Overview
- U.S. indexes finished higher — S&P 500 up 0.6%, Nasdaq 0.8%, Dow 0.3% — as Nvidia led gains after Meta agreed to buy millions of its current and next‑gen AI chips.
- Minutes from the Fed’s January meeting showed officials divided on the outlook, Treasury yields rose on stronger data, and traders kept roughly 50%–63% odds on a June rate cut per CME FedWatch.
- Oil prices jumped about 3%–4% on a tougher U.S. posture toward Iran and uncertainty around Omani‑mediated talks in Geneva, adding a fresh geopolitical risk premium.
- Earnings and stock moves added support: Analog Devices beat and guided above estimates, Cadence rose on strong results, Global Payments jumped on its outlook, Moderna advanced on an FDA flu‑vaccine review, and Palo Alto fell after trimming guidance.
- European shares climbed as defense stocks rallied; BAE Systems surged on better‑than‑expected profit and a record order backlog, helping lift the STOXX 600.