Dow Jones Industrial Average climbs as soft PPI, Iran ceasefire hopes lift sentiment

• All three major US indexes advanced on Tuesday, extending a rally fueled by cooler-than-expected wholesale inflation data and renewed optimism around US-Iran negotiations.
• March Producer Price Index data came in well below forecasts, easing fears of a broad-based inflation surge driven by energy costs.
• Technology stocks led the advance for a second straight session, with Oracle, Nvidia, and Palantir all posting solid gains.
• Oil prices reversed sharply lower, with West Texas Intermediate crude falling more than 5% as ceasefire hopes weighed on the geopolitical risk premium.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) gained around 300 points, or 0.6%, trading near 48,500. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.8%, led by a broad rally in technology names. Tuesday's advance built on Monday's strong session, which had already erased the S&P 500's losses since the Iran war began in late February.

Wholesale inflation cools more than expected

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the March Producer Price Index (PPI) on Tuesday morning, and the numbers offered significant relief for markets that had braced for an energy-driven spike. Headline PPI rose 0.5% MoM, well below the roughly 1.2% increase that had been feared given the surge in Oil prices during March. On a YoY basis, the index climbed to 4.0%, below the 4.6% consensus. Core PPI, excluding food, energy and trade services, rose just 0.2% MoM, a notable slowdown from the 0.5% readings seen in both January and February.

Energy remained the obvious pressure point, with final demand energy prices jumping 8.5% and gasoline surging 15.7% on the month. But critically, services prices were flat at 0.0%, suggesting that the energy shock has not yet spilled over into broader wholesale inflation. The data reinforced the narrative established by last week's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, where core prices also came in softer than expected.

Iran ceasefire talks keep risk appetite alive

Wall Street continued to shrug off the breakdown in US-Iran peace talks over the weekend, choosing instead to focus on signals that both sides remain open to further dialogue. A White House official confirmed Tuesday that a second round of negotiations is under discussion, though nothing has been officially scheduled. Vice President JD Vance said the initial round of talks produced "a lot of progress," and multiple reports indicated a follow-up meeting could be arranged within days, potentially before the current two-week ceasefire expires.

The resilience in equities reflects a market that has largely priced in the geopolitical uncertainty and is now betting on an eventual resolution. Ross Mayfield, investment strategist at Baird, noted that he expects the conflict will not extend into the second half of the year and that the market is already positioned for some level of anxiety around Iran.

Tech stocks extend their rally

Technology names continued to carry the broader market higher on Tuesday. Oracle (ORCL) rose around 5%, building on a 12% surge in the prior session that was driven by its Customer Edge Summit and bullish commentary around its AI capabilities. Nvidia (NVDA) and Palantir Technologies (PLTR) also extended their climbs, benefiting from ongoing enthusiasm around artificial intelligence spending. The tech-heavy Nasdaq has now outperformed the DJIA significantly over the past two sessions as investors rotate back into growth names amid the improving geopolitical backdrop and softer inflation readings.

Bank earnings deliver mixed signals

The first wave of major bank earnings hit markets on Tuesday with a mixed verdict. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) reported better-than-expected first-quarter figures, but the stock drifted marginally lower after management cut its net interest income guidance for the year. Wells Fargo (WFC) was the bigger mover to the downside, dropping more than 5% after posting disappointing results. The divergence between the two largest US banks highlights the uneven impact of the current rate environment and geopolitical backdrop on financial sector profitability.

Oil slides as ceasefire narrative takes hold

Crude Oil prices reversed course sharply on Tuesday after rallying in the prior session. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Crude futures dropped more than 5%, pulling back toward $93 a barrel, while Brent crude shed around 3% to trade near $95. The International Energy Agency (IEA) added to the bearish pressure by cutting its 2026 global Oil demand forecast and now expects demand to contract. The move lower in Oil helped ease broader inflation concerns and contributed to the risk-on tone across equity markets, creating something of a virtuous cycle for stocks on the day.

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