Wall Street’s Nasdaq hits all-time high as AI frenzy gathers pace | Financial Markets News
Investors Boost Nasdaq to Record High Amid Geopolitical Tensions
By [Author Name]
Published September 23, 2026
Wall Street’s Nasdaq stock exchange reached an all-time high on Tuesday, as investors remained undeterred by concerns over artificial intelligence safety, high tech valuations, and the geopolitical instability stemming from the United States’ military involvement in Iran.
The Nasdaq Composite index, which is heavily influenced by major technology firms including Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, increased by 0.45 percent, marking a year-to-date gain of over 17 percent. The Nasdaq 100, which tracks 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the exchange, experienced a larger surge, rising by 0.82 percent.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index, a widely regarded benchmark for the overall U.S. stock market, ended the day nearly unchanged.
Leading the gains in the tech sector were Monolithic Power Systems, a manufacturer of power circuits based in Florida, and the Canadian e-commerce company Shopify, which saw their shares climb by 8.1 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively. Micron Technology, one of the top three memory chip manufacturers globally, experienced a notable increase of 5 percent.
In notable trades, Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, saw its stock rise by 0.7 percent, while Apple edged up by 0.2 percent. Conversely, Meta Platforms, which surged by 11.4 percent the previous day due to enthusiasm for its new AI assistant, Muse, experienced a downturn of 0.63 percent.
Asian markets mirrored the positive sentiment from Wall Street, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 and South Korea’s Kospi indices climbing approximately 1.4 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively, in morning trading on Wednesday. Conversely, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index opened lower, dropping more than 0.7 percent.
In the oil market, prices remained relatively stable on Tuesday following a decline of over 3 percent the previous day. This dip was attributed to improved oil flow from the Gulf and rising hopes for renewed diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran. Brent crude futures were trading at $99.18 per barrel as of 01:00 GMT.
President Donald Trump addressed reporters on Tuesday, stating that U.S. officials had a “very good” meeting with Iranian representatives during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This came shortly after Trump warned in his address that the U.S. could take severe action against Iran if a resolution to the conflict was not reached. He noted that further discussions between U.S. and Iranian officials would take place “very soon.”
Jay Goldberg, a senior analyst at Seaport Research Partners in San Francisco, suggested that signs of diplomatic progress between the U.S. and Iran had redirected investor focus toward the profitability potential of AI, following years of substantial investments in the sector. He remarked, “We have been searching for a clear consumer use case to justify AI spending, and many see Muse as just that product.”
Goldberg added that, while he considers Muse a positive step forward, more advanced products are expected to emerge in the near future, generating renewed excitement among investors regarding AI’s prospects.
