23 April 2026 — Today's Market News — Nasdaq +1.64% Gains as AI Stocks Rise While Gold (-0.50%) and Silver (-2.25%) Slide on Iran Risk

Global Markets

(A) Precious Metals

Gold: $4,740.15/oz (-0.50%)

Gold fell 0.50% to $4,740.15/oz as uncertainty over U.S.–Iran talks kept markets cautious despite ongoing tensions. While Donald Trump extended the ceasefire, both sides remain at a stalemate over Hormuz, supporting the dollar and higher-for-longer rate expectations, which pressured gold prices.

Silver: $77.7205/oz (-2.25%)

Silver fell 2.25% to $77.7205/oz as rising tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty around U.S.–Iran talks pushed oil prices higher and strengthened the U.S. dollar. A stronger dollar makes metals more expensive for global buyers, reducing demand. Since silver is more volatile and also linked to industrial demand, it reacted more sharply than gold and dropped further.

(B) FX

Dollar Index (DXY): ~98.47 (+0.06%)

The dollar held near a 1.5-week high as ongoing U.S.–Iran tensions and rising oil prices supported safe-haven demand. Higher energy prices also reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve may delay rate cuts, which strengthened the dollar through higher yield expectations.

USD/JPY: ~159.5 (+0.03%)

USD/JPY remained steady near 160 as the interest rate gap between the U.S. and Japan continued to favor the dollar. While U.S. yields stayed elevated, the Bank of Japan's loose policy kept the yen weak, though the pair remains near levels that could trigger intervention concerns.

Stock Market — What Happened Today?

United States

U.S. Equities

• Nasdaq Composite: 24,259.96 (+1.64%)
• S&P 500: 7,064.01 (+1.05%)

U.S. equities pushed higher as the Nasdaq gained 1.64% and the S&P 500 rose 1.05%, supported by strong earnings momentum and continued investor confidence in growth sectors despite persistent macro uncertainty.

Major Movers

GE Vernova | NYSE: GEV | +13.75% ▲

GE Vernova jumped 13.75% after raising its full-year revenue forecast, driven by strong demand for power and grid equipment, particularly linked to AI-driven energy consumption and data center expansion, which boosted investor confidence in its growth outlook.

Microsoft | NASDAQ: MSFT | +2.07% ▲

Microsoft gained after announcing a A$25 billion ($18 billion) AI expansion in Australia, including a 140%+ increase in data centre and supercomputing capacity. The move reinforced confidence in Microsoft's cloud and AI growth outlook.

Taiwan

Taiwan Weighted Index (TAIEX): +1.75% ▲

Taiwan's stock market rose 1.75%, led by strong gains in the technology sector, particularly semiconductor stocks.

Major Stock

MediaTek | TWSE: 2454 | +10.00% ▲

MediaTek rose 10.00% to T$2,090.00, making it one of the best performers on the Taiwan market as investors bought into the broader rally in electronic parts and semiconductor-related stocks. The move was mainly driven by strong risk appetite toward Taiwan's tech sector, which pushed the Taiwan Weighted Index up 1.75% to a record high, while MediaTek itself also reached an all-time high, adding momentum to the stock.

Volatility

VIX closed at 18.91, indicating cautious conditions.

What Traders Are Watching

1. Oil above $100 — A sustained move higher would tighten inflation expectations and put further pressure on rate-cut pricing.
2. U.S. data and Fed timing — Weekly jobless claims and PMI readings will be watched for signs that the energy shock is starting to weigh on growth.
3. USD/JPY near 160 — The pair remains close to a level markets associate with possible Japanese intervention risk.