U.S. stock markets closed higher on Wednesday. At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average settled at 48,739, up 0.5 percent from the previous day. A few minutes earlier, the broader S&P 500 was around 6,870, up 0.8 percent, while the technology‑heavy Nasdaq 100 traded near 25,095, up 1.5 percent.
The gains were driven in part by renewed optimism among investors, sparked by a New York Times report that indicated agents of Iran’s intelligence service had signaled to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency a willingness to discuss an end to the war.
President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would have merchant ships escorted through the blocked Strait of Hormuz also seemed to reassure some market participants.
In currency markets, the euro strengthened in the evening: one euro bought 1.1638 U.S. dollars, meaning one dollar was worth 0.8593 euros.
Gold benefited noticeably, trading at $5,141 per troy ounce in the evening, a 1 percent rise that equates to €142.02 per gram.
Brent crude was higher at 81.60 USD per barrel at about 22:00 German time-20 cents, or 0.3 percent, more than the previous day’s close.
