U.S. stocks extended their mid-week rebound on Wednesday, with all three major indexes advancing as crude oil prices retreated sharply on reports that Washington is pursuing diplomatic talks with Tehran — even as Iranian officials formally denied any progress. Reports that the U.S. had delivered Iran a 15-point proposal and was seeking a one-month ceasefire to facilitate talks proved sufficient to spark a broad-based relief bid across equities. WTI crude declined 3% to $89.62 per barrel, recovering slightly from overnight lows near $86.50, while Brent crude fell 3.3% to $101.04. The S&P 500 gained 0.7% to 6,599, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 344 points, or 0.8%, to 46,468. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained nearly 200 points to 24,200, up 0.8%. The Russell 2000 outperformed, rising 1.2%, eyeing its third straight session of gains. Across U.S. equity markets by midday Wednesday, gains were broad-based. Ten of eleven S&P 500 sectors advanced, with Financials the lone exception, slipping marginally into the red. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note retreated to 4.32%, shedding around 5 basis points from Tuesday’s close, as bond markets recalibrated their inflation assumptions in response to the pullback in oil. The 2-year yield eased to 3.88%, while the 30-year note slipped to 4.89%. Wednesday’s Performance In Major US Indices According to the Benzinga Pro platform: Gold Miners Glitter, Chip Stocks Surge As Iran Optimism Reshapes Wednesday’s Winners The only sector in the red was the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLF), which edged 0.1% lower. Among industry ETFs, the VanEck Gold Miners (NYSE:GDX) surged 3.8% as bullion’s advance lifted producers across the board. Wednesday’s Russell 1000 Top Gainers Wednesday’s Russell 1000 Top Losers Image: Shutterstock © 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.
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U.S. diesel prices reached a reported record average of $5.85 per gallon this Friday, with officials attributing the spike to ongoing conflicts with Iran disrupting global fuel supplies. Analysts suggest these increases may lead to higher transportation and consumer costs, while regular gasoline also rose to an average of $4.
15 per gallon, up from $3.20 a year prior.
According to unverified accounts provided by a relative, Valivade served as a refuge for approximately 5,000 Polish refugees between 1942 and 1948, a period marked by the displacement of civilians following the 1939 invasion of Poland. The source claims that individual survivors, including a girl reportedly disguised to avoid danger, found temporary stability at the settlement, which is locally known as "Drugi Dom.
The United States and Israel have reportedly engaged in a regional conflict with Iran for nearly six months, during which Strait of Hormuz oil transit has remained significantly below prewar levels of 20 million barrels per day, despite U.S. officials claiming Navy escort operations.
Although the Strait typically facilitates over 20% of global energy trade, analysts suggest that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may continue to restrict normal transit even if diplomatic agreements are reached. Current tensions have escalated following the expiration of a reported 60-day ceasefire, prompting the U.
S. to announce new economic isolation measures while hostilities appear to have resumed.
Sudan’s civil war, which has persisted for nearly four years, has reportedly displaced over 13 million people and caused significant famine, with casualty estimates suggesting approximately 59,000 deaths. Recent U.S. officials have highlighted the severity of the humanitarian crisis, noting that two-thirds of the population requires aid, while reports from the UN Security Council indicate that armed drones have been responsible for the majority of recorded civilian deaths in the first half of the year.