Skip to main content

How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday 4/1/2026

Stocks rushed higher worldwide, and oil prices eased as hopes built that the war with Iran could end soon. That’s even though some of the signals investors saw as hopeful on Wednesday are already under dispute.

The S&P 500 rose 0.7% and added to its leap from the day before, which was its best since last spring. That followed even bigger gains for markets across Europe and Asia, including an 8.4% surge in South Korea, which were catching up to Wall Street’s rally from Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.2%.

On Wednesday:

The S&P 500 rose 46.80 points, or 0.7%, to 6,575.32.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 224.23 points, or 0.5%, to 46,565.74.

The Nasdaq composite rose 250.32 points, or 1.2%, to 21,840.95.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 15.99 points, or 0.6% to 2,512.37.

For the week:

The S&P 500 is up 206.47 points, or 3.2%.

The Dow is up 1,399.10 points, or 3.1%.

The Nasdaq is up 892.59 points, or 4.3%.

The Russell 2000 is up 62.67 points, or 2.6%.

For the year:

The S&P 500 is down 270.18 points, or 3.9%.

The Dow is down 1,497.55 points, or 3.1%.

The Nasdaq is down 1,401.04 points, or 6%.

The Russell 2000 is up 30.46 points, or 1.2%.

Hungary’s Orbán has long annoyed the European Union. Now some hope he faces defeat

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary 's elections on April 12 will have profound aftershocks as many in the European Union hope for the defeat of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is widely seen as endangering the future of the 27-nation bloc. Orbán, the EU's longest-serving leader, has trailed in the polls. His 16-year grip on power has tested the EU system of governance meant to ensure peace through economic and political integration after the ravages of the world wars. His rival Péter Magyar told The Associated Press he would repair Hungary's relationship with the EU if elected. The bloc is grappling with enormous threats: the rise of right-wing populism, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Russian sabotage efforts, Chinese economic expansion and a White House that is upending decades of transatlantic cooperation. But Orbán's vetoes have limited EU responses. Lawmakers and analysts say he has used his right of veto and a deep understanding of how the bloc disperses funding to entrench his power and gain outsize influence by blocking decision-making to extract concessions.
Read Next Story