The Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.96% to 23,639.08 on April 13.

Techs push major indexes higher

The market rally was driven by strong gains in technology names, with Oracle climbing about 4.7% and other large-cap techs posting solid advances.

That helped the S&P 500 recover lost ground from earlier in the month, closing at 6,967.38 on Tuesday.

Traders said the upside came even as diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran showed fresh signs of strain over the weekend.

But President Donald Trump publicly suggested a deal was still possible — saying, "We've been called by the other side."

Where the numbers landed

The Nasdaq's 1.96% gain pushed it to 23,639.08, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 317.74 points, or 0.66%, to finish at 48,535.99.

Point is, the S&P's rise erased losses it had taken since hostilities began between the two countries, according to market tallies that tracked trading through the session.

Big names, big moves

Oracle led some of the biggest single-stock moves in the session after a prior-day rally, extending a run that has traders watching nearby resistance levels.

Nvidia and Palantir Technologies also notched gains, helping the Nasdaq outpace the Dow and S&P on a day when risk appetite returned to the tape.

The pattern on Tuesday wasn’t unique; tech-heavy indexes have been driving the broader market for weeks.

Sector rotation and analyst action

Outside the megacaps, some industrial and software names drew fresh analyst attention. Applied Industrial Technologies was reported to have received a Buy upgrade and has rallied in recent trading, up roughly 7% over the prior week and about 30% year-to-date, reflecting improved sentiment in parts of the industrial supply chain.

HubSpot, a customer-relationship software provider, was highlighted as a Strong Buy by at least one research note and is positioned to benefit from sustained demand for digital tools that help companies manage customers and sales pipelines.

Meanwhile, some stocks raised red flags: analysts pointed to biotech CervoMed and semiconductor Wolfspeed as risky due to volatile trading and shaky demand.

Geopolitics, oil and market psychology

Geopolitical headlines kept the market on edge but didn't stop buying. Traders shrugged off news of a breakdown in talks and focused on the numbers and earnings flows instead.

Energy prices have moved with the diplomatic developments, and some of the analyst commentary connecting easing energy costs to industrial-sector outlooks helped lift names that would otherwise lag when oil spikes.

Investors considered whether a diplomatic thaw, or even just the hope for one, might prevent more shocks to global supply chains and energy markets.

What traders were watching next

Market participants were keeping an eye on earnings from major technology firms and upcoming economic data that could alter the rate outlook and investor sentiment.

Volatility gauges remained below panic levels, even though headline risk from the Middle East persisted.

And those who follow short-term technical patterns noted that Monday's gains erased recent S&P losses tied to the conflict, leaving indexes close to 52-week highs in several cases.

Market breadth and implications

Market breadth leaned heavily on a small group of big tech names, which often happens late in a cycle when investors chase the winners.

That's important because broad participation would be a healthier signal for the rally; narrow leadership can leave indexes exposed if a handful of stocks pull back.

Still, for now the immediate story was straightforward: big tech led, energy worries eased somewhat, and traders favored growth-linked stocks over defensive names.

Looking at the individual stock moves

Oracle's roughly 4.7% rise came after an earlier surge, while Nvidia's gains reflected continued momentum in its core markets. Palantir also climbed, rounding out a positive day for software and data-related firms.

Applied Industrial Technologies’ outperformance was notable in the industrials group, and HubSpot’s upgrade narrative showd continued investor appetite for enterprise software that helps companies digitize customer-facing operations.

On the flip side, Wolfspeed and CervoMed were cited by analysts as examples of names facing more uncertain near-term prospects, illustrating the mixed nature of sector-level sentiment beneath the headline numbers.

Market mood and next steps

Investors moved from risk-parity hedges back into equities as the session progressed; trades that had been defensive in the immediate aftermath of the conflict were unwound or trimmed.

Traders said earnings results and central bank commentary would be the next major catalysts to test the durability of the recent gains.

In the end, markets reacted to mixed geopolitical news by buying tech stocks, at least for now.

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"They'd like to make a deal very badly," President Donald Trump said.