04:16 PM EDT, 06/26/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes ended higher on Thursday amid growing investor expectations of three interest-rate cuts by year-end.

* Media reports claimed that US President Donald Trump could announce the next Federal Reserve chair as early as September, which added pressure on the dollar. Current Fed Chair Jerome Powell's term ends in May, and presidents typically name a successor three to four months in advance to maintain stability in monetary policy.

* The US dollar fell on Thursday amid continued stability in the Middle East. Commenting on the dollar, Thierry Wizman, global FX and rates strategist at Macquarie Group, said the dollar weakened as geopolitical tensions eased and markets adjusted their outlook on monetary policy.

* August West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed up $0.49 to settle at $65.41 per barrel, while August Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.23 to $67.91.

* Solar stocks like Enphase Energy ( ENPH ) rose nearly 13%, Sunrun ( RUN ) climbed 6.5%, while SolarEdge ( SEDG ) gained 5.1% and First Solar ( FSLR ) was up 1.9% after Bloomberg reported that lawmakers are considering changes to a provision in President Donald Trump's spending bill that would eliminate tax credits for rooftop solar panels.

* Equinix ( EQIX ) shares fell 9.6% after the company projected annual revenue growth of 7% to 10% through 2029. BofA Securities, HSBC, and TD Cowen were among the firms that cut their price targets following the update.