Market Recap of the Week of Apr 12, 2026 - Apr 19, 2026

Overall Market Trends:

Markets pushed to all-time highs last week, with all four major indices seeing significant gains. The New York Stock Exchange Composite (NYSE) rose 464 points on the week (+2.04%), the S&P 500 surged 308 points (+4.52%), the NASDAQ Composite soared 1,567 points (+6.84%), and the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a weekly gain of 1,526 points (+3.18%). These results were largely influenced by the geopolitical tension easing in the Middle East, particularly the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and ceasefires.

Stocks opened lower Monday but fought back to close solidly green after Trump said "we've been called by the other side" and that Iran wants to make a deal "very badly." Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) surged nearly 13%, and Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) gained over 3%, with tech helping the broader market erase all of its Iran war losses. The gains came despite a breakdown in peace talks over the weekend in Islamabad, where VP Vance left without a deal after Iran refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Trump announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports following the collapse, and WTI climbed 2.6% to $99.08 while Brent jumped over 4% to $99.36.

Ceasefire optimism kept the momentum going Tuesday as a White House official confirmed a second round of U.S.-Iran negotiations was under discussion. Tech carried the load again, with Oracle adding another 4.7% on top of Monday's monster run, and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Palantir both posting gains. Oil reversed hard, with WTI dropping nearly 8% to $91.28 and Brent shedding 4.6% to $94.79. On the earnings front, Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) slid more than 5% after disappointing results, while JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) dipped marginally despite a Q1 beat after cutting its net interest income guidance. A cooler-than-expected March PPI reading also helped sentiment.

Stocks pushed to fresh all-time highs on Wednesday as Trump told Fox Business the Iran war is "very close to over" and that Tehran wants to make a deal "very badly." The S&P 500 closed above 7,000 for the first time, and the Nasdaq crossed 24,000, logging its 11th straight winning session. Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) was a standout, jumping 4% after Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) extended its partnership with the chipmaker to deploy custom chips.

Records kept falling Thursday after Trump confirmed Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, a key condition Iran had set before U.S.-Iran talks could begin. The Nasdaq stretched its winning streak to 12 straight sessions, its longest run since 2009, and both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq logged fresh intraday and closing highs. Trump also said the next round of U.S.-Iran talks would likely happen "probably, maybe, next weekend," keeping ceasefire hopes alive heading into Friday.

Stocks exploded higher Friday after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz "completely open" following the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. The S&P 500 crossed 7,100 for the first time, the Nasdaq extended its winning streak to 13 straight sessions, its longest since 1992, and the Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) hit a fresh high of its own. Oil cratered on the news, with WTI plunging nearly 12% to $83.85 and Brent dropping 9% to $90.38. Cruise lines and airlines caught a massive bid, with Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL) jumping 7% and Boeing (NYSE: BA) gaining 2%. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) also moved higher.

Source: CNBC (Consumer News and Business Channel)

Past Earnings Report:

This Week in Crypto

Live Crypto Markets:

Looking Towards the Future

Upcoming Important Economic Events:

Monday: Nothing Scheduled
Tuesday: U.S. retail sales • Pending home sales
Wednesday: Nothing Scheduled
Thursday: Initial jobless claims • S&P flash U.S. services PMI • S&P flash U.S. manufacturing PMI
Friday: Consumer sentiment (final)

Future Earnings Reports:

Market Recap (4/19/26)

This Week in Crypto