North America

S&P 500 and Nasdaq post best quarter since 2020 despite Iran war

Wall Street's S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes closed their strongest quarter since 2020, shrugging off US-Iran tensions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 136.46 points, or 0.26 per cent, to 52,319.20. Investors piled into AI-driven technology shares through the first half of 2026.

Trading screen showing rising stock market indexes in green
Trading screen showing rising stock market indexes in greenPhoto: Pixabay / Pexels
Straits Times Business1 h ago

Wall Street's main indexes closed out their strongest quarter since 2020, shrugging off tensions between the United States and Iran. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both posted solid gains through the first half of 2026.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 136.46 points, or 0.26 per cent, to 52,319.20 on the final session, according to Straits Times Business. Investors piled into technology shares fuelled by demand tied to artificial intelligence.

Stocks proved resilient despite geopolitical risk and volatility in oil prices during the quarter. Analysts said AI-related investment continued to underpin market optimism. Investors will now watch the Federal Reserve's rate path and the coming earnings season closely as the second half of the year begins.

EarningsTechNorth AmericaStraits Times Business
This article is an AI-curated summary of the original story published by Straits Times Business. The illustration is a stock photo by Pixabay from Pexels and is not from the original story.

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