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Oil prices slipped toward $100 a barrel as Iran sent a new negotiation proposal to the United States via Pakistan, while Apple’s shares helped lift Wall Street to record levels.
On May 1, Brent crude closed down 2% at $108 a barrel. U.S. WTI crude fell 3% to $102.
The market declined after Iran’s state news agency IRNA said it had transmitted the latest negotiation proposal to the U.S. through Pakistan, a move viewed as breaking the deadlock in efforts to end the conflict.
President Donald Trump said the conflict with Iran had “ended,” adding that there had been no clashes between U.S. and Iranian forces since April 7, 2026. He cautioned, however, that the dispute may not be resolved and that Iran remains a significant threat to the United States and its military.
In U.S. equity markets, the S&P 500 rose 0.5% to close at a record 7,230. The Nasdaq Composite climbed nearly 0.9% to 25,114. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 0.3%.
Gains were led by Apple, which rose more than 3% after reporting first-quarter revenue and profit that beat expectations and signaling higher near-term revenue guidance.
For the month, both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq posted their strongest gains since 2020, while the Dow logged its best month since November 2024.
Optimistic quarterly earnings and expectations that Middle East tensions would ease have supported U.S. stocks in recent sessions, even as indices fell sharply at the outset of the conflict.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
