NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks closed with a mixed performance on Tuesday as President Donald Trump's explosive threats against Iran rattled markets, driving volatile trading throughout the session. Ultimately however, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed in the red, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq eked out small gains.

President Trump imposed an 8 p.m. Monday night ET deadline on Iran to reach a deal and open the strategic Strait of Hormuz, warning of catastrophic consequences. "A whole civilization will die tonight," Trump said in a statement that reverberated through trading floors. But he added a cryptic note of uncertainty: "Maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?"

The threats overshadowed what would otherwise have been a calmer session, forcing investors to hedge bets across sectors sensitive to oil prices and geopolitical risk.

Indices Close Mixed

The Standard and Poor's 500 managed a modest gain, rising 5.02 points, or 0.08 percent, to close at 6,616.85. Trading volume reached 2.707 billion shares. The index fluctuated between a low of 6,534.55 and a high of 6,618.26 during the session.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended lower, falling 85.42 points, or 0.18 percent, to finish at 46,584.46. It traded within a range of 46,214.77 to 46,744.76 on volume of 441.581 million shares.

The NASDAQ Composite showed relative resilience, adding 21.51 points, or 0.10 percent, to close at 22,017.85. Volume on the tech-heavy index totaled 9.512 billion shares.

Pakistan Mediation Effort Seeks More Time

Adding to the diplomatic complexity, Pakistani mediators have requested a two‑week extension to continue their efforts to de‑escalate the crisis. The request came as back‑channel talks showed little sign of progress before Trump's deadline.

Traders said the combination of an unpredictable U.S. ultimatum and uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz — through which nearly 20 percent of global oil passes — kept markets on edge. Energy stocks saw heightened activity, though major indices ultimately settled with only marginal moves as investors awaited clarity on whether the president would follow through on his threat.

U.S. Dollar Mixed as Euro Gains, Swiss Franc Slips in Tuesday's FX Trading

The U.S. dollar turned in a broadly weaker performance against major currencies on Tuesday, with the euro and pound posting solid gains while the Swiss francr edged lower and the Japanese yen was flat.

The euro strengthened 0.39 percent against the greenback, with EUR/USD climbing to 1.1584. 

Against the Japanese yen, the dollar edged notioninally higher, rising 0.02 percent to 159.70. The move came despite fresh verbal intervention warnings from Japanese officials, who have signaled readiness to act against excessive yen weakness.

The Canadian dollar rose 0.11 percent.

The British pound advanced 0.31 percent versus the dollar, with GBP/USD trading at 1.3272. Sterling benefited from better-than-expected UK services data, which reinforced views that the Bank of England may move more slowly on rate cuts.

The Swiss franc weakened modestly against the dollar. USD/CHF rose 0.21 percent to 0.7988, as the safe-haven franc lost some appeal with global equity markets showing resilience in Asian and U.S. sessions.

The Australian dollar posted one of the strongest moves of the day, jumping 0.60 percent to 0.6957. The commodity-linked currency was supported by rising iron ore prices and growing risk appetite.

The New Zealand dollar also gained ground, advancing 0.11 percent to 0.5714. The kiwi's more modest rise reflected cautious positioning ahead of upcoming domestic growth data.

Global Stock Markets Close Mixed on Tuesday as Tech Gains Offset Tariff Concerns

Global stock markets delivered a mixed performance on Tuesday, with European indices retreating while Asian and Pacific benchmarks showed resilience amid ongoing trade uncertainty.

Canada, UK, Europe Fall Across the Board

Canada's S&P/TSX Composite index advanced 55.55 points, or 0.17 percent, ending the day at 33,237.52. Volume reached 277.639 million shares. The resource-heavy index found some support from rising crude oil prices amid fears of a potential disruption to Middle East shipping lanes.

European markets ended lower across the board. London's FTSE 100 fell 87.50 points, or 0.84 percent, to close at 10,348.79. Germany's DAX dropped 246.49 points, a decline of 1.06 percent, finishing the session at 22,921.59. France's CAC 40 lost 53.65 points, or 0.67 percent, ending at 7,908.74.

The broader EURO STOXX 50 declined 59.64 points, or 1.05 percent, to settle at 5,633.22, while the Euronext 100 Index slipped 10.85 points, or 0.61 percent, closing at 1,757.37. Belgium's BEL 20 showed relative resilience, falling just 9.28 points, or 0.18 percent, to end at 5,207.16.

Asia Shows Strength

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 eked out a modest gain of 15.88 points, or just 0.03 percent, finishing at 53,429.56. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index bucked the regional trend, dropping 177.47 points, or 0.70 percent, to close at 25,116.53.

Mainland China's SSE Composite Index added 10.07 points, or 0.26 percent, closing at 3,890.16 on volume of 116.867 million shares.

Australia's markets posted solid advances. The S&P/ASX 200 jumped 149.30 points, or 1.74 percent, to 8,728.80, while the All Ordinaries added 146.30 points, or 1.67 percent, ending at 8,921.20.

India's S&P BSE Sensex gained 509.73 points, or 0.69 percent, closing at 74,616.58. South Korea's KOSPI Composite Index rose 44.45 points, or 0.82 percent, to finish at 5,494.78. Taiwan's TWSE surged 657.39 points, or 2.02 percent, ending at 33,229.82.

Singapore's STI Index fell 14.39 points, or 0.29 percent, to close at 4,958.01. New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 advanced 167.51 points, or 1.30 percent, finishing at 13,069.66.

Indonesia's IDX Composite declined 18.40 points, or 0.26 percent, to 6,971.03, while Malaysia's FTSE Bursa KLCI slipped 3.97 points, or 0.24 percent, ending at 1,676.86. 

Middle East and Africa 

TheTA-125index in Israel gained 48.73 points, or 1.19 percent, closing at 4,156.65.

Egypt's EGX 30 Price Return Index fell sharply, dropping 969.80 points, or 2.04 percent, to close at 46,681.80 on volume of 522.922 million shares.

In South Africa the Top 40 USD Net TRI Index declined 92.99 points, or 1.35 percent, ending at 6,804.66.

Trading volumes varied across markets as investors continued to assess global economic data and corporate earnings reports.

(This report incorporates quotes retrieved with the assistance of artificial intelligence).

Related stories:

Monday 6 April 2026 | U.S. stocks close higher Monday despite Iran uncertainties | Big News Network.com 

Photo credit: Big News Network news agency