Stock Market Live April 22, 2026: S&P 500 (SPY) Rises on Cease Fire News Again

Futures are rocketing on news that President Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran.

At the moment, the S&P 500 is up about 0.68%, or by 48 points. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is up 0.62%, or by $4.37. The Dow is up 0.66%, or by 327. The Nasdaq is up 0.87%, or by 233. Oil is up about $1 at $90.64. Gold is up about $46.41 at $4,747.94. Bitcoin is up $1,822.

“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” the president said in a Truth Social post, as quoted by CNBC.

“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” he added.

However, while the U.S. calls for a ceasefire, Iran has reportedly seized two ships.

So, it’ll be interesting to see what happens next.

Market Movers: Palantir Inked a $300 Million Deal with USDA 

Shares of Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) are on the move after the company inked a $300 million deal with the USDA to keep the food supply safe.

According to a press release, the two signed a “$300 million Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to support the National Farm Security Action Plan (NFSAP) and modernize how USDA delivers services to America’s farmers. The agreement advances two priorities: strengthening farm security as a national security imperative and accelerating producer-first program delivery across USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission areas.”

BMO analysts reiterated an outperform rating on Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) with a price target of $410. The firm says GOOG is still a top pick and remains one of the best ways to own AI in its coverage universe.

In addition, psychedelic stocks, as we can see with the Advisor Shares Psychedelic ETF (PSIL), have been explosive. All after President Trump said he was opening up access to these drugs, including putting $50 million into research for psychedelics.

In fact, according to The White House:

• The Order further directs the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Agency to establish a pathway for eligible patients to access investigational psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine compounds, that are under FDA review and that have met basic safety requirements under President Trump’s landmark Right to Try Act.
• The Order requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to allocate $50 million through the Advanced Research Projects for Health (ARPA-H) program to match investments made by state governments to advance research into psychedelic programs for populations with serious mental illness.