04:19 PM EDT, 06/18/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes rose Thursday amid a rally in mega-cap semiconductors and after the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

* President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian digitally signed an MOU targeting a permanent peace deal to end the war between the US and Iran. One clause in the framework agreement states that "the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa," Reuters reported.

* US initial jobless claims last week dropped to 226,000 from an upwardly revised 230,000 in the previous week, compared with expectations for 225,000 in an analyst survey compiled by Bloomberg.

* July West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell $0.06 to settle at $76.73 per barrel, while August Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $0.04 at $79.52.

* Intel ( INTC ) shares rose 11%, the second-biggest gainer on the Nasdaq, after Trump said Apple ( AAPL ) agreed to work with the semiconductor maker to design and build chips in the US.

* Accenture ( ACN ) shares fell 18%, the largest drop on the S&P 500, after the company reduced the top end of its full-year revenue outlook and posted weaker-than-expected fiscal Q3 sales, while announcing three cybersecurity acquisitions worth about $4.18 billion.