Market Summary - May 4, 2026

The U.S. market opened on May 4, 2026, under the influence of geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, which have led to moderate declines in U.S. index futures, with losses capped at 0.5%. The bond and oil markets experienced more significant movements, with bond yields rising nearly 1% in the medium-term segment (1-5 years) and oil prices temporarily increasing by 3%, pushing Brent crude above USD 111 per barrel.

Geopolitical Context

Reports from Iran's FARS news agency indicated that two missiles were fired at an unidentified U.S. warship, allegedly as it attempted to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz. However, a U.S. administration official denied the occurrence of such an attack. This situation coincides with the announcement of "Project Freedom" by former President D. Trump, which aims to establish military escorts for commercial vessels in the strait.

Macroeconomic Data

On the economic front, the U.S. Census Bureau is set to release durable goods orders and factory orders for March shortly after the market opens. Analysts anticipate an improvement in the annualized change in durable goods orders from -1.2% to 0.8%, while factory orders are expected to rise by 0.5%, compared to a flat 0% in the previous month.

Market Indices

• US100: 27,987.47 (+0.88%)
• US30: 49,297 (+0.45%)
• US2000: 2,829.1 (+0.93%)
• US500: 7,264.7 (+0.54%)

Company News

• Berkshire Hathaway (BRKB.US): The company reported earnings of USD 7.878 per share and revenue of USD 93.68 billion under new CEO Greg Abel, surpassing market expectations. Cash reserves increased to USD 397.38 billion, with share buybacks totaling USD 234 million. The stock showed minimal reaction to the news.
• GameStop (GME.US): Shares rose over 6% in pre-market trading following an acquisition offer for eBay valued at USD 56 billion, a significant premium over its market valuation. eBay shares also increased by more than 7% in pre-market trading.
• Palantir (PLTR.US): The company is set to report Q1 2026 results later today, with expectations of year-over-year EPS rising to approximately USD 0.28 and revenue exceeding USD 1.5 billion.
• Norwegian Cruise (NCLH.US): The cruise operator issued disappointing guidance for Q2 and full-year results, leading to a decline of over 7% in its stock price, impacting the entire sector.
• Celcuity (CELC.US): The biotech firm saw its stock rise by mid-teens percentage after announcing positive results from the next phase of trials for its breast cancer drug.

Conclusion

The market is navigating through a complex landscape of geopolitical tensions and mixed corporate earnings, with investors closely monitoring economic indicators and company performances as they unfold.