Live Markets: S&P 500 ends higher, lifted by Apple and IBM

International Business Machines

21/05/2026 21:17

Adds to live market blog

Euro STOXX 600 index rise ~0.04%

Dollar rises, gold and bitcoin slip; crude down ~1%

US 10-year Treasury yield climbs to ~4.66%

Major U.S. indexes rise, led by Dow

S&P 500 utiliites lead sectors

NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at markets.research@thomsonreuters.com

S&P 500 ENDS HIGHER, LIFTED BY APPLE AND IBM

The S&P 500 ended higher, with gains in Apple AAPL.O, IBM IBM.N and other tech-related stocks, while investors weighed developments in the conflict between the United States and Iran.

IBM jumped over 12% on news the Trump administration will take $2 billion in equity stakes across nine quantum-computing companies, including a new IBM venture.

Apple rose almost 1% and Amazon AMZN.O added 1.3%, both helping the S&P 500 end the day with a modest gain.

The U.S. and Iran stuck to opposing stances over Tehran's uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz, although U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there had been "some good signs" in talks.

Nvidia NVDA.O dipped 1.8% after the AI heavyweight late on Wednesday forecast revenue above analyst expectations, while CEO Jensen Huang aimed to assure investors that the world's most valuable company can ‌keep up its blockbuster growth.

With Thursday's gain, the S&P 500 remains down about 1% from its record high close on May 14.

Here is the final snapshot:

(Noel Randewich)

EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

GROK'S SPACEX MATH: ADD ROCKETS, MULTIPLY BY OPTIMISM, CARRY THE TRILLION CLICK HERE

EXPECT STRAIT OF HORMUZ TO OPEN SOON AS ECONOMICS BEATS POLITICS - PENCE WEALTH CLICK HERE

DATA SALAD: HOUSING STARTS/BUILDING PERMITS, JOBLESS CLAIMS, FLASH PMI, PHILLY FED CLICK HERE

ARGENTINA'S ROAD BACK TO MSCI IS NO STRAIGHT LINE CLICK HERE

WHAT DO RISING US TREASURY YIELDS DENOTE? CLICK HERE

S&P 500 BREADTH GAP HITS 35-YEAR HIGH AS MEGACAPS LEAD CLICK HERE

U.S. STOCK FUTURES FALL AS MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS FLARE CLICK HERE

THE BETTER THE KOSPI, DOES THE WORSE FOR THE WON CLICK HERE

HALF-TIME SENTIMENT SHIFT IN EUROPE CLICK HERE

FED NEUTRAL STANCE POINTS TO OVER 4% - DEUTSCHE BANK CLICK HERE

POSITIVE START IN EUROPE CLICK HERE

BEFORE THE BELL: FINE-TUNING POSITIONING WHEN NO ONE KNOWS CLICK HERE

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS' WAGE DRAMA NOT OVER YET CLICK HERE

Snapshot https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/znpnmagkxvl/Pasted%20image%201779393614999.png

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak)

((charles.mikolajczak@tr.com; @chuckmik.bsky.social))