focusIR Fireside Chats podcast - FTSE 250 Fund Manager Reveals Hidden Emerging Market Gems | Infrastructure. Watch here

Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

GLOBAL MARKETS-Wall Street ends higher, Brent crude eases on reports of US-Iran truce extension

Thu, 28th May 2026 21:28

* US crude settles higher, Brent settles down

* US first-quarter GDP revised lower

* Orders ​for capital ⁠goods unexpectedly drop

* US inflation data seen above target

* Fed rate hike expectations rise

* Dollar ​weakens against euro, yen

NEW YORK, May 28 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks advanced on Thursday and European shares pared their losses following reports that the United States and Iran have reached an agreement to extend the ​ceasefire ‌and launch negotiations, considered a welcome development after the two nations exchanged air strikes.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq registered their third consecutive sessions of record closing highs, while European shares, though off session lows, closed ⁠lower on the day. The United States and Iran have agreed to a memorandum of understanding that ⁠extends the truce for another 60 days to allow for negotiations, ​according to sources familiar with the matter. But the agreement still needs the approval of U.S. President Donald Trump, and comes after Iran targeted a U.S. air base in Kuwait and the United States struck what it described as an Iranian drone complex near the Strait of Hormuz.

"There's certainly been a degree of day-to-day volatility in markets as a result of geopolitical ​events," said Bill Merz, head ‌of Capital Market Research at U.S. Bank Wealth Management in Minneapolis.

"But in spite of all the negative news and uncertainty around the Middle East, we're seeing this intersection of fundamentals and market signals really sending a consistent message that growth is strong, growth-oriented assets continue to perform, and we're at all-time highs," Merz said. A raft of economic data showed first-quarter U.S. GDP grew at a more sluggish pace than originally reported, the saving rate sank to its lowest level since June 2022, inflation continued to heat up, and new orders for ​core-capital goods - a barometer for corporate spending plans - unexpectedly dropped.

The combination of weak GDP and rising price growth presents the U.S. Federal Reserve, now under the chairmanship of Trump appointee Kevin ‌Warsh, with a dilemma regarding the central bank's monetary policy.

"What the numbers point to today is simply that we have a stagflation problem, and that's a big problem for the Fed," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities in ‌New York. "We have growth that's not that strong and rising inflation, and that suggests that a Fed (interest rate) hike is getting closer to reality as opposed to a rate cut."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 25.49 points, or 0.05%, to 50,669.77, the S&P 500 rose 43.42 points, or 0.58%, to 7,563.78 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 242.74 points, or 0.91%, to ​26,917.47.

European shares dropped as U.S.-Iran developments kept risk appetite low, but pared steeper losses.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe rose 2.87 points, or 0.26%, to 1,125.15.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.49%, while Europe's broad ‌FTSEurofirst 300 index fell 12.10 points, or 0.48%.

Emerging market stocks fell 11.31 points, or 0.65%, to 1,727.82.

Oil prices were split. U.S. WTI edged higher, while Brent, more vulnerable to Strait of Hormuz traffic disruptions, dipped.

U.S. crude rose 0.25% to settle at $88.90 per barrel, while Brent settled at $93.71 per barrel, down 0.62% on the day.

U.S. Treasury yields turned lower following the weaker-than-expected U.S. economic ⁠data and ⁠news of the potential interim deal in the Iran war.

The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes fell 2.8 basis points to ‌4.453%, from 4.481% late on Wednesday.

The 30-year bond yield fell 2.9 basis points to 4.9817% from 5.011% late on Wednesday.

The 2-year note yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations for the Federal Reserve, fell ​0.8 basis points to 4.025%, from 4.033% ​late on Wednesday.

The dollar edged lower in the wake of the largely disappointing economic data and the developments relating to ‌the Iran war.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, fell 0.27% to 99.02, with the euro up 0.19% at $1.1646.

Against the Japanese yen, the dollar weakened 0.18% to 159.23.

In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin fell 2.47% to $73,306.56. Ethereum declined 2.35% to $2,011.65.

Gold prices reversed earlier losses. Spot gold rose 0.9% to $4,497.35 an ounce. U.S. gold futures rose 1.04% to $4,494.60 an ounce.

Commodities Forex Market News Economic News Finance and Instruments

Related News

GLOBAL MARKETS-Wall Street advances, European stocks pare losses on reports of U.S.-Iran truce extension
2 hours ago

GLOBAL MARKETS-Wall Street advances, European stocks pare losses on reports of U.S.-Iran truce extension

* Crude drifts higher amid continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz

FTSE 100 snaps seven-day winning streak after US and Iran trade airstrikes 
4 hours ago

FTSE 100 snaps seven-day winning streak after US and Iran trade airstrikes 

* PPHE Hotel surges on £921 ​mln takeover ⁠proposal from Fattal Hotel Group

Market News Pphe Hotel + 2 more shares
European shares dip as Middle Eastern developments keep investors wary
4 hours ago

European shares dip as Middle Eastern developments keep investors wary

* Europe plans to prioritise satellite spectrum for domestic ​firms

Market News Soitec + 3 more shares