Investment Review - May 2026
- The major U.S. indices all posted strong gains in the month of April as a ceasefire and the prospect of a brokered deal between the U.S. and Iran provided optimism for the markets. Technology stocks led the rally and pushed the Nasdaq Composite up 15.3%. The S&P 500 increased 10.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 7.2%, also posting robust returns.
- A major consequence from the war with Iran has been the bottleneck it has caused in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that is a major shipping route for many of the world’s commodities. While oil has grabbed the bulk of the headlines, fuel chemicals, fertilizers and other products are being impacted as well, causing a strain on input costs and supply chains.
Key Investment Statistics
Sources: FactSet, Dow Jones Publishing, Bloomberg, Bureau of Labor Statistics, S&P Global, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Commerce Department, U.S. Federal Reserve, CNBC, Barron’s, Trading Economics, Institute for Supply Management, Wall Street Journal
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