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Trading Day: US stocks gain, dollar dips on hopes for Iran war negotiations

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on April 13, 2026

4 min read

· Last updated: April 14, 2026

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Trading Day: US stocks gain, dollar dips on hopes for Iran war negotiations
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By Stephen Culp NEW YORK, April 13 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes rallied to close sharply higher on Monday as hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East helped investors look past the failed

US stocks gain, dollar dips on hopes for Iran war negotiations

Market Overview and Key Developments

(Refiles April 13 story to fix formatting)

By Stephen Culp

NEW YORK, April 13 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes rallied to close sharply higher on Monday as hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East helped investors look past the failed U.S.-Iran talks and focus on the start of first-quarter earnings season.

I will go into more detail on today's market moves below. If you have more time to read, here are a few articles I recommend to help you make sense of what happened.

And before you read on, don't forget to sign up for Jamie McGeever's upcoming LSEG webinar on April 23, where I'll talk safe havens in uncertain times with my ROI colleague Mike Dolan.

Today's Key Market Moves

Stock Market Performance

STOCKS: European stocks close lower as Iran war weighs on sentiment, U.S. stocks stage late-session rally on signs of progress in peace negotiations

Sectors and Shares

SECTORS/SHARES: Of the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500, nine closed higher, with financials and tech shares out front

Foreign Exchange

FX: The dollar fades for sixth straight session as Strait of Hormuz blockade takes effect

Bonds

BONDS: Benchmark U.S. Treasury yields edged lower in choppy trading

Commodities and Metals

COMMODITIES/METALS: Oil pares gains to settle below $100 per barrel, gold moves nominally lower

Market Commentary

COLUMN: Wall Street's earnings fantasies may soon get harsh reality check

Today's Key Reads

Geopolitical Developments

The U.S. military says it would block all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iran's ports

Crude oil jumps back above $100 per barrel

International Politics

Hungarian election winner Peter Magyar vows constitutional change, renewed EU ties

Corporate Earnings

Goldman Sachs beats quarterly profit expectations, but shares fall on fixed income weakness

Global Leaders

Pope Leo tells Reuters he plans to continue speaking out against war after Trump's attack

Today's Talking Points

Technology Sector

AI Disruption Fears

The S&P 500 software & services index has taken a beating of late, falling 23.5% so far this year on fears that artificial intelligence technology could cause major disruption in this group of stocks, which includes Oracle, Salesforce and Intuit, among others.

But the index was among Monday's clear outperformers, rising 4.6% by the closing bell.

Earnings Season

First-quarter earnings season begins in earnest this week, with big banks taking the spotlight.

Analysts now expect aggregate year-on-year S&P 500 earnings growth of 13.9%, down from a forecast of 14.4% on April 1, according to LSEG data.

Inflation and Gasoline Prices

President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that the price of oil and gasoline could remain elevated through the midterm election as a result of his decision to attack Iran.

In Friday's consumer sentiment press release, Joanne Hsu, Director of Consumer Surveys for the University of Michigan, flagged spiking gasoline prices as one contributing factor that weighed the index to a record low.

What Could Move Markets Tomorrow?

Upcoming Economic and Political Events

Developments in the Middle East

U.S. producer prices (March)

U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers scheduled to speak: Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, Fed Governor Michael Barr, Boston Fed President Susan Collins, Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin, Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson

JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo post Q1 results

Japan Industrial output (February)

India WPI inflation (March)

March CPI reports for Finland, Sweden, Spain, others

South Korea international trade (March)

Additional Information

Newsletter and Disclaimers

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Opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

(By Stephen Culp; Editing by Nia Williams)

Key Takeaways

  • Wall Street’s major indexes rallied, led by financials and tech, as investors looked past failed U.S.‑Iran negotiations and turned to the unfolding earnings season. (AP) (apnews.com)
  • The dollar weakened for the sixth consecutive session, easing pressure on currencies as optimism grew for potential compromises in the Middle East. (Reuters, Barchart) (investing.com)
  • Oil prices pared some of their gains—holding around $100 a barrel—while U.S. Treasury yields flattened amid choppy trading, supporting market sentiment despite energy-related inflation risks. (AP, Local10) (apnews.com)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did US stocks rally despite failed Iran talks?
US stocks rallied on hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East, helping investors focus on upcoming first-quarter earnings season despite failed US-Iran talks.
Which sectors led the US stock market gains?
Financials and tech shares led the gains among the major sectors in the S&P 500, with most sectors closing higher.
How did the US dollar perform amid Middle East tensions?
The US dollar dipped for a sixth straight session as concerns over a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz impacted sentiment.
What happened to oil and gold prices during the market rally?
Oil pared its gains to settle below $100 per barrel, while gold moved nominally lower amid financial market volatility.
What is expected from the upcoming earnings season?
First-quarter earnings season begins this week, with analysts expecting 13.9% year-on-year S&P 500 earnings growth, slightly down from earlier forecasts.

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