Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 13, 2026
4 min readLast updated: April 14, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleU.S. equities rose on April 13, 2026, buoyed by hopes for de‑escalation in the Middle East as the Iran talks failed to yield a peace deal. Investors focused on the start of Q1 earnings season, while the dollar eased and oil pulled back from earlier highs amid geopolitical instability.
By Stephen Culp
NEW YORK, April 13 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes rallied to close sharply higher on Monday as hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East helped investors look past the failed U.S.-Iran talks and focus on the start of first-quarter earnings season.
I will go into more detail on today's market moves below. If you have more time to read, here are a few articles I recommend to help you make sense of what happened.
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STOCKS: European stocks https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/european-shares-poised-open-lower-middle-east-talks-fail-2026-04-13/ close lower as Iran war weighs on sentiment, U.S. stocks https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/european-shares-poised-open-lower-middle-east-talks-fail-2026-04-13/ stage late-session rally on signs of progress in peace negotiations
Of the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500, nine closed higher, with financials and tech shares out front
FX: The dollar fades https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/dollar-strengthens-peace-talks-falter-us-blockade-irans-ports-begin-2026-04-12/ for sixth straight session as Strait of Hormuz blockade takes effect
BONDS: Benchmark U.S. Treasury yields edged lower in choppy trading
COMMODITIES/METALS: Oil https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-bounces-back-above-100-after-us-iran-talks-end-stalemate-2026-04-12/ pares gains to settle below $100 per barrel, gold moves nominally lower
COLUMN: Wall Street's earnings fantasies earnings%20fantasies may soon get harsh reality check
World stocks during Iran war
World stocks during Iran war
The U.S. military says it would block all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iran's ports 1. The%20U.S.%20military%20says%20it%20would%20block%20all%20maritime%20traffic%20entering%20and%20exiting%20Iran's%20portsCrude oil jumps back above $100 per barrel Crude%20oil%20jumps%20back%20above%20$100%20per%20barrelHungarian election winner Peter Magyar vows constitutional change, renewed EU ties 3. Hungarian%20election%20winner%20Peter%20Magyar%20vows%20constitutional%20change,%20renewed%20EU%20tiesGoldman Sachs beats quarterly profit expectations, but shares fall on fixed income weakness 4. Goldman%20Sachs%20beats%20quarterly%20profit%20expectations,%20but%20shares%20fall%20on%20fixed%20income%20weaknessPope Leo tells Reuters he plans to continue speaking out against war after Trump's attack 5. Pope%20Leo%20tells%20Reuters%20he%20plans%20to%20continue%20speaking%20out%20against%20war%20after%20Trump's%20attack
* Are AI disruption fears overplayed?
The S&P 500 software & services index has taken a beating of late, falling 23.5% so far this year on fears that artificial intelligence technology could cause major disruption in this group of stocks, which includes Oracle, Salesforce and Intuit, among others.
But the index was among Monday's clear outperformers, rising 4.6% by the closing bell.
* Earnings
First-quarter earnings season begins in earnest this week, with big banks taking the spotlight.
Analysts now expect aggregate year-on-year S&P 500 earnings growth of 13.9%, down from a forecast of 14.4% on April 1, according to LSEG data.
* Inflation/gasoline prices
President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that the price of oil and gasoline could remain elevated gasoline%20could%20remain%20elevated through the midterm election as a result of his decision to attack Iran.
In Friday's consumer sentiment press release, Joanne Hsu, Director of Consumer Surveys for the University of Michigan, flagged spiking gasoline prices as one contributing factor that weighed the index to a record low.
Developments in the Middle East
U.S. producer prices (March)
U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers scheduled to speak: Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, Fed Governor Michael Barr, Boston Fed President Susan Collins, Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin, Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson
JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo post Q1 results
Japan Industrial output (February)
India WPI inflation (March)
March CPI reports for Finland, Sweden, Spain, others
South Korea international trade (March)
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(By Stephen Culp; Editing by Nia Williams)
US stocks rallied on hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East, helping investors focus on upcoming first-quarter earnings season despite failed US-Iran talks.
Financials and tech shares led the gains among the major sectors in the S&P 500, with most sectors closing higher.
The US dollar dipped for a sixth straight session as concerns over a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz impacted sentiment.
Oil pared its gains to settle below $100 per barrel, while gold moved nominally lower amid financial market volatility.
First-quarter earnings season begins this week, with analysts expecting 13.9% year-on-year S&P 500 earnings growth, slightly down from earlier forecasts.
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