching their highest since 2008. Still, equities recovered from session lows on reports that Iran and Oman are coordinating a toll for tankers leaving the Persian Gulf, alleviating the magnitude of the current energy shock. Tech giants inched higher in tandem with Treasuries, with Nvidia, Microsoft, and AMD gaining between 3% and 1%. Meanwhile, Tesla sank 5.4% after it posted one of its worst sales quarter in recent years. Blue Owl lost 1.6% as it faced redemption requests of 41% in private credit funds, forcing it to cap liquidation on added turmoil in the sector.
2026-04-02
The Dow Jones Index Closes 0.13% Lower
The Dow Jones Index dropped -61 points or 0.13 percent on Thursday to close at 46505 points. Losses were led by Sherwin-Williams (-2.47%), Home Depot (-2.36%) and Caterpillar (-1.80%). Offsetting the fall, top gainers were IBM (2.02%), Cisco Systems (1.40%) and UnitedHealth (1.21%).
2026-04-02