US stocks advanced on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 climbing 0.6% to 6,930, its highest level since late February, as investors grew more optimistic about a potential de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 200 points, while the Nasdaq gained more than 1%, after US Vice President JD Vance highlighted “a lot of progress” in the first round of Iran talks held in Pakistan, with reports indicating a follow-up meeting could be scheduled within days.
In corporate earnings, JPMorgan slipped 0.2% after trimming its net interest income guidance, and Wells Fargo dropped 4.8% on weaker-than-expected results. Johnson & Johnson edged 0.4% lower despite raising its 2026 revenue outlook. On the upside, BlackRock rose 4% and Citigroup added 1.6% on the back of strong earnings. American Airlines surged 6.5% following reports that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby floated the possibility of a merger. Novo Nordisk’s US-listed shares gained 2.7% after the company announced a partnership with OpenAI.
