On Thursday, April 24, 2026, major U.S. stock indexes closed lower, with the S&P 500 down 0.41%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.36%, and the Nasdaq 100 down 0.57%. The declines occurred amid stalled peace talks between the U.S. and Iran concerning the Strait of Hormuz, which has been critical for global oil transport. Crude oil prices rose over 3% due to a heightened military presence and ongoing tensions in the region.
Economic data showed mixed signals: weekly initial unemployment claims rose by 6,000 to 214,000, higher than expected, while the April S&P manufacturing PMI unexpectedly increased to 54.0, surpassing expectations of 52.5. In the earnings sector, 81% of S&P 500 companies that reported thus far for Q1 have beaten their earnings estimates, with an overall projected increase of 12% year-on-year.
Notable stock movements included Texas Instruments rising over 19% after positive earnings, while ServiceNow fell more than 17% due to disappointing results. Companies like United Rentals and Comcast saw gains of over 22% and 7%, respectively, following strong Q1 reportings.
