U.S. Stocks Stabilize as Oil Retreats on Peace Talk Hopes

By Anvee Bhutani

U.S. stocks steadied Friday and oil pulled back from the prior session's $100-a-barrel peak on reports that Pakistan and Iran were exploring a path toward new talks with the U.S., offering investors a measure of relief after a turbulent week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 235.60 points, or 0.46%, to 51947.25. The S&P 500 gained 3.68 points, or 0.05%, to 7411.98, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 161.87 points, or 0.64%, to 24975.82. According to preliminary data, there were 1639 advancing issues and 1052 declining issues on the NYSE.

Brent crude fell about 3.9% to around $96.78 a barrel, pulling back after Thursday's surge past $100. Traders also locked in profits after a week of sharp gains, even as President Trump told Axios he was considering an attack on Iran that would be "bigger than ever before." The retreat eased pressure on bond yields, which had jumped sharply this week as surging energy prices revived inflation fears.

Write to Anvee Bhutani at anvee.bhutani@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 24, 2026 16:10 ET (20:10 GMT)