US stocks finished higher on Wednesday, with investors largely looking past tensions in the Middle East. The S&P 500 advanced 0.7% and the Nasdaq 100 jumped 1.4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.5%, supported by a pullback in oil prices and solid economic data that eased concerns about growth.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that new measures will soon be introduced to safeguard oil shipments from the Persian Gulf, helping WTI crude record its first decline since the onset of the conflict. Even as Bessent confirmed that the new 15% global tariffs will take effect this week, market sentiment improved on the back of stronger-than-expected ADP private payrolls data and signs of easing inflation in the services sector.
Technology shares led the advance: Micron and AMD each rallied more than 5.5%, while Amazon climbed 3.9%. Financials also rebounded, with KKR and Blackstone each rising around 3%, suggesting that markets are stabilizing after recent volatility in private credit. Elsewhere, laser manufacturer NLight gained 6.3% to reach a 52-week high, underscoring a broader rotation back into technology and growth-oriented stocks.
