Alain’s Holdings
| Symbol | Name | Price | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VOO | Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 674.66 | +9.39 | +1.41% |
| QQQ | Invesco QQQ Trust | 695.77 | +14.16 | +2.08% |
| XIU.TO | iShares S&P/TSX 60 ETF | 49.99 | +0.39 | +0.79% |
| VRT | Vertiv Holdings Co. | 358.92 | +17.89 | +5.25% |
The Dow Knocks on 50,000. Iran Deal Looms. Chips & Disney Steal the Show.
Wednesday was one of the most explosive sessions of 2026. A potential U.S.–Iran deal sent oil crashing below $100, AMD surged 17% carrying the entire chip sector with it, and Disney delivered a standout quarter under its new CEO. Every major index hit fresh records. The Dow flirted with the psychologically massive 50,000 mark — closing just 90 points away.
The S&P 500 advanced 1.46% to 7,365.12, while
the Nasdaq Composite gained 2.02% and ended at 25,838.94 — both closing at all-time records.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 612.34 points, or 1.24%, to close at 49,910.59.
The Russell 2000 also set a record, rising 1.52% to 2,888.24. CNBC
🕊️ The Big Story: U.S. and Iran Inches Away from a Deal
The White House believes it is getting close to an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the conflict and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations, according to an Axios report citing two U.S. officials. The U.S. expects Iranian responses on several key points within 48 hours, though nothing has been agreed yet.
Stocks climbed around the world, joining gains in bonds as oil retreated on the peace hopes. From New York to London and Tokyo, stronger risk appetite drove global shares toward record highs. U.S. crude fell below $100, easing inflation expectations. Treasury yields slipped as bets on a Federal Reserve rate hike receded. Equityclock
WTI crude fell nearly 7% to $95.19 — its first close below $100 in weeks. The S&P Energy sector fell over 4%, the session’s only sour note in an otherwise euphoric market. Charles Schwab
💻 AMD Rips +17%: Lisa Su Explains the Demand Surge
AMD jumped 17% in pre-market and held those gains through the session. CEO Lisa Su told CNBC that her massive forecast revision was driven by demand surging for CPUs led by the growth of agentic AI. “Agents are really driving tremendous demand in the overall AI adoption cycle, and we’re very excited to be in the middle of it,” Su said.
AMD’s partnership with Meta is set to see the deployment of 6 gigawatts of Instinct GPUs. The stock is up more than 50% in 2026 alone, on track for its fourth straight winning year. MSN
🖥️ Supermicro Explodes +24.5%
Semiconductor names rallied hard after Supermicro Computer jumped 24.5% on strong earnings, buoying industry peers like Nvidia (+5.5%), Intel (+4.22%), and the broader chip complex. The AI infrastructure trade is running at full speed — not walking. Equityclock
🏰 Disney’s First Report Under New CEO: A Clean Beat
Disney reported revenue of $25.17 billion — up 7% — beating the $24.85 billion consensus. Adjusted EPS came in at $1.57, up 8% and above the $1.50 expected. Streaming operating income soared 88% to $582 million, pushing streaming margins to a double-digit 10.6% for the first time.
Disney’s Experiences segment posted record fiscal Q2 results, with revenue up 7% to $9.49 billion and operating income up 5% to $2.62 billion. Though domestic park attendance dipped 1%, guest spending per visit rose 5%. 24/7 Wall St.
Disney raised its full-year share repurchase target to at least $8 billion (up from $7 billion) and guided to 12% adjusted EPS growth in fiscal 2026, with double-digit growth targeted for 2027. New CEO Josh D’Amaro unveiled a three-pillar strategy centered on intellectual property, expanded consumer reach, and advanced technology storytelling. Shares jumped 7–8%. 24/7 Wall St.Yahoo Finance
📊 Corning Soars on Nvidia Partnership
Nvidia is partnering with glassmaker Corning for three new advanced manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas dedicated to optical technologies. The factories will create at least 3,000 jobs and increase Corning’s U.S. optical manufacturing capacity by 10-fold. Corning shares soared 17% on the news.
💳 Visa Drops a Historic Quarter
Visa reported excellent Q2 2026 earnings. Global payments volume jumped 9% to $3.7 trillion. Revenue grew 17% year-over-year to $11.2 billion. EPS grew 20% to $3.31. Visa bought back $7.9 billion of its own shares — the largest buyback in company history. Visa is now working to become the connector between stablecoins/blockchain and the real economy, supporting 160 stablecoin-linked card programs globally.
### 🏆 Today’s Notable Winners MSN
- 🟢 AMD (AMD) +17.77% — Agentic AI driving demand; CEO Lisa Su calls it “a structural shift”
- 🟢 Supermicro (SMCI) +24.5% — Blowout earnings; AI server demand surging Equityclock
- 🟢 Nvidia (NVDA) +5.5% — Rides AMD wave; Corning optical partnership announced Equityclock
- 🟢 Disney (DIS) +7–8% — Streaming profit +88%; new CEO delivers on debut report Equityclock
- 🟢 Corning (GLW) +17% — Nvidia optical manufacturing partnership
- 🟢 Upstart (UPST) +8% — Revenue +44% to $308M; loan originations surged 61% CNBC
- 🟢 Walt Disney (DIS) leads Dow alongside Nvidia (+3.97%) and Sherwin-Williams (+3.28%) MSN
📉 Today’s Notable Losers TheStreet
- 🔴 S&P Energy sector -4.2% — Oil crashing below $100 crushed energy stocks across the board
- 🔴 Kyndryl (KD) -12% — Announced major workforce reduction; FY2027 profit guidance missed the $0.45 estimate by a mile at just $0.18 per share Equityclock
- 🔴 SharkNinja (SN) -5% — Beat on revenue and EPS but gross margin missed; elevated expectations punished the stock MSN
- 🔴 Utilities sector -1.4% — Lower oil and falling yields squeezed defensive plays MSN
🔭 What’s Next
Private sector job creation was stronger than expected in April, providing more evidence of a stable labor market and less incentive for the Fed to lower rates amid persistently high inflation. The April Nonfarm Payrolls report drops Friday — the macro wildcard that will either validate the soft-landing narrative or rattle it. Also: Uber and Airbnb both reported after the bell tonight, and the market will be watching for any official word on the U.S.–Iran memorandum in the next 48 hours. CNBC
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