S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow End Higher On SpaceX Strong Debut And US-Iran Peace Signals — SPCX, SHEL, ROKU, XOM, HOOD In Focus

• The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively, while the Dow Jones gained 0.7%.
• SpaceX stock closed 19% higher on Friday in its Nasdaq debut.
• Roku is in sale talks while Microsoft’s Xbox is planning a spinoff, according to reports. 

U.S. stock indices gained on Friday to end the week higher amid renewed hopes of diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran, while SpaceX’s strong trading debut fueled enthusiasm.

The S&P 500 gained 0.5%, Nasdaq jumped 0.6% and the Dow Jones rose 0.7%. The Russell 2000, which tracks stocks with small market capitalizations, rallied 0.8%. Among sectors, materials and financials led gains, followed by technology and consumer stocks. 

Among ETFs tracking benchmark indexes, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) rose 0.6%, and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) ended Friday around 0.7% higher, while the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) ended 0.7% higher. 

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) jumped 1.7%.

However, retail sentiment on Stocktwits for SPY, DIA and QQQ was ‘bearish’ as retail investors were still skeptical about the longevity of the ceasefire and expressed their lack of trust on the deal. 

One user highlighted skepticism on a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran. 

US Market Drivers

Elon Musk’s SpaceX debuted on the Nasdaq at $150 per share, above its $135 IPO price, trading under the symbol SPCX. The stock closed up 19% at around $161. 

Elon Musk holds around 40% of the total equity in SpaceX, but due to different share classes with enhanced voting rights, his actual control over the firm reaches around 85%. To which Senator Elizabeth Warren called for a wealth tax after SpaceX’s Nasdaq debut made Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.

“The IPO parade, which now looks like it’s turning into a stampede, has been coming for a while,” Mark Klein, CEO and president at SuRo Capital, told CNBC in an interview. “SpaceX is going to be the bellwether.”

“As you look at the IPO market going forward, there are a lot of companies that want to go public, but you may see some of the more important names wait and see what happens because so much capital is flowing to a handful of companies,” Klein added.

In addition to the IPO frenzy, positive developments around the U.S.-Iran war also helped support broader equities and led oil prices lower. President Donald Trump, earlier on Friday, warned in a Truth Social post that Iran “better get their act together” even as a supposed deal between the U.S. and Tehran was on the table. 

But, positive commentary from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif helped push risk sentiment. The “final, agreed upon text” of a deal “has been reached,” Sharif said. Islamabad acted as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran. 

Furthermore, Bloomberg reported that a peace deal could be signed in Switzerland as soon as Sunday, citing people familiar with the plans.

Trending Stocks To Watch 

SpaceX (SPCX): Elon Musk-controlled SpaceX soared about 19% in its Nasdaq debut.

Shell (SHEL): The company is reportedly preparing a potential sale of its offshore wind farms, valued at over $1 billion, as it continues to pivot away from renewable energy investments and as part of a broader strategic shift toward higher-return fossil fuel businesses. 

Roku (ROKU): The streaming video platform is in talks to sell itself, according to people with knowledge of the matter, Bloomberg reported. 

Exxon Mobil (XOM): The oil company is studying potential acquisition targets, including Australia’s Woodside Energy Group, as per Bloomberg.

Robinhood Markets (HOOD): The trading platform said it experienced significant platform strain on Friday as retail investors flooded the app to trade shares of SpaceX following its record-breaking initial public offering. 

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