01:05 PM EDT, 05/28/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes rose amid speculation of an agreement over a path to end the war against Iran and as the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation rate unexpectedly eased in April.

The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.8% to 26,880.1, the S&P 500 advanced 0.6% to 7,562.2, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up by less than 0.1% to 50,678.5 after midday on Thursday.

Healthcare and technology led the gainers intraday. Financials, utilities, and consumer staples were among the decliners.

Negotiators for the US and Iran 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.

Brent crude futures fell 0.6% to $93.70. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures rose 0.2% to $88.86, off session highs of more than 1% gain.

In precious metals, gold futures jumped 1.1% to $4,532.3, and silver futures climbed 1.4% to $75.91.

Most US Treasury yields fell, with the 10-year down 2.8 basis points to 4.46%. The two-year declined 1.5 basis points to 4.02%.

On a month-on-month basis, the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, price index slowed to 0.4% from 0.7% in March, Bureau of Economic Analysis data showed Thursday. The Street expected 0.5% in a Bloomberg-compiled poll. 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.

Annually, the PCE index jumped 3.8% in April, the largest increase since May 2023, up from 3.5% in March but in line with market expectations. Core PCE climbed to 3.3%, as expected, from the 3.2% in March.

US economic growth, as measured by gross domestic product, rose by 1.6% in Q1, revised lower from a 2.0% increase in the advance estimate. No revision was expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. GDP rose by 0.5% in Q4.

New orders for US durable goods rose by 7.9% in April following a 1.3% increase in March, beating the 4.0% gain forecast in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. Excluding a 21.5% surge in transportation orders, new orders would have been up 1.1% in April after a 1.1% increase in March. Expectations were for a 0.5% gain.

In company news, Dollar Tree ( DLTR ) shares soared 18%, the second-biggest gainer on the S&P 500, after the company posted higher fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue, and raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance.

The worst performer on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq was Synopsys ( SNPS ) , down 8.4%, after the company reported a decline in fiscal Q2 non-GAAP earnings.

Best Buy ( BBY ) shares catapulted 18%, the top performer on the S&P 500, after the firm reported higher-than-expected fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue.