Alain’s Holdings

Symbol	Name	Price	Change	Change %
VOO	Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	653.90	+6.65	+1.03%
QQQ	Invesco QQQ Trust	655.11	+10.78	+1.67%
XIU.TO	iShares S&P/TSX 60 ETF	49.99	+0.11	+0.22%
VRT	Vertiv Holdings Co.	305.14	-7.30	-2.34%

The S&P 500 gained 1.05% to finish at 7,137.90, while
the Nasdaq Composite surged 1.64% to settle at 24,657.57 — hitting a new all-time intraday high during the session.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 340.65 points, or 0.69%, to close at 49,490.03.

The Big Story: Ceasefire Extended, Markets Rebound

Stocks rallied after President Donald Trump extended the U.S. ceasefire with Iran indefinitely — just one day before it was set to expire — as a new round of peace talks remained on hold. The announcement, made shortly after Tuesday’s close, set a positive tone for the entire session.

Pakistan had planned to host a second round of negotiations, but the White House suspended Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Islamabad after Iran rebuffed efforts to restart talks. Meanwhile, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard attacked three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tech and industrial stocks led the rally, with AI infrastructure names posting notable gains. Oil prices remained elevated near $101 per barrel amid the ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

Vertiv Holdings Co. (NYSE: VRT) — Q1 2026 Earnings

Vertiv delivered a strong quarter that beat across the board — but soft near-term guidance pressured the stock.

The Numbers: Vertiv reported Q1 net sales of $2.65 billion, up 30% year-over-year, driven by 23% organic sales growth, a 4% contribution from acquisitions, and a 3% favorable currency translation impact. The Americas region led with 44% organic growth on strong data center demand.

Adjusted operating margin came in at 20.8%, up 430 basis points year-over-year, while adjusted diluted EPS grew 83% to $1.17 — exceeding guidance by $0.19. Adjusted free cash flow surged 147% to $653 million.

Guidance Raised — But Q2 Light: The Columbus, Ohio-based company raised its full-year 2026 outlook, projecting organic net sales growth of 29%–31% and net sales of $13.5–$14 billion. On an adjusted EPS basis, the company guided for $6.30–$6.40 for the year, ahead of Wall Street estimates. However, Q2 adjusted EPS guidance of $1.37–$1.43 came in at the low end of the Street’s $1.43 midpoint estimate, which appeared to weigh on the stock.

Stock Reaction: VRT shares fell approximately 3% on the day, despite the Q1 beat and raised full-year guidance, as investors were disappointed by the lighter-than-expected Q2 profit outlook. CEO Giordano Albertazzi noted that U.S. AI data center buildouts could continue to boost Vertiv over time, as higher infrastructure density and faster deployment drive demand for its equipment.

Other Earnings Highlights

GE Vernova (GEV): Shares of GE Vernova popped 13.18% after Q1 revenue of $9.34 billion topped the $9.25 billion estimate. The company continues to benefit from surging power demand tied to AI data centers, onshoring manufacturing, and growth in chip fabrication facilities.

Tesla (TSLA): Tesla reported revenue of $22.39 billion (vs. $22.08 billion expected), adjusted EPS of $0.41 (vs. $0.35 expected), and a gross margin of 21.7% — well above the 17.7% estimate. The company highlighted the expansion of its Robotaxi service to parts of Dallas and Houston, with Cybercab, Tesla Semi, and Megapack battery production all reported on schedule.

United Airlines (UAL): United Airlines dropped 5.63% after cutting its full-year profit forecast due to soaring jet fuel prices, underperforming the S&P 500’s 0.88% gain.

Broader Context

Despite risks surrounding the Iran conflict, artificial intelligence, and delayed Fed rate cuts, Wall Street analysts have remained broadly optimistic. According to FactSet, analysts expect the S&P 500 to report its sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit earnings growth. Next week’s “Super Week” — featuring Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta — will be a critical test of that thesis.

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