U.S. stocks finished mixed Tuesday as investors piled back into artificial intelligence and semiconductor shares while falling oil prices and renewed optimism surrounding a potential U.S.-Iran agreement helped steady broader market sentiment.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 118.02 points, or 0.23%, to 50,461.17. The S&P 500 rose 45.66 points, or 0.61%, to 7,519.13, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 312.21 points, or 1.19%, to 26,656.21, according to market data shown in the screenshots provided by the user. Crude oil settled sharply lower, while the CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, rose 2.23% to 16.96. Gold prices slipped 0.53% to 4,499.20.
Technology shares again dominated trading activity after Micron Technology rallied nearly 18% following a major price target increase from UBS, pushing the memory-chip maker toward a $1 trillion valuation and reigniting enthusiasm around the AI infrastructure trade.
The rally spilled across semiconductor and data-center-related names as investors continued betting that hyperscaler spending on AI computing remains in the early innings.
Retail also remained in focus after shares of Dick’s Sporting Goods continued attracting investor attention following strong momentum in discretionary spending trends.
AInvest noted that Wall Street has increasingly viewed the retailer as one of the stronger consumer-facing growth stories amid uneven broader retail conditions.
Meanwhile, energy markets helped support risk appetite after oil prices fell nearly 3%. U.S. crude futures settled at $93.88 a barrel, down $2.72, or 2.82%, as traders reacted to reports that Washington and Tehran were making progress toward a possible agreement aimed at easing tensions and reopening key shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Treasury yields also eased during the session, reflecting expectations that lower energy prices could help reduce near-term inflation pressure. Gold declined alongside oil as traders moved away from traditional safe-haven assets.
Investors now turn their attention toward clues on whether the market’s AI-driven momentum can continue alongside easing geopolitical fears. Marvell Technology and Salesforce both report earnings after the bell on Wednesday.