US stock markets today (March 31, 2026): Wall Street rallies on de-escalation hopes; S&P 500 jumps over 1.6%, tech stocks lead gains

Market Overview - US stock markets experienced a significant rise, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 627.92 points (1.39%) to 45,844.06, the S&P 500 gaining 103.78 points (1.64%) to 6,447.50, and the Nasdaq Composite advancing by 432.71 points (2.08%) to 21,227.35 [4][6] - Market sentiment improved following reports of potential de-escalation in the Middle East conflict, particularly regarding US military actions against Iran [4][6] Sector Performance - The S&P 500 energy index rose over 11% in March, marking its strongest quarterly performance on record and being the only sector expected to end the month positively [4][6] - Technology stocks led the gains, with the S&P 500 technology index increasing by 2%, driven by significant movements in companies like CoreWeave, which rose 8.4% after securing an $8.5 billion loan, and Marvell Technology, which increased by 6.8% following a $2 billion investment from Nvidia [5][6] - Communication services stocks also saw advancements, with Meta Platforms gaining 3.9% and Alphabet rising 2.5%, contributing to a 2.2% increase in the sector index [5][6] Economic Indicators - The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) indicated a decline in vacancies to 6.882 million in February, slightly below expectations of 6.918 million, while consumer confidence exceeded estimates [5][6] - The surge in oil prices has raised inflation concerns, leading markets to adjust expectations regarding potential rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [5][6] Company-Specific News - McCormick's stock fell by 6% after Unilever announced plans to spin off its food business and merge it with McCormick in a deal valued at approximately $44.8 billion [5][6] - Constellation Energy's shares dropped by 7.1% following a weaker-than-expected profit forecast for 2026 [5][6] Market Breadth - Market breadth remained strong, with advancing stocks outnumbering decliners by a ratio of 5.23-to-1 on the NYSE and 4.21-to-1 on the Nasdaq [5][6] - The S&P 500 recorded three new 52-week highs and three lows, while the Nasdaq saw 19 new highs and 85 new lows [5][6]