S&p 500 Today Edges Higher as Iran Reply Looms
U.S. stocks edged up at the open on Thursday, with s&p 500 today steady as investors waited for Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal. The move came while the market sat near record territory, so even a small opening gain kept attention fixed on geopolitics, oil and earnings rather than on a broad selloff.
0.4% Dow Gain, 0.2% Nasdaq Rise
0.4% was the early rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.2% at the opening bell. Those moves followed record-high closes for the tech-exposed benchmarks and showed traders still leaning into growth names even as they priced in the next move from Iran.
The S&P 500 also reached an intraday record high on Thursday. That kept the index near the top of its recent range while investors balanced risk tied to the near-10-week war against a market that has been helped by tech earnings and strength in the AI trade.
Brent Below $100 a Barrel
Below $100 a barrel was where Brent oil futures traded after signs of progress toward relieving the blocked Strait of Hormuz. That drop took some pressure out of inflation worries and helped spur a rally in gold, giving equity traders a cleaner backdrop as they waited for the geopolitical response.
Thursday was also the day Iran was said to be evaluating a U.S. proposal to end the near-10-week war, with a response expected as soon as Thursday. For markets, that timing kept oil-linked risk front and center: a narrower threat to the Strait eased one pressure point, but a formal answer from Iran could still reset pricing across energy and equities.
Datadog Adds AI Growth Driver
More than 30% was the jump in Datadog shares after the company raised its outlook and beat top- and bottom-line estimates. The company expected full-year revenue between $4.3 billion and $4.34 billion in 2026, compared with estimates of $4.09 billion, while it reported earnings of $0.60 per share against an estimate of $0.51 per share and quarterly revenue of roughly $1 billion versus $959 million expected.
Oliver Pommel said AI now adds to Datadog’s growth setup. “There is no change to our overall view that digital transformation and cloud migration are long-term secular growth drivers for our business,” he said on a call with investors after Thursday’s report. “But we now have an additional secular growth driver with AI as we help our customers deliver more value with this transformative new technology.”
First intraday record high since December was the milestone Apple notched on Thursday after closing at a record, and the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF hit its first all-time intraday record since October. If those names keep pulling higher while Iran weighs its response, the open suggests investors are still willing to hold risk — but only while oil stays contained and the next headline does not reverse the day’s calm.
