Markets News, March 4, 2026: Major Indexes Close Higher as Stocks Rebound from Sell-Off; Bitcoin, Crypto-Tied Shares Soar

Major stock indexes ended sharply higher Wednesday as investors’ concerns about the conflict in the Middle East dissipated.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq, benchmark S&P 500, and blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up a respective 1.3%, 0.8%, and 0.5%, with the Dow snapping a three-session skid.

In a wild session yesterday, the three indexes finished lower, with the Dow shedding 400 points but recouping most of an early 1,250-point decline.

Markets had been volatile since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran over the weekend, killing its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and Iran retaliated against Israel and U.S. interests in several countries across the region.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures, the U.S. benchmark, rose 0.8% to $75.15 a barrel at 4 p.m. ET after surging the past two sessions. On Monday, Reuters reported that Iranian state media said the nation claimed the important strait was closed and it would set fire to any ship trying to pass, while yesterday President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social network that “if necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible.”

“Policymakers will be monitoring the effects of higher oil prices on inflation (the risk is that persistently higher oil drives higher inflation expectations),” Gabelli Funds Portfolio Manager John Belton said. “Consumers and businesses could temporarily pause consumption and investment plans while the conflict unfolds. The range of outcomes has widened and it will likely take the market some time to understand the full implications of what is unfolding.”

Amazon (AMZN) stock rose nearly 4% to lead the Dow. Most of the other Magnificent Seven stocks were higher, with Tesla (TSLA) and Nvidia (NVDA) ending up 3.4% and 1.6%, respectively.

Government contractor Palantir Technologies (PLTR) was up 4% after surging more than 7% over the first two trading days this week.

Shares of Broadcom (AVGO), which reports quarterly results after markets close today, rose more than 1%. Moderna (MRNA) soared 16% after the firm settled a COVID-19 vaccine patent dispute for $2.25 billion. In post-earnings moves, shares of Ross Stores (ROST) surged 8%, Box (BOX) jumped 10%, and GitLab (GTLB) sank 6%.

Bitcoin, which sank to as low as $63,000 in the immediate aftermath of the attacks on Iran on Saturday, was trading around $73,500, up sharply from overnight lows around $67,400. Shares of cryptocurrency-tied stocks Strategy (MSTR), Coinbase Global (COIN), and Robinhood Markets (HOOD) were up between 8% and 15%.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which affects interest rates on all sorts of consumer loans, ticked higher to near 4.09% from Tuesday’s close around 4.07%. The yield had ended last week at 3.95%

Gold futures added 0.6% to $5,155 an ounce, and silver futures edged up to $83.60 an ounce. The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the value of the greenback against a basket of currencies, was 0.3% lower at 98.74.

Earlier Wednesday, South Korea’s Kospi index plunged 12%, its worst one-day decline ever, with steep losses recorded by companies like Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Hyundai Motor. Shipper Pan Ocean shares plummeted 17% amid tanker issues navigating the Strait of Hormuz.