04:14 PM EDT, 04/21/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes closed lower on Tuesday as crude oil prices climbed amid renewed uncertainty over stalled US-Iran peace talks.

* President Donald Trump told CNBC that he expects the US and Iran to make a "great deal," referring to the proposed second round of talks in Islamabad that Iran has yet to confirm it will attend.

* Iran has told regional mediators it would send a negotiating team to Islamabad on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported.

* US retail sales rose 1.7% in March, compared with February's revised 0.7% gain and above the 1.4% increase expected in a Bloomberg survey.

* The National Association of Realtors said pending home sales rose 1.5% in March, above the 0.5% increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following a 2.5% gain in February. Sales fell 1.1% from March 2025.

* May West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $3.93 to settle at $91.35 per barrel, while June Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $5.29 at $100.77.

* Northern Trust ( NTRS ) shares rose 8%, the biggest gainer on the S&P 500, after the company reported higher Q1 earnings and revenue.

* Tractor Supply ( TSCO ) shares fell 12%, the largest drop on the S&P, after the company reported Q1 results that missed market projections amid a below-average performance of its companion animal product business.