S&P 500 Surges Past 7,000 Milestone as Nasdaq Extends Winning Streak on Ceasefire Optimism

Key Highlights

Table of Contents

S&P 500 made history by closing above the 7,000 threshold for the first time
Nasdaq achieved its longest winning run in over three years with 11 consecutive gains
Diplomatic progress toward extending the US-Iran ceasefire is bolstering market sentiment
Strong quarterly results from Bank of America and Morgan Stanley provided additional momentum
Thursday’s earnings calendar features Netflix, PepsiCo, and Charles Schwab

American equity futures traded in positive territory Thursday morning following an exceptional Wednesday session that propelled the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to unprecedented closing levels.

For the first time ever, the S&P 500 settlement price exceeded 7,000 points. The Nasdaq surpassed 24,000 while extending its consecutive daily gain streak to 11 sessions—the longest such run observed since late 2021.

In pre-market activity Thursday, S&P 500 futures advanced 0.1%. Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.2%. Dow Jones futures registered a modest increase of less than 0.1%.

Investor enthusiasm stems primarily from increasing confidence that Washington and Tehran will agree to extend their existing 14-day ceasefire agreement beyond its April 22 expiration date.

BREAKING: The US and Iran are weighing extending their ceasefire by two more weeks.
President Trump also says the Iran War is "very close to over."
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) April 15, 2026

Reports indicate both nations are participating in indirect diplomatic discussions. Karoline Levitt, White House press secretary, acknowledged Wednesday that the United States remains “very much engaged in these negotiations.”

Factors Fueling Market Momentum

Technology shares spearheaded Wednesday’s advance, enabling the Nasdaq to outperform other major indices. Encouraging earnings reports from Bank of America and Morgan Stanley further reinforced investor optimism.

Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management, noted the rally rests on solid ground.

“The underlying fundamentals are strong enough to support this bull market and it appears that both sides want this war to end,” he said.

He observed that market participants are positioning themselves now in anticipation of a diplomatic breakthrough, while recognizing the possibility that hostilities could resume.

Upcoming Corporate Reports and Economic Indicators

Thursday’s corporate earnings slate includes major announcements from Netflix, PepsiCo, and Charles Schwab.

Economic releases scheduled for the day include weekly initial jobless claims figures and the March reading for industrial production.

Oil prices remained buoyant despite ceasefire developments. Brent crude advanced 0.6% to reach $95.54 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate gained 0.7% to settle at $91.97 per barrel.

The US dollar held steady versus a basket of global currencies. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield declined one basis point to 4.27%.

Thursday morning’s jobless claims report revealed a slight decrease from the previous week’s level.

The greenback strengthened later in the session as ambiguity surrounding the precise timeline of US-Iran negotiations increased, market observers noted.

Treasury yields predominantly declined on tentative optimism regarding a possible Middle Eastern peace agreement.

During early Thursday trading hours, E-Mini S&P 500 futures stood at 7,070, while E-Mini Nasdaq 100 futures were positioned at 26,414.