U.S. stocks closed mixed Monday after investors rushed back into cyclical and blue-chip shares following President Donald Trump’s announcement that the U.S. would delay a planned military strike on Iran, easing immediate fears of a broader Middle East conflict while attention increasingly shifted toward Nvidia’s pivotal earnings report later this week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 159.95 points, or 0.32%, to 49,686.1 at the closing bell. The Nasdaq Composite fell 134.41 points, or 0.51%, to 26,090.7, while the S&P 500 slipped 5.48 points, or 0.07%, to 7,403.02, according to market screenshots provided by the user.
Markets swung sharply throughout the session as investors reacted to a dramatic Truth Social post from Trump, who said he had agreed to delay a planned military attack on Iran following requests from leaders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Trump said “serious negotiations are now taking place” and emphasized that any agreement must ensure “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN,” while also warning the U.S. military remained prepared for a “full, large scale assault” if talks fail.
The announcement helped calm some immediate geopolitical fears that had driven volatility and energy prices higher in recent weeks. The VIX volatility index edged down 0.05% to 18.42 by the close, signaling investors were dialing back some near-term hedging activity.
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Oil prices, however, remained elevated despite the temporary diplomatic reprieve. U.S. crude futures settled up 1.15% at $102.18 per barrel after earlier surging above $105 intraday, reflecting continued concerns that any breakdown in negotiations could threaten Middle East supply flows. Gold prices were little changed near $4,561 an ounce as investors balanced safe-haven demand against renewed appetite for equities.
Investors also spent much of the session repositioning ahead of Nvidia's earnings report Wednesday after the bell, widely viewed on Wall Street as one of the most consequential corporate events of the year for the broader AI trade.
Nvidia’s results could determine whether the company becomes the first to push toward an $8 trillion valuation milestone as artificial intelligence spending accelerates globally.
But enthusiasm around AI continued colliding with growing concerns over interest rates. Treasury yields near 5% have increasingly pressured high-valuation technology stocks, with investors debating whether elevated borrowing costs could crack the AI-fueled market rally that has dominated trading for much of the past year.
Wall Street now faces two competing forces heading deeper into the week: hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East and expectations that Nvidia’s earnings can once again justify the market’s enormous AI optimism.