12:17 PM EDT, 05/28/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes rose amid media speculation of a peace deal with Iran to end the war and as the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation rate eased sequentially.

The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.6% to 26,846.2, the S&P 500 advanced 0.5% to 7,557.3, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up by less than 0.1% to 50,678.1 after midday on Thursday.

Healthcare and technology led the gainers intraday. Utilities, consumer staples, and financials were among the decliners.

Negotiators for the US and Iran have reached an agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire and begin talks on Iran's nuclear program, but President Donald Trump has not yet given final approval, Axios reported Thursday, citing two US officials. The White House didn't immediately reply to a request for comment.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures rose 1.1% to $89.65, and Brent crude futures climbed 0.5% to $94.78.

On a month-on-month basis, the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, price index slowed to 0.4% in April from 0.7% in the previous month, Bureau of Economic Analysis data showed Thursday. The Street expected 0.5%. The core PCE price index, which excludes the more volatile food and energy and is the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, grew by 0.2% versus March's 0.3%, also the consensus for April.