Daily News
Nasdaq Hits Historic Win Streak as Lebanon Ceasefire Sparks Cautious Optimism
17 April 2026
Today in Brief
The S&P 500 reached new records and the Nasdaq secured its longest winning run since 2009 following a 10-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
Despite diplomatic breakthroughs, global markets remain wary of inflation as energy costs threaten airline restructurings and the BOJ maintains an accommodative stance.
Asia markets mostly fall as fragile Middle East ceasefire tempers sentiment
Asia-Pacific markets opened lower Friday, as cautious optimism over the Middle East conflict tempered sentiment, diverging from Wall Street’s record-setting rally. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that the war in Iran “should be ending pretty soon,” reiterating rosy predictions about the end of the conflict. Hours earlier, Trump confirmed that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, starting at 5 p.m. ET. Iran’s parliament speaker has said that Israel halting attacks on Lebanon is a key condition for U.S.-Iran negotiations to start.
S&P 500 posts new record close, Nasdaq notches longest win streak since 2009
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rose to fresh all-time highs on Thursday, adding to their strong gains this week on optimism for a possible resolution to the Iran war. The broad market index gained 0.26% to close at 7,041.28, while the Nasdaq gained 0.36% to settle at 24,102.70. The tech-heavy index posted its 12th consecutive positive session, notching its longest winning run since 2009. Both averages logged intraday and closing records. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 115 points, or 0.24%, and ended at 48,578.72. This week, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have risen 3.3% and 5.2%, respectively, while the Dow has advanced more than 1%.
Gold held steady near $4,800 an ounce on Friday and was on track for a fourth consecutive weekly advance
Gold held steady near $4,800 an ounce on Friday and was on track for a fourth consecutive weekly advance, as prospects for a permanent ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran help ease concerns over inflation and central bank rate hikes. President Donald Trump said Tehran had agreed to terms including abandoning ambitions for a nuclear weapon, supplying “free oil,” and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, although Iranian officials have yet to verify these claims. Despite this, the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed under a dual blockade, while IMF Executive Director Fatih Birol cautioned that restoring a meaningful portion of disrupted oil and gas output could take up to two years.
WTI crude futures slipped toward $93 per barrel on Friday, trimming gains from the previous session
WTI crude futures slipped toward $93 per barrel on Friday, trimming gains from the previous session after US President Donald Trump voiced optimism about a possible agreement to end the conflict with Iran. He said Tehran had accepted terms that include abandoning ambitions for a nuclear weapon, providing “free oil,” and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, though Iranian authorities have yet to confirm the claims. Trump also announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which was confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed due to a dual blockade by the US and Iran, keeping markets on edge over further disruptions to global energy flows.
Trump says war in Iran is going ‘swimmingly’ and ‘should be ending pretty soon’
President Donald Trump on Thursday said that “the war in Iran is going along swimmingly.” “It should be ending pretty soon,” Trump said at an event in Las Vegas, echoing similarly rosy predictions about the end of the war that he has made since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. “It was perfect. It’s perfect. It was the power we have,” the president said. “We had the most powerful military anywhere in the world.” The president’s appearance was to promote his “no tax on tips” policy, which eliminated the federal income tax on tip-based wages for many workers. Hours earlier, Trump said that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire. Iran has complained about Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon during its own 10-day ceasefire with the United States.
Israel and Lebanon agree to 10-day ceasefire, Trump says
The leaders of Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire after officials from the two countries met in Washington, President Donald Trump said Thursday. The temporary truce will start at 5 p.m. ET, Trump said in a Truth Social post. In a follow-up, Trump added that he will be inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon to the White House “for the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, a very long time ago.” “Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!” Trump wrote.
BOJ chief avoids hints of April rate hike, shattering hawkish market bets
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda steered clear of signalling a rate hike was on the cards this month, instead highlighting the country’s low real interest rates and robust corporate profits, heightening the chance it will hold fire at least until June. Japan is facing rising inflation from a "negative supply shock," which is more difficult to rein in with monetary policy than inflation driven by strong demand, Ueda said. The best approach to such a shock would vary from country to country, Ueda told a press conference after attending the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings in Washington. "Having said that, I would note that Japan’s real interest rate is currently low up to the medium-term zone of the yield curve," Ueda said. "We must also take into account the fact Japan’s financial environment is accommodative."
Fed’s Miran may scale back rate-cut outlook again due to ’less favorable’ inflation developments
Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran, by far the U.S. central bank’s most aggressive advocate for fast and immediate interest rate cuts, said on Thursday he may again scale back the pace at which he thinks rates should fall because inflation is proving more persistent than expected. Miran, in comments at an economic forum in Washington, said he thought U.S. inflation dynamics had become "a little bit less favorable" even before the U.S. war with Iran pushed up the global price of oil, and he dropped his rate outlook at last month’s policy meeting from an aggressive six cuts by the end of 2026 to just four. With a key measure of U.S. price increases expected to hit 3.2% as of March, versus the Fed’s 2% target, "I might have three (rate cuts), I might have four, I haven’t made up my mind," Miran said, noting that while he still expects the Fed to hit its inflation target next year, the Iran war had reshaped the risks around the outlook.
Netflix stock sinks after streamer reiterates guidance, says Reed Hastings to exit board
Netflix shares fell 9% in extended trading on Thursday after the streaming giant released its first-quarter earnings report and announced a key governance change. The company beat Wall Street expectations for revenue, reporting $12.25 billion for the first quarter, above the $12.18 billion expected by analysts polled by LSEG and 16% higher than the $10.54 billion it reported in the year-ago quarter. Thursday marked the company’s first earnings report since it walked away from its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming and film assets in February. Hastings stepped down from his CEO role in 2023. Greg Peters, who had served as chief operating officer, stepped into the co-CEO role alongside Ted Sarandos.
Boeing unveils satellite platform, targets 26 deliveries in 2026
Boeing and its unit Millennium Space Systems are working together to expand production capacity and launch a new satellite platform as they look to fulfill a growing backlog of orders, the aerospace firms said on Thursday. Boeing is targeting 26 satellite deliveries in 2026, up from just four in 2025. The company is looking to tap increasing reliance on satellite infrastructure from defense and internet connectivity sectors. The new mid-class satellite platform, Resolute, will address missions that require "more capability than a traditional small satellite can provide, with greater speed and flexibility than a typical large satellite program," Boeing said in a release. Boeing said it will invest in integrating its products with that of Millennium’s to boost production.
Drone maker AEVEX raises $320 million in US IPO
Drone maker AEVEX said on Thursday that it had raised $320 million in its U.S. initial public offering after pricing shares at $20 each. The Solana Beach, California-based company sold 16 million shares within its indicated price range of $18 to $21 apiece. Defence‑linked companies are scrambling to raise funds in equity markets, capitalising on investor appetite sharpened by the Middle East conflict and rising defence spending. Companies such as AEVEX are now finding a more receptive audience among institutional investors looking for hedges against global instability. The war in Ukraine has underscored the crucial role of unmanned systems, with warfare increasingly moving toward drones. Roughly 4 million drones were produced in Ukraine alone in 2025, according to AEVEX’s prospectus. Shares of aerospace parts maker Arxis rose 36% in their Nasdaq debut on Thursday.
Fuel surge threatens Spirit Airlines bankruptcy exit, raises liquidation risk
Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy exit plan is under renewed pressure after a sharp rise in jet fuel prices undermined key assumptions behind its restructuring. The ultra-low-cost carrier built its turnaround on fuel costs averaging about $2.24 per gallon in 2026 and $2.14 in 2027, based on its March disclosures. By mid-April, jet fuel prices were around $4.24 a gallon, roughly double the level assumed in its projections. J.P. Morgan estimates that if fuel stays near current elevated levels, Spirit’s forecast 2026 operating margin could deteriorate to about negative 20%, from the 0.5% margin the airline assumed in its restructuring plan. That would add about $360 million in incremental costs, more than the airline’s year-end unrestricted cash, according to the bank. Spirit has already flagged the risk.
