S&P 500, Nasdaq nab record closing highs, WTI crude falls on hopes for Iran peace deal

By Stephen Culp

NEW YORK, May 26 (Reuters) – The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq advanced on Tuesday, parting ways with their European counterparts, and falling West Texas Intermediate crude prices diverged from spiking Brent oil prices as investors weighed optimism over an imminent U.S.-Iran peace ‌deal against risks the tenuous ceasefire could collapse.

Tech shares, lifted by surging chip stocks, put the Nasdaq out front, while the S&P 500’s ‌gains were more modest. The blue-chip Dow was in negative territory.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq clinched all-time closing highs.

“WTI is down, but Brent is up, gold is down, but silver is slightly higher, the Dow is down, but the S&P and Nasdaq are up,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist of CFRA Research in New York. “It’s almost like the asset classes are diversifying by being a little long in one and short in the other, which indicates to me that the market’s not really sure what should happen.”

“If we do get a true agreement between the U.S. and Iran, then I think the market is ready to take off,” Stovall added.

The fragile truce between the United ‌States and Iran was imperilled after the U.S. conducted ⁠what it called defensive strikes, which Iran called a “gross violation” of the seven-week-old ceasefire. Even so, both sides indicated progress toward an agreement that would stop the war and resume shipping through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. CONSUMER SENTIMENT DARKENS

Economic data ⁠on Tuesday showed the mood of the American consumer, whose spending accounts for 70% of the U.S. economy, darkened slightly in May amid mounting inflation concerns.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 117.29 points, or 0.23%, to 50,462.41, the S&P 500 rose 45.92 points, or 0.61%, to 7,519.39 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 312.21 points, or 1.19%, to 26,656.18.

European shares dipped on fears that the U.S. missile strikes in southern Iran could disrupt peace negotiations and extend the Strait of Hormuz blockade, which sent Brent ‌crude prices higher and fueled inflation worries.

Investors were also weighing comments from European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel, who said the central bank should hike rates in June, even if a U.S.-Iran peace deal is reached.

MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe rose 3.32 points, or 0.3%, to 1,121.47.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.57%, while Europe’s broad FTSEurofirst 300 index fell 15.66 points, or 0.62%.

Brent crude prices spiked after settling 7% lower in the previous session. In contrast, U.S. WTI oil slid from Friday’s close. There was no WTI settlement on Monday due to the Memorial Day holiday.