U.S. stocks opened higher Monday, but the biggest numbers circulating early in the session came from social-media posts rather than an official market tally. The Macro Paper put the increase in market value at $470 billion and said the Nasdaq 100 was up 1.44%, while Crypto Rover gave a $460 billion estimate. Neither post explained its calculation, and the $10 billion difference was not resolved.
The closing picture was more measured. The Associated Press reported that the S&P 500 finished 0.4% higher and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1%. The Russell 2000 added 0.3%. AP said AI stocks recovered some of the previous week's losses, though most U.S. stocks outside AI and technology fell.
A possible breakthrough, not a confirmed deal
The market posts appeared alongside fresh speculation about U.S.–Iran diplomacy. The New Arab reported, citing senior sources familiar with the negotiations, that a breakthrough in mediation could be announced during the week. The outlet said Qatar and Pakistan were continuing diplomatic efforts, while the sources said negotiations were narrowing differences and encouraging mutual concessions.
That report did not amount to an announced agreement. A day earlier, Reuters reported that Iran's offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remained on the table, but negotiations had stalled because Washington had not addressed all seven of Tehran's conditions. Those conditions included lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, lifting sanctions on Iranian oil exports and ending hostilities across regional fronts.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the strait could reopen within six days if Washington accepted Tehran's terms, with talks resuming the next day. The United States, however, has insisted that Iran's nuclear program be addressed from the outset, while Tehran wants talks to focus first on reopening the waterway.
The timing placed the market rebound and the diplomatic report side by side, but the available reporting did not establish that the Iran story caused the rally. AP's closing account characterized the session as a technology-led recovery, and the broader market was mixed.
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