US open: Stocks edge down amid ceasefire doubts, mixed economic readings

9th Apr 2026 14:37

(Sharecast News) - Major indices were modestly lower early on Thursday as traders assessed the US and Iran's fragile ceasefire agreement and thumbed over fresh GDP and inflation data.

As of 1515 BST, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.12% at 47,852.60, while the S&P 500 shed 0.08% to 6,777.19 and the Nasdaq Composite came out of the gate 0.20% softer at 22,590.76.

The Dow opened 57.32 points lower on Thursday, after serious gains in the previous session saw the blue chip turn in its best single day performance since April 2025.

However, stocks headed south on Thursday after Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf accused the US of having already violated the ceasefire agreement - pointing to Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone's into Iranian airspace and the denial of the Islamic Republic's right to enrich uranium.

Trump said US military forces would remain deployed in and around Iran until Tehran fully complies with the "REAL AGREEMENT", warning that any breach would mean "the 'Shootin' Starts,' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before".

Oil prices also resumed their upward journey early on Thursday, with West Texas Intermediate up 6.58% at $100.59 a barrel, while benchmark Brent crude was 3.89% higher at $98.44 a barrel.

On the macro front, February's US inflation rose in line with expectations in February, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, likely stopping the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates in the near term. The personal consumption expenditures price index increased 0.4% month-on-month in February after a 0.3% gain in January, in line with expectations, while annual PCE growth held steady at 2.8%. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, the so-called core PCE index rose 0.4% for a third consecutive month and was up 3% year‑on‑year, easing slightly from 3.1% in January. Also of note, consumer spending rose 0.5% in February after a 0.3% gain in January, with higher prices accounting for part of the increase.

Elsewhere, US economic growth slowed sharply at the end of 2025, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis' third estimate, with real GDP rising at an annualised 0.5% rate in the fourth quarter, compared to a 4.4% expansion in the third quarter. The BEA's latest estimate marked a 0.2‑percentage‑point downward revision from the prior reading, reflecting weaker investment and a even sharper decline from an advance estimate that had previously put GDP growth at 1.4%.

Growth in consumer spending, which makes up more than two‑thirds of the US economy, was revised slightly lower to a 1.9% annualised pace in the fourth quarter, down from the previously reported 2%, while final sales to private domestic purchasers, which strips out government, trade and inventories, rose at a 1.8% clip. The average of GDP and gross domestic income, known as gross domestic output and viewed by some economists as a broader gauge of activity, increased at a 1.5% pace in Q4, compared to a 4% expansion in Q3. Real GDP increased 2.1% for 2025 as a whole, the same as previously estimated.

On another note, Americans lined up for unemployment benefits at an accelerated clip in the week ended 4 April, accprding to the Labor Department, potentially giving the Federal Reserve scope to leave interest rates unchanged as it gauges the economic fallout from the conflict with Iran. Initial claims rose 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 219,000, ahead of forecasts of 210,000, while the four-week moving average came to 209,500, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week. Continuing claims, on the other hand, dropped by 38,000 to 1.79m - the lowest level in almost two years. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2% for the week ended 28 March, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate.

Finally, US wholesale inventories rose 0.8% to $919.6bn in February, according to the Census Bureau, the most since January 2025, following a downwardly revised 0.3% decrease in January.

No major corporate earnings were slated for release on Thursday.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

Dow Jones - Risers

Intel Corp. (INTC) $60.23 8.18%

Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $84.48 3.58%

Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $353.80 2.91%

Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $785.61 1.70%

Chevron Corp. (CVX) $196.22 1.62%

Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $39.94 1.41%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $242.90 0.45%

Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $302.89 0.27%

Apple Inc. (AAPL) $256.73 0.22%

Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $77.54 0.21%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $167.95 -4.60%

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $368.07 -3.19%

International Business Machines Corporation (CDI) (IBM) $236.95 -1.56%

Visa Inc. (V) $304.29 -1.52%

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $97.98 -1.34%

American Express Co. (AXP) $313.94 -0.87%

Home Depot Inc. (HD) $333.72 -0.83%

Nike Inc. (NKE) $42.81 -0.72%

3M Co. (MMM) $148.90 -0.67%

McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $307.04 -0.35%

S&P 500 - Risers

Intel Corp. (INTC) $60.23 8.18%

Sba Communications Corp. (SBAC) $218.00 6.11%

Diamondback Energy Inc. (FANG) $189.92 6.03%

Apache Corp. (APA) $39.64 5.54%

Meta Platforms Inc. (META) $627.00 4.60%

Fastenal Co. (FAST) $49.37 4.28%

Constellation Brands Inc. Class A (STZ) $157.16 4.10%

Corning Inc. (GLW) $171.70 4.03%

Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) $82.87 3.58%

Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $84.48 3.58%

S&P 500 - Fallers

Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) $18.28 -8.08%

Intuit Inc. (INTU) $370.02 -7.54%

Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) $230.33 -6.37%

Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $101.92 -6.23%

United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) $95.11 -6.02%

American Airlines Group (AAL) $11.27 -6.00%

Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $124.93 -5.68%

Expedia Group Inc. (EXPE) $231.90 -5.62%

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (CTSH) $58.87 -5.55%

Mattel Inc. (MAT) $14.24 -5.49%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Intel Corp. (INTC) $60.23 8.18%

Meta Platforms Inc. (META) $627.00 4.60%

Fastenal Co. (FAST) $49.37 4.28%

Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $84.48 3.58%

Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $353.80 2.91%

Lam Research Corp. (LRCX) $254.55 2.57%

Texas Instruments Inc (TXN) $213.23 2.43%

Vodafone Group Plc ADS (VOD) $15.91 2.38%

Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) $226.09 2.18%

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $1,031.86 2.13%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Workday, Inc. (WDAY) $111.88 -11.74%

Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) $18.28 -8.08%

Intuit Inc. (INTU) $370.02 -7.54%

Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) $230.33 -6.37%

Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $101.92 -6.23%

American Airlines Group (AAL) $11.27 -6.00%

Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $124.93 -5.68%

Expedia Group Inc. (EXPE) $231.90 -5.62%

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (CTSH) $58.87 -5.55%

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP) $142.65 -5.23%