Trump criticizes Iran's response to peace plan as "unacceptable," U.S. stock rally stalls

Odaily reported that the overall U.S. stock market lacks clear direction, but strong corporate earnings have prompted Wall Street strategists to continue raising their S&P 500 targets. Meanwhile, the market is still assessing the uncertainty surrounding the duration of the Iran conflict. The S&P 500 opened roughly flat.

The strong performance of chip stocks continues to boost the benchmark index, with companies like Intel and Micron Technology standing out. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index edged up 0.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1%. "The market still believes a ceasefire agreement will be reached," said Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report, explaining why stocks did not sell off more sharply after Trump described Iran's response to his proposal to end the war as "completely unacceptable." (Jin Shi)