04:16 PM EDT, 05/06/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes ended higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite reaching new highs as the US-Iran closed in on a peace deal and Advanced Micro Devices' ( AMD ) Q1 results led a rally in semiconductor stocks.

* The White House is close to agreeing on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war with Iran and set a framework for more detailed negotiations about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Axios reported, citing two US officials and two other sources briefed on the issue.

* Employment in the US private sector grew in April, ADP data showed Wednesday, ahead of nonfarm payrolls due later in the week. Private jobs grew by 109,000, representing the fastest growth pace since January 2025, compared with 120,000 expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.

* June West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell $7.23 to settle at $95.04 per barrel, while July Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $8.59 at $101.28.

* Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) shares were up more than 18%, among the top gainers on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, after the chipmaker overnight posted stronger-than-expected fiscal Q1 results and issued an upbeat Q2 revenue outlook.

* Arista Networks ( ANET ) shares were down nearly 14%, among the worst S&P 500 performers, after the cloud networking company issued a Q2 revenue outlook late Tuesday slightly below market estimates.