U.S. Stocks Surge on Iran's Strait of Hormuz Reopening and Ceasefire U.S. stock markets experienced a significant rally on Friday, April 17, 2026, as geopolitical tensions eased following Iran’s declaration that the Strait of Hormuz was “completely open” for commercial vessels. This announcement came after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which took effect on Thursday. The decision to reopen the critical waterway, a major oil transit route, led to sharp declines in oil prices and drove major indices to record highs. The S&P 500 closed up 1.2% at 7,126.06, crossing the 7,100 threshold for the first time. The Nasdaq Composite gained 1.52%, ending at 24,468.48, marking its 13th consecutive day of gains and the longest positive streak since 1992. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1.79%, or 868.71 points, to 49,447.43, while the Russell 2000 small-cap index also reached a new high. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced the strait’s reopening in a post on X, stating that the measure aligned with the ceasefire in Lebanon. The move was praised by U.S. President Donald Trump, who tweeted that Iran had agreed to keep the strait open permanently and that the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place until a peace agreement was reached. However, Iran’s Tasnim news agency noted that ships linked to hostile nations would be excluded, and the strait could be closed if the U.S. blockade persisted. Oil prices plummeted as fears of supply disruptions eased. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures dropped nearly 12% to $83.85 per barrel, while Brent crude fell 9% to $90.38.#strait_of_hormuz #us_president_donald_trump #us_stock_markets #iranian_foreign_minister_seyed_abbas_araghchi #ceasefire_israel_lebanon
