Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Edge Higher as Iran Signals Deal Talks Amid Hormuz Blockade

U.S. equities trimmed early losses Monday after President Trump said Iran contacted his administration to negotiate a deal, offsetting market anxiety over a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose 0.1%, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) gained 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) advanced 0.7%, led by software stocks. Trump ordered a halt to all maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, effective 10 a.m. ET April 13, 2026, and threatened to destroy Iranian vessels approaching the blockade. Iran vowed to target all Persian Gulf ports if its energy infrastructure is struck. Brent crude (BZ=F) rose 2% to just below $100 a barrel, while WTI futures (CL=F) climbed roughly 2% to near $99, stoking inflation concerns. On the earnings front, Goldman Sachs (GS) reported strong Q1 profits but shares fell 2%. Results from Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), Citigroup (C), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), and Morgan Stanley (MS) are due later this week.