US stocks moved higher on Tuesday, the final trading day of the first half of 2026. The Dow Jones Industrial Average held steady after closing above 52,000 for the first time the day before. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also gained ground.
The Nasdaq led the pack. The tech-heavy index rose after trading flat at the open, then climbed as investors rebalanced portfolios ahead of quarter-end.
Tech stocks have been the biggest story of the year. Chip companies have seen prices surge more than 100% over the past six months.
That rally has powered much of the broader market’s gains. Industrials and materials also moved higher Tuesday, while real estate, health care, and consumer staples lagged behind.
Investors were also reacting to a Supreme Court ruling that kept the Federal Reserve’s independence intact for now. That decision removed one source of uncertainty heading into the back half of the year.
There’s also hope for diplomacy in the Middle East. Potential talks between the United States and Iran were set to begin in Qatar on Tuesday, easing some geopolitical tension that had been weighing on markets.
Oil prices fell as fears of a supply shortage faded. Flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route, have recovered faster than expected.
That shift moved the conversation from a possible shortage to talk of an oversupply. Brent crude traded near 74 dollars a barrel, while US crude sat just above 71 dollars. Both benchmarks were on pace for a quarterly decline.
The US dollar kept climbing against other currencies. Its strength pushed the Japanese yen to its lowest level in 40 years, raising the chance that Japan could step in to support its currency.
Analysts at HSBC said the dollar’s rise could speed up if the Federal Reserve signals it may raise interest rates further. That warning added a layer of caution to an otherwise positive day for stocks.
On the economic data front, a report on job openings for May came in better than expected. The hiring rate, however, stayed low.
That mixed signal will likely factor into expectations for the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates. Investors are now looking ahead to Thursday’s jobs report for June, which could shape rate expectations further.
In corporate news, Nike was set to report quarterly results on Tuesday. The sportswear company is facing a difficult stretch as it works through inventory and demand challenges.
As the session continued, the Dow traded near 52,300, up about 0.2% on the day. The S&P 500 sat near 7,470, a gain of roughly 0.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite was near 26,034, reflecting the day’s strongest performance among the three indexes.
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