US Stocks Mixed as Geopolitical Risks Ease; AI Memory Stocks Surge, PCE Data Awaited

U.S. equities saw mixed trading on June 22, 2026, as progress in U.S.-Iran peace talks boosted market risk appetite. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4%, and the S&P 500 gained 0.2%, while the Nasdaq Composite edged down 0.1%. U.S. Vice President Vance confirmed Iran's agreement to accept nuclear inspectors, signaling ongoing technical negotiations and easing geopolitical tensions. This pushed West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude near $75 per barrel and Bitcoin back to $65,000. Micron Technology (MU) and Sandisk (SNDK) each surged approximately 6%, driven by strong demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) in AI servers ahead of Micron's upcoming earnings. Caterpillar (CAT) rose about 2%, while Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), and Salesforce (CRM) saw slight declines. SpaceX (SPCX) fell nearly 5%, marking its third consecutive daily drop and an 18% retreat from recent highs due to profit-taking. Investors are now focused on the May Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, due Thursday, June 27, 2026. Analysts forecast a 0.3% month-over-month increase and a 3.4% year-over-year rise, making it a critical indicator for Federal Reserve monetary policy.