S&P 500 Rises 0.6% at Midday on Easing Middle East Tensions

Major U.S. stock indexes rallied Friday as oil prices fell 4% to $95/barrel on reports of potential U.S.-Iran peace negotiations brokered by Pakistan and China. The Dow gained 0.7%, S&P 500 rose 0.6%, while the Nasdaq barely moved up 0.1%. Apple boosted the market, but American Express and SK Hynix declined on earnings concerns. Investors await four more Magnificent 7 earnings reports next week to assess AI infrastructure spending trends.