The three major U.S. stock indexes were all rising early on the 4th, local time, as investors watched developments in tensions between the United States and Iran.
As of 10:37 a.m., the Dow Jones Industrial Average on the New York Stock Exchange was up 223.07 points, or 0.46%, at 48,724.34.
The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 was up 48.90 points, or 0.72%, at 6,865.53, and the Nasdaq composite was up 293.12 points, or 1.30%, at 22,809.81.
The New York Times reported that on the 1st, the day after Iran was hit by U.S. airstrikes, Iran approached the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through a third country's intelligence service with a proposal to discuss conditions to end the conflict.
The market sensed that Iran does not consist only of hard-liners but also includes moves seeking an end to the war. Oil prices regaining some stability also boosted risk appetite.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social the previous afternoon, "Under any circumstances, the United States will ensure the free flow of energy to the world," adding, "If necessary, the U.S. Navy will, as quickly as possible, begin convoy operations for tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz."
By sector, technology, communications, and consumer discretionary were strong, while energy and real estate were weak. Strategy shares jumped more than 10% as Bitcoin prices rebounded quickly. Bitcoin has been rebounding after having priced in over the weekend the risk of a full-scale war between the United States and Iran.
Moderna shares were also rising. The move followed news that Moderna agreed to settle litigation over COVID-19 vaccine patents with BioPharma and Genevant Sciences for up to $2.25 billion.
European stocks were also broadly higher. The Euro Stoxx 50 index was up 1.84% at 5,877.80 from the previous session. The United Kingdom's FTSE 100 and France's CAC 40 rose 0.79% and 1.19%, respectively, while Germany's DAX gained 1.81% from the previous session.
International oil prices fell. At the same time, front-month West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for April 2026 delivery was up 0.98% from the previous session at $73.83 per Barrel.