The U.S. stock market moved closer to records on Tuesday as major indexes rose amid mixed oil prices and ongoing talks to end the war with Iran.
The S&P 500 climbed 0.4 percent while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.8 percent as of noon Eastern time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 111 points or 0.2 percent but all three indexes remained near their all-time highs.
President Donald Trump stated that negotiations with Iran were proceeding nicely. Markets reacted to reports that the U.S. military conducted self-defense strikes on missile sites and boats in southern Iran as fighting continued in the region.
Brent crude rose 4.1 percent to $100.10 per barrel while U.S. crude fell 2.8 percent to $93.88. Gains in airline and cruise stocks such as United Airlines and Carnival reflected hopes that lower fuel costs might follow any deal to reopen oil flows.
Micron Technology surged 16.5 percent after analysts raised their price target sharply. Consumer confidence edged lower in May according to a new report though the decline was milder than expected.
