Stock Market Updates for February 27, 2026

Wall Street Ends Mixed as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Earnings

U.S. stocks closed with mixed results on Thursday, as market participants considered ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran, along with a new round of quarterly earnings reports. The Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 both finished lower, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to post a modest gain.

Major Index Performance

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) inched up by 0.03%, adding 17.05 points to settle at 49,499.20. Out of the 30 stocks in the index, 16 advanced and 14 declined.
• The Nasdaq Composite, which is heavily weighted toward technology companies, dropped 1.2% to close at 22,878.38, a decrease of 273.69 points.
• The S&P 500 slipped 0.5%, ending the session at 6,908.86. Among its 11 sectors, four finished lower while seven posted gains. Notably, the Information Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretionary sectors fell by 1.8%, 0.8%, and 0.4% respectively, whereas the Financials sector climbed 1.3%.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), a measure of market fear, rose 3.9% to 18.63. Trading volume reached 19.55 billion shares, which was below the 20-session average of 20.31 billion. The S&P 500 saw 37 stocks reach new 52-week highs and one hit a new low, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 88 new highs and 88 new lows.

Gold Steady, Oil Prices Retreat Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty

Gold prices held at $5,177 per ounce on Thursday as the U.S. and Iran agreed to continue discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Although the Geneva talks concluded without a deal, both sides plan to reconvene in Vienna next week, focusing on sanctions and nuclear issues. Oil prices moved lower, with WTI crude settling at $65.03 per barrel and Brent crude at $70.58 per barrel. Earlier, oil prices had surged due to heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, sparking concerns over global supply and geopolitical risks.

Highlights from Fourth-Quarter Earnings

• Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) reported adjusted earnings of $3.81 per share for the fourth quarter of 2025, surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.03. Revenue reached $11.2 billion, slightly above expectations by 0.32%.
• KBR, Inc. (KBR) posted adjusted earnings of $0.99 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $0.95. However, revenue came in at $1.89 billion, missing expectations by 0.21%.
• PENN Entertainment, Inc. (PENN) delivered adjusted earnings of $0.07 per share, outperforming the expected loss of $0.23 per share. Revenue totaled $1.81 billion, exceeding estimates by 3.18%.

Following these results, shares of Salesforce, KBR, and PENN Entertainment rose by 4%, 3%, and 16.8%, respectively. Salesforce currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Latest Economic Indicators

According to data released Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department reported that initial jobless claims reached 212,000 for the week ending February 21, up 4,000 from the prior week’s revised figure of 208,000. The four-week moving average increased by 750 to 220,250.

Continuing unemployment claims fell by 31,000 to 1,833,000, compared to the previous week’s revised total of 1,864,000. The four-week average for continuing claims rose by 3,500 to 1,847,500.

Zacks Research Chief Reveals Top Stock Pick

Zacks’ team of analysts has identified five stocks with the potential to double in value in the coming months. Among these, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights one standout pick—a lesser-known satellite communications company. With the space industry expected to reach a trillion-dollar valuation and a rapidly expanding customer base, analysts anticipate a significant revenue surge in 2025. While not all top picks achieve such gains, this stock could outperform previous winners like Hims & Hers Health, which soared over 200%.

Further Reading and Reports