Portfolio Notes: Track, journal, and analyze every trade

Learn More

Dow Charges Higher Again on Peace Deal Back-and-Forth

By Emma Duncan | March 25, 2026, 4:27 PM

Stocks settled higher on Wednesday, despite continued uncertainty over whether there will be a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran, after the latter rejected President Donald Trump's 15-point peace plan. Iran returned with a five-point proposal of its own, including control over the Strait of Hormuz. Market sentiment leaned optimistic, sending the Dow and Nasdaq to their second triple-digit win this week, while the S&P 500 advanced as well. Chip stocks were behind some of these gains, while crude continued its retreat.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

indexesmar25

nysemar25

5 Things to Know Today

  1. A jury found Meta Platforms (META) and Alphabet (GOOGL) negligent during a trial on social media addiction. (CNBC)
  2. The White House said President Trump is scheduled to visit China and meet with President Xi Jinping in May. (Reuters)
  3. A spike in implied volatility suggests hedging amid the SPY pullback.
  4. In-house chip buzz triggered Arm stock pop.
  5. This stock just shook up the rare earths sector.

Corporate Earnings March 25

uvolmar25

Oil Pulls Back as Major Indexes Resume Recovery

Crude prices fell once again as investors U.S.-Iran negotiations, with the latter signaling sage passage for "non-hostile" vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Front-month May-dated West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 2.5% to finish at $90.08 per barrel.

A retreat in Treasury yields and return to safe havens pushed gold futures higher on Wednesday. April-dated gold futures added 3% to finish at $4,558.60 an ounce.

Latest News